#187: Astrid Atkinson, CEO of Camus Energy — $26M for Power Grid Software. Ex-Google Engineer. One-Million-Fold Load Growth. Dog Training and CEO Skills.

EnergyX is a direct lithium extraction company with $100M of investment, including about $50M from retail investors. Its 100 team members are advancing its new membrane, solvent, and adsorbents to boost the efficiency of extracting lithium from underground salt water. Teague is a serial entrepreneur whose first success was launching a record label at age 20 and taking an artist to #1 in the iTunes hip hop charts. (That’s a first for a guest on the EFI podcast!) In this episode, you’ll learn these four important takeaways and much more. The severe limitations of conventional lithium mining, such as 35% extraction efficiency and an 18-month wait time Why they are building two lithium extraction plants at the same time  How he acquired the company’s foundational technology for $10,000  Why he believes humans will live to be 140 years old in the near future 🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS: Teague - https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagueegan  EnergyX - https://energyx.com  Elon Musk biography - https://shorturl.at/DkNYU 📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP: Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 85+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $30B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER: Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW: To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/guides/where-can-people-leave-podcast-reviews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🤔 PODCAST HOST: Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).

WATTMORE is an energy storage software company providing battery sizing, economic outcome forecasts, battery charging and discharging, and more. JW is a serial founder and clean power executive (Because Solar, Main Street Power, Clean Energy Collective, SunShare), Vice Chair (Western Caucus) of the Democratic National Committee, Board member of Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association, and Board member of SELF (Solar Electric Light Fund). In this episode, you’ll learn these four important takeaways and much more. What it means to be a “deal whisperer” How his experience developing hundreds of solar projects helps his software company grow His five-year vision and recurring revenue contracts of 10 years or more What he learned from his mother, who was ordained in the Soto Zen Buddhism tradition 🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS: WATTMORE - https://www.wattmore.com  JW - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jopostal 📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP: Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 85+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $30B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER: Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW: To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/guides/where-can-people-leave-podcast-reviews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🤔 PODCAST HOST: Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).

CleanChoice is a retail power provider and solar project developer and owner. Combined into one, they aim to be a 100% renewable gentailer. Zoe has experience developing and selling hundreds of megawatts of solar as the former CEO of Pine Gate Renewables and General Counsel at FLS Energy. In this episode, you’ll learn these four important takeaways and much more. How they plan to build 1 GW of solar to meet their customers’ demands What hedging efficacy means in deregulated power markets Where concentration risk shows up and how they manage it Why reading fiction at 5:00 am helps her start the day right 🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS: Zoe - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoehanes CleanChoice Energy - https://cleanchoiceenergy.com  The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have - https://shorturl.at/32xet  The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life's Perfection - https://shorturl.at/gJZCo 📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP: Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 85+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $30B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER: Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW: To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/guides/where-can-people-leave-podcast-reviews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🤔 PODCAST HOST: Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).

Today’s podcast is a rebroadcast of one of our most popular episodes ever. Jaqueline van Ende is the CEO of Carbon Equity. They also have some big news... They’ve raised another €60 million in 4 months for their third climate tech fund. The goal is to raise €125 million in all which will be invested through private equity and venture capital funds in the EU and the US and eventually into at least 150 climate tech companies. Since its founding in 2021, Carbon Equity has raised over €250 million from more than 900 investors. To date, the company has invested in 120+ companies through 18 funds, which together, despite being early-stage innovations, already generate more than €1.7 billion in revenue. 🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS: Jacqueline - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlvdende?originalSubdomain=nl  Carbon Equity - https://www.carbonequity.com/ Their white paper - https://www.carbonequity.com/whitepapers/the-climate-tech-opportunity 📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP: Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 85+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $30B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER: Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW: To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/guides/where-can-people-leave-podcast-reviews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🤔 PODCAST HOST: Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).

