Waz (Warwick) Peel 😇🤖

Fellow Climatech founders, If you haven't completed your Climate Salad 2023 Industry report submission yet get in before it closes, it helps us understand our broader ecosystem and provides some great free publicity. #climatesalad #climatech #ecosystem

9

1 Comment

Today, as I open the Impact X summit in Sydney, a cornerstone event for forward-thinkers in the climate sphere, it's a moment to reflect on the insights shared by ambrose evans-pritchard in his recent AFR piece. 🌍 The Myth Debunked: Less Energy, More Growth 🌍 Evans-Pritchard's article sheds light on a pivotal truth: The path to a rich and sustainable world is paved not by increasing our energy consumption but by harnessing efficiency and innovation to significantly reduce it. Cutting-edge research now suggests that the future may require only 40% to 45% of today’s energy to foster global growth, elevate the global South, and power our digital existence. This isn’t a call to action; it's a call to optimism . 💡 From LEDs to Electrification: The Unsung Heroes of Efficiency 💡 The transition to low-energy solutions like LED lighting and electric vehicles, alongside the utilisation of renewable sources, exemplifies how we can achieve monumental reductions in energy use while maintaining, if not enhancing, our quality of life. The efficiency of ground source heat pumps and the potential of new cooling technologies for data centers underscore the silent revolution transforming our energy landscape . 🔋 Investing in a Regenerative Future 🔋 As the Impact X open today, it's clear that our conversations and actions here are pivotal. We're not just discussing the future; we're actively shaping it to be sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous. By focusing on regeneration, efficiency, and innovation, we can navigate towards a future where technology and sustainability converge to create an environment where both the planet and its inhabitants thrive. 🌱 Join Us in This Crucial Journey 🌱 I urge you to dive deeper into the insights presented in the AFR article and join us in this critical dialogue. Together, we can challenge the status quo, leverage our collective ingenuity, and step confidently into a future where sustainability is synonymous with prosperity. And don't forget: 👍 Like if you found this intriguing! 🔁 Share to spread the word! ➕ Follow me for more insights and updates on how technology and investment are shaping our future. And comment and let me know your thoughts. #iXSydney2024 #Sustainability #Innovation #FutureIsBright

58

6 Comments

Scaling isn’t just about resources—it’s about networks with “boots on the ground” insight. Startup ecosystems like French Tech Australia (FT AU) connect founders to mentors, resources, and markets, offering local knowledge that is crucial for expansion. These networks lend credibility, open doors, and provide on-the-ground insights to navigate new markets with confidence. From strategic partnerships to market access, ecosystems are invaluable in a startup’s journey from local success to global presence. Tip: Use your ecosystem’s resources proactively—growth is faster with the right boots on the ground. How has your network helped you scale? Share your experiences below! 👇 https://lnkd.in/gmuYeYDB #StartupGrowth #ScaleUp #BusinessNetworking #GlobalExpansion #StartupCommunity #EcosystemSupport #InnovationHub #EntrepreneurTips #MentorshipMatters #CrossBorderBusiness Resumption - Sales, Marketing, and Operations Consulting

3

At the Launch Vic Awards Nights, there was a lot of talk about the VC’s in our ecosystem, and quite a bit of mention of Angel Syndicates, but no mention of Venture Studios. In fact when people ask me what I do, I often have to explain what a Venture Studio is. So let me make the Venture Studio pitch. Firstly, what is a Venture Studio? Venture Studios give life to startups in two main ways. 1. Ideas are incubated and validated within the Venture Studio, once validated, the team finds the external resources/ people needed to bring the idea to life. 2. External founders brings ideas to Venture Studios, in which the Venture Studio provides services and resources to the founder in exchange for equity. So who is a Venture Studio good for? High Quality Founders, with scalable ideas: The success of a Venture Studio relies on the success of the startups they work with so naturally Venture Studios are looking for the highest quality founders / startups. Early stage founders who are missing a technical partner: During the early days of your startup, if you don’t have a technical partner, you generally require investment or you need to take significant financial risk to fund your MVP build. While most investors won’t want to invest until you have a functional MVP, this is the exact stage many Venture Studio’s like to play in. Why choose a Venture Studio over a development agency? Your developers will have skin in the game The app development process often goes wrong, because building apps is hard. If things go wrong, it’s easy for relationships to sour, and shortcuts to be made. Since Venture Studio’s success is so heavily tied into the success of their startups, by choosing a Venture Studio you have the peace of mind that your developers are so heavily incentivised to deliver an awesome product. Support beyond development Again because the success of the Venture Studios are so heavily tied to the success of the startup, it’s in the our best interest to ensure you are supported beyond your product build. So when it comes to GTM, capital raising and beyond, we aim to provide support and introductions where we. De-risk your financial position So this is the obvious benefit, get to launch without paying or paying a lot less. All of this is not to say, VC’s, Angel’s, Dev Shops all don’t play an important role in this ecosystem, I just feel the Venture Studio voice needs to be heard a bit louder.

