Mark Trevitt

Event Alert! Scaling Deep Tech for a Decarbonized Future 📅 October 23, 2024 📍 Platform Calgary, Alberta Calling everyone interested in #cleantech! Deep Tech Energy is bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and experts to showcase Canada's advancements in sustainable, green technologies. 🌍⚡ Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect, learn, and lead the way in building a sustainable future! 🌱 Featured Topics: 🔹 Industrial Decarbonization: Roadmaps, Requirements, and Vision 🔹 Globalizing Decarbonization Tech: Bringing Innovation to Global Markets 🔹 De-risking Investments: Navigating Material Standards & Regulations 🔹 Cellulosic Nanomaterials: The Future of Sustainable Resources 🔗 Register now: https://deeptechenergy.ca/ #CleanTech #DeepTech #Sustainability #Decarbonization #Innovation #GreenTech

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Data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) illustrates the current "readiness" of #ClimateTechs + their potential impact on carbon reduction. As shown, many techs are at an early stage of being able to have a material impact. Concerningly, some tech funds recently returned capital back to investors recently + closed their funds - citing inability to fund capital intensive techs, found in areas like ClimateTech. This in part may be contributing to the $2 trillion shortfall in ClimateTech, that Deloitte estimates. What this may mean for the future? - The migration of LPs to global, super VC funds within ClimateTech, given the large capital pools needed to fund tech development - Greater specialization from smaller funds, energizing more niche elements of the ClimateTech market - but also altering their / LP's risk profile - A greater role to be played by debt financing in funding growth entities at an earlier stage - impacting cashflow dynamics Will be an interesting space to watch moving forward. We at The Proptech Connection are constantly working with all parts of the Proptech ecosystem. From the leading LPs, funds, techs and adopters in market, providing an independent view. Reach out to us today to find out how we can help. #InvestorTrends #Strategy #Global Ivo van Breukelen Stuart Daun Kiki C. Ethan Ward

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JUST IN - New Study: How Bitcoin Mining reduces Methane Emissions on Landfills "In this study, we reveal it is not only feasible but economically viable & environmentally beneficial to use landfill gas for Bitcoin mining" TL;DR: ♻ "In the span of 240 days, we prevented the release of ~1.3 million SCF of methane into the atmosphere" 🚘 "over the course of 240 days, the project mitigated the equivalent of 6,627 gas-powered passenger cars" 💡 "techniques and insights gained from this project open the door to new opportunities at landfill sites [to turn] wasted energy sources into productive, more sustainable assets" https://lnkd.in/gCNwgZeP

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📢 Some big news this week that marks another pivotal step in the evolution of carbon markets… The Biden administration, led by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, will be unveiling the first broad US government guidelines on the use of carbon credits as part of decarbonization strategies. It’s a much needed step that will promote high-integrity carbon markets, and boost corporate confidence in using carbon credits. The Bloomberg article's sources suggest the upcoming framework will align with the government’s stance that: “voluntary carbon markets have a role in reaching net zero, as long as they promote high-integrity emissions reductions and channel meaningful amounts of capital into nature-based projects today as well as carbon-removal technologies in the future.” And that is the key. There is no silver bullet for the climate crisis. Whatever the critics may say about carbon credits, more transparency, clarity and official endorsement on their use will serve to unlock billions of much needed corporate dollars for carbon projects. Couple this news with recent initiatives by major tech companies like the Symbiosis Coalition of Google, Meta, Microsoft and Salesforce and we’re starting to stride in the right direction. Read more and sign up for the live stream: https://lnkd.in/ddDRA8yd #carbonmarkets #carboncredits #naturalcapital #climateaction #breakingnews

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Another great #investcanada2024 conference last week. Congrats Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (CVCA) again and fantastic collaboration with Réseau Capital for curating + delivering such an important ecosystem event that brings together the who’s who in Canadian investing. It’s an interesting macro environment for both founders and emerging VC funds in 2024. The bar for fundraising is higher and the process is more difficult, but it’s an amazing time to build and fund startups. Over the years I’ve been asked what’s made me a successful investor given the number of exits & investor returns delivered. Beyond it being a full-time obsession for decades, one needs to constantly find ways to evolve to founder needs and deliver differentiated value. Earning the right to back and support the best founders is what delivers outsized investor returns. This is easy to say for many investors, but often many fall flat on the everyday execution for different controllable reasons. Reputations are built & lost fast in a more challenging market. Highline Beta's pre-seed VC & venture studio model continues to not only innovate, but also win predominantly because our core investment value is to always “earn the right on the cap table” with the founders that we support. It’s a complete team effort and after 8 years of building out Highline Beta’s foundation let’s us now grow via new vertical venture studios + funds. 🚀

