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Tech that’s electrifying the climate change movement
A surge of innovative new electrification tech is lifting hopes of achieving worldwide net zero in time for it to matter.
The U.S. is in the midst of its biggest ever investment in climate change, with hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and incentives aimed at electrifying transportation—which makes up a bulk of all carbon emissions—and weaning buildings and homes off natural gas.
Despite current headwinds, investors remain bullish on climate tech and say it’s edged out only by fintech and AI as the most disruptive industry around. The bulk of climate tech deals are in EVs and clean energy, which are getting a jolt of innovation just about anywhere you look.
🚙 Electric vehicle adoption surges
Months of record-breaking battery-materials prices and historic inflation aren’t making the choice to go electric any easier. Still, experts say half of all car sales in the U.S will be electric by 2030, led by states like California and New York that are phasing out sales of new gas cars.
Established startups like Rivian and newer arrivers like Arrival are facing off against old-school carmakers like car GM and Ford that are starting to crank out electric trucks and vans of their own (though Ford’s pivot away from automation hurt companies like Argo AI). Ownership isn’t the only option, either: a California startup offers EV subscriptions.
Companies like Campbell, Calif.-based ChargePoint are helping get all those EVs charged when they’re out on the road. Others, like San Diego, Calif.-based ChargeNet Stations, are getting people plugged in where they shop and work. Seattle-based Kopperfield is tackling the home front, making it easier to get chargers installed in residences.
🔥 Heat pumps are hot right now
There’s a massive effort underway to electrify building infrastructure, another major piece of the carbon puzzle.
Places like New York City are moving forward with clean-energy mandates that ban natural gas. California is phasing out gas-fueled furnaces and water heaters in homes. The city of Palo Alto, Calif., will require all-electric designs for new buildings.
EVs can act as as a gateway drug to getting homeowners to electrify other parts of their life. Heat pumps, for example, are catching on with climate-aware homeowners with a budget for major upgrades. New multi-day energy storage systems are also coming to market.
Climate experts say new consumer rebates rolling out across the U.S. in 2023 should help advance the cause.
🪴 The new plant savers?
But the question looms: Who will install all these new carbon-killing home tech?
It turns out that electricians could be emerging as high-tech planet savers.
⭐ Company feature: why we're excited about Kopperfield ⭐
Kopperfield is a Seattle-based climate tech on a mission to accelerate home electrification. The commerce platform makes it “frictionless” to for homeowners to buy and install EV chargers and other major electrical upgrades like heat pumps. Launched in Seattle, the company plans to expand to new cities in coming months. Considering cars and household appliances account for 40% of all U.S. emissions, that can go a long way to helping meet climate goals. The company raised a $5M seed round and is hiring for multiple positions.
Trending in tech
🏠 Prop tech’s role in electrification
A surge in interest in sustainable tech among young consumers opens doors for so-called “property tech” startups that help people and businesses manage the carbon footprint of their homes, offices, and other spaces.
Companies and property owners are deploying proptech solutions for measuring portfolio emissions, electrifying older buildings, and more. As regulations grow more comprehensive and sophisticated, it’s likely that companies will be expected to report their emissions and energy accounting with the same rigor as their financial reporting. This is where proptech and the IoT shine.
🤝 Should mentors be mandatory?
More and more people are using mentorship to speedrun their professional development.
From pairing a newer employee with a more experienced colleague for one-on-one training, to group mentoring programs, mentorship opportunities at companies are spreading. Mentorship is also helping to ease the feeling of detachment that some feel as a result of remote or hybrid work environments.
🏖️ We all need unlimited PTO
Nearly 8 in 10 employees seek better "work-life balance. For many, the path to achieving it involves more time away from work.
So it’s no surprise that paid time off is one of the most sought-after perks today’s talent looks for.
Companies recognize that workers given PTO have the freedom and flexibility they need to avoid burnout, creating an environment where the worker feels more trusted and valued.
📰 In the news
- Remote-first Kudos, a provider of a smart wallet for shopping online, raised a $7M seed round led by Patron. The company’s wallet works everywhere users shop online and helps them save time and earn cashback.
- Oakland, Calif.-based Hello Divorce, a legal fintech platform for divorces, raised a $3.25M seed round led by The Artemis Fund. The platform allows customers to complete the divorce process online with access to self-service tools, financial resources, and expert advisors.
- London, UK-based Noala, a digital speech and language therapy platform, raised a $4M seed round led by LocalGlobe. Noala’s six-week programs are curated and managed by an in-house clinical team and may be used as a standalone treatment option or alongside existing plans.
- San Mateo, Calif.-based TuMeke, a computer vision platform that automatically assesses injury risk in manufacturing facilities, raised a $2.5M seed round led by GSR Ventures. The platform helps safety professionals by identifying noteworthy postures, the frequency of movements, and the duration of each. It then offers recommendations for adjustments to lessen risk.
- London, UK-based ChAI, a provider of real-time commodity price forecasts for multinational material companies, raised an undisclosed seed round led by Seraphim Space. The company uses AI to analyze thousands of data sets to identify what variables are driving market prices, predict material costs, highlight risk exposure, and help clients purchase necessary commodity products effectively.
🔥 Hot startups hiring now
- Ordergroove: Frictionless relationship commerce generating recurring revenue for retailers and brands
- Captions: Pro-sumer focused app for video creation tools
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Vori: The only modern B2B operating system for the grocery industry