CleanTechies

What a whirlwind two days in the booming clean tech hub of... Houston! Over the past two days, Somil Aggarwal and I have been making the rounds in the Houston clean tech ecosystem. Trevor Best gave us a tour the facilities at Syzygy Plasmonics (a chemical reactor powered by light. It's 30x more efficient than conventional reactors). We got to sign the wall (I think we are part of the team now) Moji Karimi and Dr. Tara Karimi showed us around the Cemvita Inc. lab spaces and taught us all about how nuances of how they're using microbes to make bio-oil out of waste streams, to then produce sustainable aviation fuel. Then Rawand Rasheed, PhD showed us how they are revolutionizing the HVAC space with Helix Earth. After that Energy Tech Nexus and Digital Wildcatters hosted us for a live podcast with Todd Bush on the topic of Carbon Capture and Upcycling. (cc: Jason Ethier, Nada Ahmed, Julie McLelland) Then this morning we toured the Gold H2 office and lab with Prabhdeep S. Sekhon and Brittany Pitlik to see how they are creating hydrogen from abandoned oil wells. And got to catch up with my good friend John who is one of the main reasons I ended up in NYC back in 2020 (what a G!) We really appreciate the hospitality of everyone and we look forward to returning in the future. Next stop, NYC (HMU if you're looking to connect) PS: if you've not already, check out the episodes we did with Trevor, Moji, and Jason & Nada. (I'll link in comments) #houston #energytech #hydrogen #carboncapture

This company is almost at $90 million in total raised capital. Check out the link in the comments to learn how they got here.

🚀 This Startup is Reinventing Data Centers with Hydrogen! Yuval Bachar, founder & CEO of ECL, is pioneering the first off-grid hydrogen-powered data center to address the energy crisis in AI-driven computing. ⚡🌍 🔋 The Problem: AI is fueling an unprecedented demand for data centers—but the power grid can’t keep up. Traditional data centers depend on fossil fuels and take 2–4 years to build. Water-intensive cooling systems increase environmental impact. 💡 The Solution: ECL’s modular hydrogen-powered data centers solve these challenges: ✅ Runs 100% off-grid using hydrogen fuel cells ✅ Zero emissions + zero water waste – even reuses byproduct water for cooling ✅ Rapid deployment – built in 9 months, not 3+ years ✅ Scalable & flexible – tailored to customer needs 💰 The Impact: $18M+ raised, now securing $1.2B for expansion First commercial-scale site in Houston launching 2025 Major AI & cloud players looking at ECL to power their next-gen compute centers 🔥 Why This Matters: With AI, cloud computing, and energy crises pushing infrastructure to the limit, ECL is proving that sustainability and performance don’t have to be a trade-off. (link to episode in comments) #HydrogenRevolution #DataCenters #AIInfrastructure #CleanTech #ECL #FutureOfEnergy 🔋🌍

The energy trilemma

When you think of Houston, you probably think, Big Oil - but the truth is - it's actually the epicenter of the Energy Transition 🤔 This week we released an episode of CleanTechies with Nada Ahmed and Jason Ethier, two of the founding partners at Energy Tech Nexus. With this venture, they are bringing together all the key ingredients an energy transition company needs to succeed. - A wide spectrum of capital types - Pilot project opportunities - Access to corporate partners who work on 10-year timescales - Talent that has built physical energy infrastructure - A community that understands electrons AND molecules In short, they are at the epicenter of the future of energy. If you want to know more about what they are doing, and hear our discussion about Trump, Nuclear, Carbon Capture, and the Unique aspects of Houston's ecosystem, tune in today. You'll enjoy it I'm sure of it. (link to the show in the comments)