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Don't let the spaceship launch without you! 🚀 Whether it's through investment opportunities, utilizing space tech in key sectors like agriculture and mining, or forging partnerships with innovative space companies, there's a universe of possibilities when it comes to the space race. And remember, it's not just about reaching for the stars. It's about the tangible impacts on Earth. What area of the space economy excites you the most: satellite technology, space tourism, or perhaps something else? 🤔 Let me know in the comments 👇 #Technology #Innovation #SpaceEconomy #Investment

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Yesterday I joined the AI Powering the New Energy Era summit, which was dedicated to exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on the energy sector. It was a true honor to share the stage with industry veterans Edwina Kelly of CPP Investments | Investissements RPC, Raymond Wood of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Emily Sanford Fisher of Edison Electric Institute, on a panel hosted by Brian Boland of BrightNight. How is AI impacting the energy space? There are two major trends emerging: 1. The use of AI is very energy intensive, creating an unexpected surge in power demand, just at the time when we need to decrease emissions from electric power, and when power demand is also growing from sources like electric vehicles. 2. Technology enabled by AI can also help make the electric power system far more efficient, and help manage the transition to a grid dominated by renewables and other zero-emissions sources. The first trend represents a big challenge, and the second represents a big opportunity. As the panel went on, it became clear that large institutions in the energy sector have a real interest in the new innovation that we support at MUUS Climate Partners. If that innovation can scale, it could provide solutions to some of the greatest challenges in energy today, such as growing power demand from data centers, and the expanding share of intermittent renewable generation. We talked about companies such as Harvest, 3E Nano Inc, and BrightNight. The talk can be viewed here: https://lnkd.in/eEa8ERxa

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Check out my recent post on why President Trump is the forcing function for us to solve the “Missing Middle” and catch the industrial Tsunami of onshoring coming to the US!

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🧱 Copper: the metal essential for green energy and AI 🧱 📰 Great article from the The Wall Street Journal on the battle for access to #copper supply (mainly between US and China though...). 📈 Current frenzy (new record price at +$5 a pound) highlights the importance of building up the supply of this critical metal. Why? ⚡️ Copper is one the world's most important industrial metal as it has excellent electrical conductivity and is thus essential for both the green #energy transition (wind turbines, solar panels, electric motors, batteries, charging infrastructures, transmission lines) and the #AI boom (cables in datacenters). 💡 As the time between discovery and production is generally between 7 and 15 years, together with reducing permitting time, we should find solutions to quickly multiple sites exploration (for instance thanks to AI) in order to increase the probability of matching the high demand with the necessary supply in the coming years. #climatetech https://lnkd.in/eSmR4rTX

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When rigor and transparency in carbon removal meet demand - very exciting.

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#carbonNEXT is a Foresight Canada initiative to accelerate the adoption of #CCUS technologies. Here's the latest newsletter if you're curious to catch up on the latest and greatest in carbon capture and utilization. #cleantech

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If you're doing small scale bitcoin mining, and want to hitch a ride on a Maserati, this post if for you. It's also for you if you're interested in my research-based assessment of where I see the future of Bitcoin mining going. First, what do big bitcoin mining companies have that smaller ones usually lack? - access to capital markets,  - networks and  - bulk purchasing power and - process/technical innovation. But what do small bitcoin mining companies, that is scarcer for big companies?  - Geographically dispersed sites - local jurisdictional knowledge, - direct relationships with power providers,  - domain knowledge, eg: niche energy-harvesting applications So it makes sense to cooperate, as Marathon and Nodalpower recently discovered when they combined their relative strengths to move each company ahead in a way they could not have easily achieved alone. Each partnership like this also helps the whole Bitcoin ecosystem - get more geographically decentralized - Change its narrative around bitcoin and the environment (these projects are almost always renewable) Outside the bitcoin ecosystem, large companies normally thinks they can do it all themselves. In bitcoin tho, everyone thinks like a startup disrupter As such, larger Bitcoin mining companies cooperate with other large companies that another industry would deem a competitor; small companies that another industry would deem irrelevant. There are already many more of these collaborations in the wings, and its my mission to help more of these types of collaborations get off the ground. If you’re a small mining company, reach out, and I'll see if you could be solving some problems for a bigger player, while gaining access to some of their valuable resources. And well done again to NodalPower and MARA for providing a solid example of how this type of collaboration can work