22

2 Comments

🌿 Final Day to Join X-Hemp's Mission: Capturing Carbon & Building a Better Future 🌿 Over $700k raised so far in an absolutely incredible performance by Andi Lucas and her passionate community! X-Hemp Pty Ltd's CSF campaign on Birchal closes TONIGHT! Don’t miss your chance to invest in a truly transformative business at the forefront of eco-friendly building materials. X-Hemp is Tasmania’s ONLY hemp fibre processing mill and one of only five in Australia. With strong first-mover advantage, they’ve already tripled the number of hempcrete homes built in Tassie, proving the demand for fire-and-flood-resistant, carbon-neutral building materials. Founded and operated by the trailblazing Andi Lucas, X-Hemp isn’t just building homes; they’re building a movement. Their innovative products like hempcrete, HempWood®, and HempWool® are tackling climate change from both sides of the construction supply chain. With contracts in hand, MOUs with U.S. partners, and a warehouse full of raw materials ready to convert into retail and B2B goods, they’re perfectly positioned for rapid growth. This is your last chance to be part of X-Hemp’s mission to replace traditional building materials with plant-based alternatives, while locking carbon into homes and delivering long-term environmental benefits. Invest now to help them scale their production, diversify their product range, and continue disrupting the building industry. Always consider the offer document and general CSF risk warning before investing. #EquityCrowdfunding #Innovation #Sustainability #Hempcrete #ClimateAction #FemaleFounders #CarbonNeutral #Startups #EcoFriendlyBuilding 🌏

11

5 Comments

📣 Queenslanders, as caretaker period kicks off, you have a new grant program with very attracting funding on offer!   ⚡ SEQ Innovation Economy Fund ⚡   The SEQ Innovation Economy Fund is part of the $1.8 billion SEQ partnership between the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Council of Mayors (SEQ).   💡 High level details below, but please note there are some complexities regarding project location. Please get in touch to discuss!   Funding Available: - Tier 1 Minor Capital Projects - $1 million to $5 million matched funding - Tier 2 Major Capital Projects - $5 million to $25 million matched funding   Eligible Projects: - New builds, extensions, and refurbishments - Acquisition and installation of plant and equipment - Projects must be located within the eligible local government areas and contribute to the innovation precinct’s capability to increase innovation activity and support priority industries or growth sectors   Innovation Priority Investment Areas: - Priority Industries: Defence and aerospace, energy transformation, agriculture and food processing innovation, biomedical, and manufacturing across all sectors. - Innovation Growth Sectors: Autonomous systems, robotics and artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, biotechnology (including synthetic biology and mRNA technologies), quantum technologies, cybertechnology, space industries, AgTech, sustainable energy solutions, and more.   Timing: Open now, closes 22 Nov 2024.   More information: https://lnkd.in/gyjgS7m8

