E543 | EUVC Summit 2025 | Hampus Jakobsson, Pale Blue Dot: Climate Tech in a Trump Era

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21d ago 12:06

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At EUVC Summit 2025,

(

) didn’t give a talk—he threw down a gauntlet.

Forget polite panel chatter. This was part existential reckoning, part investor roast, and part Radiohead reference. It left the room laughing, nodding, and—if we’re honest—slightly uncomfortable.

Which was the point.

“Venture is lending money to people believing one future. That’s what I do at least.”

2019: The Climate Fundraising GauntletHampus opened with a flashback to 2019, when fundraising for climate still meant fighting disbelief.

“One third of LPs didn’t believe in climate change. Another third didn’t understand the business models. The rest were waiting for someone else to go first.”

Fast forward to today, and while climate events are louder, many investors still hesitate.

“The expected value of climate change is huge. So why are we still asking if there’s upside?”

Fossil Fuels vs. Electrons: Which Sounds Dumber?

In classic Hampus form, he took aim at the status quo with punchy simplicity:

“We burn things that explode to move forward. Or we could use electrons that fall from the sky for free. Which sounds smarter?”

He skewered half-hearted circularity narratives and ESG buzzwords, pointing out the absurdity in how valuable materials (like titanium in aerospace) are wasted—literally thrown out next to cigarette butts.

Radiohead, Trump & the Venture Job DescriptionAt one point, Hampus invoked a line from Radiohead:

“If you're a plastic surgeon, you gotta know—gravity always wins.”Then added:“Sorry, Trump.”It was funny—but also cutting. The message was clear: You can deny physics and climate reality for a while, but eventually, gravity wins.

How Venture Can Actually Matter

Hampus made one thing very clear: he’s not in climate to feel good—he’s in it to win.

That means:

Bigger rounds
Bigger companies
Bigger exits
And fewer excuses

“Let’s stop pretending it’s complicated. Let’s raise, build, scale—and let’s be less dumb.”

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