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Clean Energy Causality Confusion: The Big Point The Rabid Capitalist: The Big Point is a brief summary of a detailed note available to paid subscribers. Some clean tech executives have decried that low valuations have been hindering the transition to renewable energy. This was a clear case of confusing cause and effect. The faltering pace of the transition has been responsible for the valuation adjustments. Complete content is available for a $15 monthly subscription. Click here to subscribe: https://lnkd.in/g69y2qiz

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The 2024 TSX Venture 50 rankings reveal impressive growth in the #tech sector, with an avg. share price increase of 178% and a market cap surge of 224% in the past year. The standout performers were companies involved in cryptocurrencies, with Bitcoin miners and blockchain developers seeing an average share price growth of 412% and a market cap increase of 428%. This growth underscores the ever-evolving tech industry, particularly in emerging fields like cryptocurrency, where transparency and regulatory compliance are increasingly essential. The TSX Venture Exchange remains a vital platform for companies undergoing rigorous application and due diligence processes, helping investors find credible opportunities in innovative sectors. For investors and industry observers, these trends signal the ongoing shifts towards more integrated and regulated investment environments. This year's Venture 50 is a compelling indicator of where technology and investment are heading, particularly in high-growth areas like blockchain and artificial intelligence. #capitalmarkets #innovation #technology

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We are thrilled to announce a major milestone for 280 Earth– the launch of their first Direct Air Capture facility in The Dalles, Oregon, alongside the Alphabet Inc. datacenter, and the closing of a $50 million Series-B funding round. 🌍 Facility Launch The first DAC facility is now operational, capturing up to 500 tonnes of CO2 per year directly from the atmosphere. This groundbreaking plant, developed by X, the moonshot factory, uses low-carbon electricity and waste heat from nearby industrial processes, including a Google data center. 💼 Series B Funding We were excited to lead the $50 million Series B round with the support of Gideon Yu, Alphabet Inc., and Catalyst4—founded by Sergey Brin. 💡 Massive Potential at Data Centers The global datacenter market, expected to grow from $59B > $144B by 2027, consumes about 200 terawatt-hours of electricity annually and contributes 0.3% of global CO2 emissions. Major players like Microsoft, Google and Meta have seen water use and carbon emissions surge due to AI expansion. 280Earth addresses these issues by pioneering water-positive carbon capture technology and utilizing waste heat from datacenters. Their pilot facility, next to a Google datacenter, captures both CO2 and water vapor, storing CO2 in underground formations or mineralizing it in basalts, significantly reducing environmental impact and setting a precedent for sustainable practices. 🔬 Innovative Two-Step DAC Process The 280 Earth DAC process involves two major steps: adsorption, where CO2 binds to our proprietary sorbent material, and desorption, where the CO2 is separated from the sorbent. Their unique system continuously moves the sorbent between adsorption and desorption chambers, maintaining consistent temperature and vacuum conditions, resulting in significant energy savings. This approach allows us to use off-the-shelf equipment, enhancing scalability and reducing costs. https://lnkd.in/gFe8AhnP

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In 2023, the largest segments in the climate tech vertical were low-carbon mobility, industry, grid infrastructure, intermittent renewable energy sources (solar and wind). 50 VC deals for climate tech companies in 2023 exceeded $150 million, and of these, nine exceeded $500 million. Companies that need a lot of capital to execute on a big vision can succeed today. #climatetech #climateVC #climate