11

1 Comment

Checklist for startups that catch my eye:   Large market ✅ Innovative Product ✅ Impressive founders & team ✅ Solving a real problem and making a difference ✅   Now, one startup that ticks all these boxes is NRN - National Renewable Network.   NRN is democratising access to renewable energy assets for all Australians at scale and at no upfront cost - and doing so at a rapid pace!   Electrifi Ventures has just launched a new syndicate deal providing access to invest in NRN, in my opinion, one of the most exciting Climate Tech startups around.   If you're interested to find out more about NRN’s incredible growth journey, join the Founder Q&A at 12pm AEDT today, with Founder Alan Hunter.   To find out more or register - see the link in the comments.   *This isn't financial advice Sam Fitz-Roy Danin Kahn Natalie Collins

34

6 Comments

🌱 Exciting News for Climate Tech in Australia! 🌱 Westpac has made a significant move by joining a (soon-to-hopefully-be) $200 million climate-focused investment fund, managed by Virescent Ventures, the spin-off from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC). This is a huge step forward for Australia's climate technology industry, and I couldn't be more thrilled to see major financial institutions stepping up to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Virescent Ventures has already made a big impact in the climate tech space, investing over $270 million into 34+ start-ups focused on breakthrough technologies. Notable companies include Samsara Eco, which is revolutionizing plastic recycling, and Hysata, developing high-efficiency electrolysers for green hydrogen production. These businesses are critical to Australia and the world's decarbonisation & climate journey, and this new fund will expand efforts across key areas like renewable energy, transportation, agriculture, and the circular economy. Westpac’s involvement is a strong signal that Australia's banking sector sees the future in green investments. As Peter Herbert, COO of Westpac’s business and wealth divisions, put it, the partnership with Virescent Ventures gives them access to a unique pipeline of market intelligence and technology solutions, which will directly benefit their customers as they work towards net-zero emissions. What’s truly exciting is the broader industry shift this represents. We're seeing a rise in specialist climate-focused venture capital funds across the country, and the ecosystem is growing. This is no longer just about government initiatives; private capital is getting involved, pushing forward innovations that can truly transform our industries. At Third Hemisphere, we're passionate about deals like this that support scalable solutions for climate challenges. I believe this partnership will be pivotal in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in clean tech and securing Australia’s leadership in climate innovation on the global stage. This is a major step towards a sustainable future, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the industry evolves with more ventures like this leading the way. #ClimateTech #Sustainability #GreenInvestment #Technology #NetZero #CleanEnergy #Innovation #Australia

118

12 Comments

One thing I did not consider when going through the 2024-25 budget was what Luke shared earlier today. About giving 'teeth' to ASIC to go after companies that fail to disclose climate-related performance well enough. In our analysis we covered: - The wins and losses of different sectors. - How SME's can leverage asset write-off to kick start some green initiatives. - Future Made bringing some jobs to the table - And budget being allocated to climate resilience rather than mitigation But, as Luke Heilbuth pointed out, the Government allocated $10 million over four years (and $1.9 million per year ongoing) for additional resourcing for ASIC to investigate and take enforcement action against greenwashing. The $18,780 fine for not complying with an ASIC direction here is relatively small compared to the turnover 'requirements' to be part of group 1 of mandatory reporting. However, it presents an opportunity for activists to lobby ASIC directly with well-researched cases of non-compliance and bring the reporting companies into the spotlight. What can you do? - On the reporting side, (1) getting assurance on your scope of measurements (2) Engaging suppliers early and putting it into any agreement that you would need to see intensity factors (or LCAs) (3) helping them with the tools and benchmarks - On the marketing side, I wouldn't worry as long as you are not getting too close to the line on purpose. Making the case for greenwashing and being called out requires lots of effort and creativity from your marketing team. Don't be greedy and all will be good. https://lnkd.in/dgitpQan

10

Diving into Australia's Climate Tech industry yesterday and "wow" are things getting exciting for startups 🚀 Here are a few things I made as to just how big the market could be: - Firstly, 61 per cent of investors surveyed showed positive investor sentiment for climate tech investments. This is more than double that of the next most positive, being artificial intelligence and big data. - Australia is the 6th most attractive country for renewable energy investment. Its renewable energy sector is expected to attract over $76 billion in external investment and create more than 600,000 jobs by 2030. - A plan for over $1.5B to be raised for Climate Tech companies from 23/24. - As of last year, the total valuation of Climate Tech industry was $4.12B. - 2023 saw $435M worth of international investment. - There is a wealth of funding and grants for startups from the likes of CSIRO, CEFC, ARENA and more. What an exciting start up space to be a part of and excited to see this grow 🔥 #climate #tech #startups #growth SCALERR

