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The Truth About Climate Startups | Gabrielle Darbyshire

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Manage episode 484215564 series 3590240
Content provided by VC Unfiltered. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by VC Unfiltered or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Is the power law dead for climate startups? Should VCs stop chasing unicorns and start funding real impact? In this thought-provoking episode, Lucas J Pols, GP at Pegasus Angel Accelerator, sits down with Gaby Darbyshire, General Partner at Dangerous Ventures, to unpack how climate venture capital is shifting — and why that’s a good thing.
Gaby shares her journey from nuclear energy law to climate VC, and explains how her fund backs startups solving climate problems at the root — from precision agriculture to grid resilience. They dive deep into what defines a successful climate startup, how to balance profit with planet, and why not every company should chase the next billion-dollar valuation.
0:27 Introduction to the Episode and Guest
0:52 Gabby’s Background and Climate Resilience Focus
1:46 Challenges and Opportunities in Climate Tech Investing
2:38 Early Investment Failures and Evolution of Climate Attitudes
4:16 The Growing Scope of Climate as a Category
6:08 Climate-Focused Software Startups and Market Experiments
7:23 The Reality of Venture Failures and Learning from Iteration
7:53 Balancing Impact and Returns in Climate Startups
8:49 Defining Impact Without Being Concessionary
10:52 LP Expectations vs Founder Aspirations in Climate VC
11:32 Rethinking the Power Law in Climate Venture Capital
13:25 Fund Size, Exit Strategy, and Mid-Market Opportunities
14:34 Venture Math and the Case for Emerging Managers
17:06 Long-Term Value and Challenges in Regulated Industries
17:19 Case Study: Verdi and Agricultural Water Conservation
20:27 Valuation Challenges and Early-Stage Investment Strategy
21:35 The Fallout of 2021 Valuations and Founder Misconceptions
22:53 Founder Advice: Ownership, Dilution, and Sustainable Growth
23:27 Nuclear Power's Resurgence and Public Perception
24:20 Gabby’s Nuclear Facility Experience and Risk Perspective
26:57 Investing in Nuclear-Adjacent Technologies
27:25 Energy Transition and the Role of Fossil Fuels
28:09 Cars, Carbon Capture, and Energy Efficiency
28:58 The Promise of Clean Energy and Fusion Potential
29:27 Government Regulation and Corporate Incentives
29:50 Insurance Markets as Climate Risk Indicators
31:14 Electrical Grid Resilience and the Future of Energy
31:41 Final Thoughts and Episode Wrap-Up
#venturecapital #startups #climatechange

  continue reading

13 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 484215564 series 3590240
Content provided by VC Unfiltered. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by VC Unfiltered or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Is the power law dead for climate startups? Should VCs stop chasing unicorns and start funding real impact? In this thought-provoking episode, Lucas J Pols, GP at Pegasus Angel Accelerator, sits down with Gaby Darbyshire, General Partner at Dangerous Ventures, to unpack how climate venture capital is shifting — and why that’s a good thing.
Gaby shares her journey from nuclear energy law to climate VC, and explains how her fund backs startups solving climate problems at the root — from precision agriculture to grid resilience. They dive deep into what defines a successful climate startup, how to balance profit with planet, and why not every company should chase the next billion-dollar valuation.
0:27 Introduction to the Episode and Guest
0:52 Gabby’s Background and Climate Resilience Focus
1:46 Challenges and Opportunities in Climate Tech Investing
2:38 Early Investment Failures and Evolution of Climate Attitudes
4:16 The Growing Scope of Climate as a Category
6:08 Climate-Focused Software Startups and Market Experiments
7:23 The Reality of Venture Failures and Learning from Iteration
7:53 Balancing Impact and Returns in Climate Startups
8:49 Defining Impact Without Being Concessionary
10:52 LP Expectations vs Founder Aspirations in Climate VC
11:32 Rethinking the Power Law in Climate Venture Capital
13:25 Fund Size, Exit Strategy, and Mid-Market Opportunities
14:34 Venture Math and the Case for Emerging Managers
17:06 Long-Term Value and Challenges in Regulated Industries
17:19 Case Study: Verdi and Agricultural Water Conservation
20:27 Valuation Challenges and Early-Stage Investment Strategy
21:35 The Fallout of 2021 Valuations and Founder Misconceptions
22:53 Founder Advice: Ownership, Dilution, and Sustainable Growth
23:27 Nuclear Power's Resurgence and Public Perception
24:20 Gabby’s Nuclear Facility Experience and Risk Perspective
26:57 Investing in Nuclear-Adjacent Technologies
27:25 Energy Transition and the Role of Fossil Fuels
28:09 Cars, Carbon Capture, and Energy Efficiency
28:58 The Promise of Clean Energy and Fusion Potential
29:27 Government Regulation and Corporate Incentives
29:50 Insurance Markets as Climate Risk Indicators
31:14 Electrical Grid Resilience and the Future of Energy
31:41 Final Thoughts and Episode Wrap-Up
#venturecapital #startups #climatechange

  continue reading

13 episodes

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