Montauk Climate is a venture studio that launches and grows startups in the mobility, adaptation, energy, decarbonization, and sustainability sectors. Evan is a serial founder, power trader, board member, and investor with 20 years in the energy sector, including roles as Head of Venture Investing at Riverstone, a $40B energy investment and infrastructure firm. In this episode, you’ll learn these four important takeaways and much more. How a venture studio works How he incentivizes experienced corporate executives to help build and lead the startups they launch Why compute is the current of the future, and how AI could be using 10% of global power in the years to come Why adaptive insurance using IFTT parametric functions is needed in a future disrupted by climate change 🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS: Montauk Climate - https://montaukclimate.com Evan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanc1 📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP: Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 80+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $20B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER: Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW: To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/guides/where-can-people-leave-podcast-reviews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🤔 PODCAST HOST: Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).

WeWard is an app that rewards users for walking more each day. To date, they have 20 million users walking an extra 24% than before having the app. They provide rewards from corporate partners for hitting certain walking goals, and they’ve generated eight figures in revenue while doing so. Yves has over 10 years of experience in creating and scaling innovative solutions for physical retail, as well as a background in machine learning, big data, web and mobile development, applied mathematics, and cognitive science, with degrees in entrepreneurship and Silicon Valley innovation from Ecole Polytechnique and UC Berkeley. In this episode, you’ll learn these four important takeaways and much more. How he taught himself behavioral psychology to apply it to his ventures What he learned from Pokemon Go to build WeWard How they earn revenue from three sources and which is the biggest Why they’ve given $1M to charity as a startup themselves Plus, you'll feel extra cool listening to this one because of his French accent! 🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS: WeWard - https://www.wewardapp.com Yves - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvesbenchimol Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products (book) - https://shorturl.at/Worpf Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion - https://shorturl.at/zpjFx Lenny’s newsletter (product development) - https://www.lennysnewsletter.com Duolingo (app to learn new languages) - https://www.duolingo.com 📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP: Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 80+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $20B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER: Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW: To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/guides/where-can-people-leave-podcast-reviews⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🤔 PODCAST HOST: Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).

Liminal uses ultrasound and machine learning to create a new way to inspect battery manufacturing, elevate cell quality, and improve cost and safety. They’ve raised over $35M from investors such as our friends at ArcTern Ventures, EIF, and Northvolt, as well as the federal government, including ARPA-E and NSF. Andrew brings a PhD and post-doc work at Princeton University to the creation of this venture. He’s also an Active Fellow and Board member, as well as a skilled photographer. In this episode, you’ll learn these four important takeaways and much more. How they sell to customers (it’s not what you think) How they generate revenue from three sources of value How a random Youtube video about bouncing batteries led to the creation of this technology How he reads the late-night scribbles on the notepad by his bed each morning 🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS: Liminal - https://www.liminalinsights.com Andrew - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-hsieh Acquired (podcast) - https://www.acquired.fm 📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP: Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 80+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $20B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER: Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW: To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: ⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/guides/where-can-people-leave-podcast-reviews⁠⁠⁠ 🤔 PODCAST HOST: Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).

SolarKal is a curated marketplace and trusted advisor that makes solar installations easy for commercial real estate owners. Their clients represent 100 million square feet of real estate, and their 200 vetted solar installers have generated $1.6 billion in project bids to date. And over 80% of positive ROI solar projects get built. Yaniv is a mechanical engineer, 2x founder, and MBA from Columbia with over a decade of experience in the solar industry. In this episode, you’ll learn these four important takeaways and much more. How they get paid (it might not be what you think) How he bootstrapped the business for years until recently taking private equity investment  How they built their software and their roadmap going forward The origin of their name and how that relates to the reason that clients choose them 🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS: SolarKal - https://www.solarkal.com  Yaniv - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanivkalish How I Built This (podcast) - https://www.npr.org/series/490248027/how-i-built-this 📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP: Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 80+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $20B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER: Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW: To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: ⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/guides/where-can-people-leave-podcast-reviews⁠⁠ 🤔 PODCAST HOST: Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).