11

2 Comments

Pushing for Change: The Sisyphean Task of Carbonomics | Episode 11 | Climate Fight Club In the iconic McEwan’s advert of the 1980’s, we witness a group of Victorian workers tirelessly pushing a stone uphill, a metaphor that resonates with today’s environmental challenges. Just as these workers strive against the odds, we too face a monumental task. The principle of ‘polluter pays’ is simple in theory: those who pollute should bear the costs of their actions. Yet, like Sisyphus’ we face an eternal struggle to get to Net Zero, by failing to address the root cause of climate risk; the atmosphere is (mostly) free to use. And as long as we hold the GHG mitigation hierarchy sacrosant - or at least the belief that it’s sequential, with compensation the last act - then the stone of Carbonomics will never reach the summit.  The Oxford Principles are amongst the best I’ve seen. Just the antidote for the status quo economic system which assumes the atmosphere is infinite. Let’s be the generation that, unlike Sisyphus, doesn’t relent until the stone reaches the summit. Actually let’s make sure we are pushing the right stone first. ✅ Oxford principles https://lnkd.in/dA5x6Dxn ❌ (The interpretation of) the GHG mitigation hierarchy

9

Thanks to Kirsten (KP) Patterson, David Downs and Anna Campbell from the Institute of Directors in New Zealand on their reflections and lessons for #governance #directors from the Spark AI* Mini-MBA. Here is my favorite thought on how we should use #generative AI: Treat #AI like a 'high performing graduate'. It has a good base level of knowlege, needs adult supervision in the office, needs to be fact checked, needs good context and requests, your communication will determine it's responses and it will not always perform consistently. Let me know your thoughts on this take. Here are some more of my main takeaways: We have previously talked about an extending digital divide, and we may be seeing an AI class of leaders developing, with some being left behind. As Generative AI is new to a lot of people, many feel they are 'lurkers' - interested but not engaging or not knowing how to engage. You have permission to engage with AI, there is no one that is going to give you an endorsement or permission to explore and learn. Most directors and management are learning about AI together, at the same time. There is room to be an interested learner. Being a learner is key cornerstone of ongoing good governance. There is value in using AI as a "strategy companion", moving past the gimmicky uses of AI that most people engage with. For example in the images there is a clear divide in the depth of use of AI. Understanding the protection of sensitive and private information, AI should be looked at as a significant productivity tool for organizations. David shared a matrix of different uses: - Low risk / Low effort: Email drafting and responses Basic note taking Simple task management Information retrieval - Low effort / High risk: Basic sentiment analysis on public opinion Automated document reviews - Low risk / High effort: Personalised learning and development Advanced meeting summaries Automated report generation Smart scheduling assistance - High effort / High risk: Strategic planning ideas Comprehensive personal knowledge management Enhanced decision support Intelligent virtual assistance AI can help creativity, stimulating and prompting ideas. It can also help with more mundane decisions, allowing space for more intentional thought of complex issues. AI is often thought of as a technological tool, but this can be a limiter on how we can use it, personally as leaders and professionally as organizations. You can start prompts with a caveat, 'I want facts, validate and quote the source of information, and no generated or hallucinated information'. You can also also add these sorts of directions into ChatGPT settings, have a look in the cog icon. This can be a brilliant tool for neuro diverse people, as it can take a large amount of verbal information, and summarize this. There are some things that AI will be an expert on, such as getting AI to write a draft policy on AI use. *I have used AI in this post to refer to Generative AI.