⚡ Building the Future of Energy in Houston ⚡ Nada Ahmed and Jason Ethier came on the pod to tell us about how Energy Tech Nexus is accelerating the energy transition in Houston This episode covers 5 major themes shaping the future of clean energy: 1️⃣ Trump’s Energy Policy & Its Impact on Clean Tech - The new administration’s focus on oil and gas creates uncertainty for clean energy projects. - While some federal funding is on hold, there’s still state-level and private capital available for climate tech. 🔥 Takeaway: Clean tech startups must adapt by securing private investment, strategic partnerships, and global markets. 2️⃣ Will Nuclear Finally Scale? - The administration is pro-nuclear, pro-geothermal, and pushing baseload power options. - Key challenge: Public perception & long permitting timelines. ⚛️ Takeaway: If nuclear can fast-track permitting and gain public trust, it could see major momentum. 3️⃣ Can Carbon Capture Thrive? - Oil & gas majors are investing in CCS to meet corporate sustainability targets. - CCS is essential for hard-to-abate sectors (steel, cement) & securing net-zero goals for data centers. 🌱 Takeaway: Carbon capture will continue to grow, but its long-term viability depends on policy and private funding. 4️⃣ How Can Clean Tech Startups Win? - Pilot projects are critical—startups need to prove technology, secure offtakers, and attract investors. - Houston is a prime location for developing and deploying large-scale energy projects. 🚀 Takeaway: Successful startups act as project developers, not just tech providers—integrating EPC, financing, and corporate buy-in. 5️⃣ Houston’s Role in the Energy Transition - Houston is not just for oil & gas—it’s a growing hub for industrial-scale clean tech innovation. - Energy Tech Nexus connects startups with corporate partners, investors, and pilot projects. 🏗 Takeaway: The next wave of billion-dollar clean energy companies ("Thunder Lizards") will likely emerge from Houston. 🎧 Listen now for expert insights on building clean energy startups, navigating the new administration, and why Houston is the future of energy innovation. #EnergyTech #CarbonCapture #Nuclear #Houston #CleanTech 🔗 Listen now: (link in comments)

Holocene is reshaping DAC. Here's how.

Anca Timofte, CEO and co-founder of Holocene, is revolutionizing direct air capture and landed Google as a customer Here's how. 1️⃣ A New Way to Capture Carbon - Holocene’s liquid-based, low-temperature system removes CO2 continuously, unlike traditional solid adsorbent approaches that require cartridges. - The process functions like a chemical plant, making it more energy-efficient and scalable. - Takeaway: Aqueous-based carbon capture is a game-changer—faster, cheaper, and more efficient than many existing systems. 2️⃣ Why Google Chose Holocene - Holocene secured Google’s first DAC carbon credit purchase outside of the Frontier Fund. - They’re selling carbon removal credits at $100/ton, a price point that could unlock mass adoption of DAC. - Takeaway: Big Tech is betting on scalable carbon removal—and Holocene is leading the charge. 3️⃣ Beyond Storage: CO₂ Utilization for Synthetic Fuels - In addition to underground storage, Holocene sells CO₂ to partners producing synthetic fuels, chemicals, and refrigerants. - Their process repurposes carbon, turning emissions into valuable products. - Takeaway: Carbon capture isn’t just about storage—it’s about reusing CO₂ in new and sustainable ways. 4️⃣ Scaling Fast: From Pilot to Commercial Deployment - Holocene launched a pilot plant in Tennessee in 2023, testing its system in real-world conditions. - The company is now engineering its first commercial-scale demonstration plant, 200–500x bigger than their pilot. - Takeaway: Scaling a DAC company requires strategic engineering and early customer buy-in—Holocene is making both happen. 5️⃣ Carbon Capture in the Biden-Trump Era - DAC has bipartisan appeal—even if climate policy shifts, carbon removal remains a key industry. - Holocene is focused on technology development and customer-driven funding rather than relying solely on government incentives. - Takeaway: The carbon removal industry is here to stay—even in uncertain political times. 🎧 Listen to the full episode to hear Anca's insights on scaling climate technology, securing big-name partnerships, and building a climate tech company from scratch. (link in comments) #CarbonCapture #DAC #Holocene #CleanTech #ClimateTech

Looking to land meaningful climate tech coverage? Here are 5 high-impact, non-traditional media outlets to pitch: 📧 Sightline Climate (CTVC) i. Climate tech deals and news every Monday ii. Written by Sightline Climate, a market intelligence platform iii. 60,000+ subscribers 📧 Volts i. 1-2x weekly newsletter covering climate tech and policy ii. Written by David Roberts, former Vox and Grist reporter iii. 77,000+ subscribers 📧 Keep Cool i. 2x weekly newsletter ii. Written by Nick van Osdol, climate writer and investor iii. 18,000+ subscribers 🎧️ Catalyst i. Hosted by Shayle Kann, an investor at Energy Impact Partners ii. Focus on leveraging tech and AI to decarbonize the planet iii. Weekly episodes 🎧️ CleanTechies i. Hosted by Somil Aggarwal, climate & AI investor ii. 2x weekly interviews with top climate tech founders and VCs iii. Smaller subscriber list but quality interviews I'd love to hear more if I missed some - feel free to chime in with any that I skipped.

Who do YOU want to see on the pod? Tag them below 👇 #CleanTechies