Avnos provides a Hybrid Direct Air Capture (HDAC) solution that inverts the water paradigm in DAC, producing water (5 tons per ton of carbon captured), eliminating heat consumption, and reducing costs by 50% compared to other forms of DAC. Will is a serial founder, investor, and board member in climate tech. In this episode, you’ll learn these four important takeaways and much more. How they accessed $100M in capital to grow this company How their technology does what seems impossible in the DAC sector How they accessed strategic investors and deployment partners on three continents Why walking his dog and disengaging the brain produces some of his best business ideas 🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS: Avnos - https://www.avnos.com Will - https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-kain Recent $36M Series A capital raise - https://shorturl.at/d17tT  Acquired (podcast) - https://www.acquired.fm  Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (book) - https://www.amazon.com/Moneyball-Art-Winning-Unfair-Game/dp/0393324818   Powers: The Foundations of Business Strategy - https://shorturl.at/muTC7 Third Derivative (climate tech accelerator) - https://www.third-derivative.org 📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP: Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 80+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $20B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER: Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW: To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: ⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/guides/where-can-people-leave-podcast-reviews⁠ 🤔 PODCAST HOST: Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).

My guest today is Astrid Atkinson, Co-founder and CEO of Camus Energy. Camus Energy is a VC-backed software company serving power utilities with analytics and forecasting, real-time monitoring, and advanced control for local resources to help decarbonize the grid. Astrid was a technical writer who worked her way up to become an executive in engineering at Google. She’s also a board member at the Gridwise Alliance and an Aussie who occasionally unveils her delightful accent. In her free time, she likes to find the connections between crocheting, dog training, and growing a world-changing company. In this episode, you’ll learn these four important takeaways and much more. How she shortened the sales cycle of selling into power utilities What factors have helped her raise $26M in investor capital How the Myth of Sisyphys relates to her company name and the climate change fight What she learned from being a Google executive aat a time when the company experienced a one-million-fold load growth 🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS: Camus Energy - https://www.camus.energy Astrid Atkinson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/astridatkinson Myth of Sisyphys - https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Sisyphus-Other-Essays/dp/0679733736 The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How (book) - https://www.amazon.com/Talent-Code-Greatness-Born-Grown/dp/055380684X Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule (Paul Graham essay) - https://paulgraham.com/makersschedule.html Man’s Search for Meaning (book) - https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/080701429X 📈 JOIN EFI’S CLIMATE CEO PEER GROUP: Become an EFI Climate CEO Fellow — Join North America’s top private peer group community for growth-stage CEOs in climate tech and sustainability. We’re a community of 80+ CEO Fellows, Alumni Allies, and Mentors (investors and post-exit CEOs) representing over $20B of market value or financial assets for climate solutions. Apply here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.entrepreneursforimpact.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📣 READ EFI’S NEWSLETTER: Join over 20,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who get our three-minute read about changing the world through startups, finance, humor, and wisdom. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ✍🏼 LEAVE A PODCAST REVIEW: To help more people discover the climate tech CEOs and investors we interview, please take one minute to review or rate this podcast. Since we don’t take any sponsors for this podcast, we appreciate this small gesture of your appreciation. Here are instructions: https://ratethispodcast.com/guides/where-can-people-leave-podcast-reviews 🤔 PODCAST HOST: Dr. Chris Wedding is the founder of EFI (climate CEO peer groups), cofounder of Terraset (carbon removal), Senior Advisor at Javelin Capital (investment banking), Board member at World Tree (regenerative forestry), Board Advisor at DG Matrix (next-gen power electronics), Duke & UNC professor, ex-private equity investor, ex-investment banker, occasional monk, father of three, 2x ax-throwing champ (huh?), Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2006 (Google it), and super humble guy (as evidenced by this long bio).