20

10 Comments

Great article from InnovationAus.com on the future of Breakthrough Victoria after the Victorian budget yesterday   Here are the highlights:   💰 The Victorian FY25 state budget has cut $360 million from Breakthrough Victoria - its venture capital fund. 💰 The investment horizon of the fund will be extended from 10 to 15 years, giving it “more time to review and be selective about quality investments”. 💰 This extension means the fund will support fewer companies and consortia from next financial year. Budget documents show a lower target of 10 investments. It made 19, 15 and 13 investments in 2023-24, 2022-23 and 2021-22, respectively. 💰 The changes come at a time when the Commonwealth government is adopting an increasingly interventionalist approach to industrial policy. Link to the article in the comments.

8

1 Comment

New Post: The $100m start-up funding gap, and how it’s limiting our potential - New Zealand start-ups could be losing out on approximately $100 million annually in funding, according to Angus Blair, a partner at Outset Ventures. He emphasized the need for more high-risk capital to support innovation, particularly in deep technology sectors. Without additional funding, the potential for discovering successful ventures like Rocket Lab may diminish. Outset Ventures is nearing the close of its second fundraising round, aiming to secure at least $30 million from wealthy investors. This fund has previously invested in four start-ups, including Wellington’s nuclear fusion initiative, OpenStar Technologies. Read the full article here https://lnkd.in/dNR9kDCR #Venturecapital #VC #investment #LP #Limited Partner

1

We’ve known for some time about the gender imbalance in boards, but some organisations have made great progress in that space and on their board. The next great pathway to diverse thinking is greater representation from individuals with cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD). First Nations representation continues to be a significant challenge. #timeforchange #CALD #firstnations

8

1 Comment

"Australia needs to scaleup up in tech or risk to be left behind." That's the title of a very interesting article by Daniel Petre on The Australian. "To truly compete with top-tier innovation hubs, Australia must overcome its geographic isolation by building strong international connections." That's one of the outcomes of latest Mind the Bridge Tech Scaleup Australia Report that has been presented this week at SXSW Sydney (with the support of ACCIONA and Crunchbase). Link for downloading the report in the notes. #startups #openinnovation #australia Serena Orizi Telmo Pérez Luaces Marco Marinucci Guillem Clemente Fernando Fajardo Gerez Serena Valente Giorgio Di Fiore Max Brigonzi Mattia Poletti

10

2 Comments

Thanks ITBrief for the coverage Climate & Decisions #ESG #Climate #DigitalTransformation

16

Ready to unlock AI's potential for your business? Join the intelligenceprompted.ai Prompt Engineering Masterclass tomorrow @930am, May 22, Wednesday at the #CSIRO Industry Day. Apparently some seats still left - https://bit.ly/3UMH7TX 👨‍💻 You'll learn: • the key principles of prompt engineering for AI • how to make AI outputs more accurate and relevant • how to seamlessly integrate AI into your business strategies. Sign up to stay ahead of the curve - https://bit.ly/3UMH7TX 💡 #genai #aitraining #workplaceai #ai #chatgpt #gemini #midjourney #technology #leadership

3

PitchBook has released its inaugural report on the Australian VC market. While it's a broad overview, it is a great entry point for understanding our young market and its nuances. There are a couple of points I want to highlight for my US network (full report linked in comments): >> Unicorns ‘Down Under’: Australia, often overlooked compared to regions like Latin America or Southeast Asia, has something unique: a $40 billion unicorn, Canva. >> Rapid accelerations: The pace of acceleration in the Australian ecosystem is impressive. Though they are yet to exit, the IPOs of Canva ($40 billion valuation USD) and Airwallex ($5.5 billion USD) are set to triple the total exit value realized by Australia and New Zealand-based startups from 2015 through Q1 2024, reaching $18.9 billion USD*. >> Emerging giants: Beyond Canva and Airwallex, many other Australian-founded companies are nipping at their heels. Outside of the report, Co Ventures is proud to be the first solo investor fund by a woman in Australian history. While the US has hundreds of solo funds, many by women, Australia got its first in 2023. I hope our fund inspires more Australian women to become angel investors and VC fund managers. I'm also looking forward to seeing 'down under' pop up in more conversations about top emerging private markets. *Source: Page 23, Pitchbook Report: Australia and New Zealand Private Capital Breakdown (full report linked in comments)

242

21 Comments