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🚀 This energy Storage Startup Secures $50 Million in "Series B" Funding Led by GM Ventures 🚀 - Let me take the honour of introducing EnergyX, a trailblazer in energy storage and sustainable solutions. It has successfully secured $50 million in its Series B funding round, led by GM Ventures. Let's dive in: 🤝 Success Highlights: 1️⃣ Founding and Mission: - Founded in 2018: EnergyX aims to revolutionize the energy industry with cutting-edge storage technologies and sustainable solutions, ensuring a greener and more efficient future. 2️⃣ Innovative Technology: - Advanced Energy Storage: EnergyX's pioneering lithium extraction and energy storage technologies promise to significantly reduce costs and increase efficiency in energy storage solutions. 3️⃣ Global Reach: - Worldwide Impact: EnergyX is making strides in both developed and developing markets, addressing global energy challenges and promoting sustainable practices. 4️⃣ Client Base: - Trusted by Industry Leaders: EnergyX's technologies are being adopted by leading energy companies and institutions, highlighting its credibility and impact in the industry. 5️⃣ Ecosystem Expansion: - Expanding Offerings: EnergyX continues to diversify its product range, introducing new technologies and solutions that cater to a wide array of energy storage needs. 6️⃣ Investment Confidence: - Series B Investors: Led by GM Ventures, the funding round underscores the strong confidence in EnergyX’s potential to transform the energy storage market. 👉🏻 Key Highlights: 1️⃣ Reaching the $50 million Series B milestone: Establishes EnergyX as a key player in the energy storage and sustainability sectors. 2️⃣ The Series B funding round: Demonstrates robust investor confidence in EnergyX's innovative technology and market strategy. 3️⃣ EnergyX’s commitment to continuous innovation and global expansion: Underscores its dedication to addressing global energy challenges with sustainable solutions. 👉🏻 Lessons for Startup Founders: 🔷 Embrace Innovation: EnergyX's success highlights the importance of leveraging cutting-edge technology to solve industry challenges. 🔷 Scalable Solutions: Developing scalable and efficient solutions can significantly impact market growth and user adoption. 🔷 Strategic Funding: Securing strategic investments is crucial for expanding operations and enhancing technological capabilities. 🔷 Build Strong Partnerships: Collaborating with industry leaders can accelerate growth and establish market credibility. 💬 Point of Thought: - EnergyX’s journey from a startup to an industry leader showcases the power of innovative solutions, strategic growth, and robust partnerships. Let’s continue to innovate and transform our ventures! 🚀💡 PC: Do let me know in the comment section if I should cover a detailed analysis of energy storage solutions 👇🙏 #startupsuccess #energystorage #sustainability #techinnovation #funding #renewableenergy #startupjourney #EnergyX #linkedin

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🌍 Microsoft continues to lead the market in forward procurement of carbon removals, across both nature and engineered solutions, last week announcing their carbon credits deal with Oxy. This transaction, hot on the heels of procuring 18m tonnes of removals in the first half of the year, highlights Microsoft’s commitment to paying the true price of high quality carbon removal and the confidence to support new projects and technologies. ⚡️ The hidden cost of AI… As AI manifests in every part of our lives, it is easy to overlook the incredible power requirements for the processing needed to drive this technology. The numbers out of the key big tech players in recent weeks are jaw dropping. Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft expect to invest $40bn on building out processing power this year alone. These ventures are incredibly power hungry. Data centers are expected require consume +800TWh of power by 2026 according to the IEA, and BCG estimated data processing could represent 7.5% of all power consumption in the US by 2030. 💡…and the multi-pronged steps big tech is taking Its easy to see the urgency for mitigating the impact of these power requirements that is being demonstrated through: 🤝 The formation of the Symbiosis Coalition 🌱 The 18m tons of removals procured by Microsoft already this year 👉 Google’s shift in its emissions mitigation strategy announced last week We often think of energy companies as the primary emissions behemoths, and while that holds true today, the landscape is shifting. In addition to engaging with carbon markets, the big tech firms are investing heavily in renewable power generation given the inability of traditional utilities to respond: 🔋 10.5GW of renewables capacity to be installed in a Microsoft-Brookfield JV (at a price tag of $1bn per MW 🖥️ $650m paid by Amazon for a Pennsylvania-based datacenter powered by a nuclear reactor ☢️ $500m being raised by ChatGPT for Oklo, a developer of nuclear micro-reactors As renewable energy overtakes hydrocarbons in power generation growth and our lives demand increasingly more processing power, the dynamics are evolving. Read the article on Microsoft’s deal with Occidental here: https://lnkd.in/dbW8fKjC #carbonmarkets #carbonoffsetting #carboncredits #voluntarycarbonmarkets

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Heirloom Carbon raises $150M to remove CO2 from the air using rocks | TechCrunch https://buff.ly/49uuPFv Heirloom Carbon has successfully secured $150 million in funding to advance their innovative carbon dioxide removal technology, which captures CO2 from the atmosphere using mineral-based processes. By utilizing naturally occurring rocks, Heirloom aims to address climate change by sequestering carbon more effectively and sustainably. This substantial investment highlights the growing interest and urgency in developing scalable carbon capture solutions to mitigate global warming. #CarbonCapture #ClimateTech

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