Garnet S. Heraman’s Post

Very excited to share our new #fundinginstrument: the D-SAFE. It's modeled after the standard #SAFE (simple agreement for future equity). The D stands for "Development," and it's meant to address the specific #financing needs of #startups developing their first few pilot plants or commercial facilities. The D-SAFE gives the CEO the option to convert the #equity into a loan once the project is fully funded and underway, a feature that allows the CEO to redeem this capital to the investor – rather than automatically take on further dilution. It also makes it easier to finance new project developments with additional capital partners. The team Elemental Excelerator has been working on this for a while, and I'm excited to see it out in the wild. Our goal is to have the dollars recycle back to us as soon as the projects get larger financing so that we can re-deploy capital for #impact. We've already issued eight of these D-SAFEs to various portfolio companies and are excited for more! You can learn more about what this means in our announcement here: https://lnkd.in/gU74XqQU Huge props to everyone involved! Dawn Lippert Avra van der Zee Danya Hakeem Amir Chireh Mehr Mason Darryl Gunter Aparna Reddy Mike Curtis Lisa Kanehiro #financialinnovation #climatetech

Here’s a great resource from the always diligent, Elemental Excelerator. Modeled after Y Combinator’s Safe funding, D-safe is a funding source to assist start ups at one of the most unpredictable times on their path to #commercialization. It is very important for a company’s first project(s) to be successful but the high risk requires an alternative source of funding besides investors. How do you secure this capital to ensure the wealth of your business? D-safe could potentially be the answer. Pre-project financial responsibilities can be extremely taxing. D-safe is designed to relieve these burdens and can act like a loan or convert into equity; like a traditional safe. With a flexible solution like D-safe, founders can establish their early stage projects and foundation for a fruitful company. If any company in the Water, Energy and Technology (WET) Center’s community has questions about this opportunity please reach out to the team. Eric Hadden Samuel Fairbanks

Read about the lessons learned from the first two years of trading, plus tips for how to get your start-up moving quickly.

On the New Energy Risk business development team, we see a lot of FOAK. I think the acronym is doing more to hurt industrial decarbonization tech adoption and financing than it’s doing to help, so I wrote about what we can do instead. If the goal is to bring capital further up the risk curve, we should be mitigating and pricing the actual risk rather than trying to define a new asset class. Fan of FOAK? Hate the term? I’d love to hear why. #projectfinance #climatetech #insurance #FOAK

In the latest YouTube video, Julian interviewed Ben Ohlwein, Portfolio and Strategy Manager at E.ON One at the Munich's Ecosystem Innovation Day. 👉 Julian and Ben explored how E.ON One is using a digital ecosystem approach to drive the energy transition. Ben shared insights on their unique buy, build, and partner strategy and how they’re fostering innovation by connecting startups, strategic partners, and internally developed solutions. One particularly interesting example we discussed was their work in the e-mobility space. 🎥 Watch the video: https://lnkd.in/e7S2HMdG 📚 or read the BlogPost: https://lnkd.in/ekCWQJDP Thank you Ben for sharing the insights! Don't miss out on this interview, and stay tuned for more content! #Ecosystems #Innovation #EnergyTransition #DigitalEcosystems #BusinessStrategy #Emobility #Ecosystemizer

There has been much hype and attention surrounding first-of-a-kind projects and financing, but we need to help startups get there first. Enter the Elemental Excelerator D-SAFE, which was announced last week. What is it?  - The D-SAFE is essentially a convertible note, where the capital is used for development activities. - The D-SAFE can be converted into equity or paid back (treated as debt). Why does it matter? - Lower cost of capital compared to equity - Aligned incentives (equity investors can de-risk their investment) - Similar to how Enduring Planet provides contract advances (providing up to 80% of a receivable today), the D-SAFE provides development capital, which de-risks future investment My thoughts: - This mechanism is crucial as many startups are figuring out how to finance the missing middle. - Some equity investors may contribute to the fund as it will enable them to de-risk their investments, but I believe that project finance and infrastructure funds will be the primary funders of the D-SAFE, as this is a way to build and qualify a pipeline of future projects. - Elemental's announcement mentions "using creative structures such as agreeing to reduce the cost of capital and associated dilution as project and impact milestones are realized," but what does this mean in practice? How will the cost of capital compare to other options? Please reach out if you want to discuss the D-SAFE or other innovative structures that exist to help startups finance the missing middle.

Staying on top of the ever-changing landscape of funding opportunities, marketing trends, and operational best practices can feel like a full-time job – especially when you're already busy running your small business or startup. I've been working with several early-stage businesses recently, and one recurring challenge is finding the right funding opportunities amidst the noise. There are countless grants, loans, and investment programs out there, but identifying the ones that are truly relevant and accessible can be incredibly time-consuming. This week, I've curated three specific funding opportunities that are particularly relevant for early-stage tech startups focused on sustainable solutions: 1)Evergreen Climate Innovations' 501vc® Investment Fund. This fund supports early-stage climate tech companies developing solutions to the climate emergency. It accepts applications for pre-seed to Series A investments on a rolling basis. Startups based in the Greater Midwest region of the United States are eligible to apply. Link:[https://lnkd.in/dM4eQsgV] 2) SET Award 2025 The Start Up Energy Transition (SET) Award is a global competition that empowers climate tech innovators and clean energy startups. It offers recognition and support to startups advancing sustainable energy solutions link:[https://lnkd.in/dcdJveWt] 3) Pollination's Climate and Nature Impact Fund Launched by climate change advisory firm Pollination, this $150 million fund invests in early-stage tech companies in Australia. It targets sectors such as renewable energy, clean energy, transport, food, nature management, and the circular economy, providing investments ranging from $4 million to $12 million. link: [https://lnkd.in/dzXEKp3d] Spending hours sifting through countless websites and databases is no longer necessary. I curate the most relevant and actionable information, saving you valuable time and allowing you to focus on growing your business. If you're a small business or startup looking to streamline your access to critical resources and stay ahead of the curve, let's connect. #SmallBusiness #StartupFunding #Grants #Loans #BusinessResources #CuratedInsights #BusinessGrowth #GreenTech #SustainableStartups"

Biden-Harris Administration identifies four business accelerators to boost the Blue Economy and spur new technology development #blueeconomy #maritimeindustry #oceanrenewables https://lnkd.in/eq7fgnWV

Fixing the Issue of Scale to Let the Climate-focused Sector Realize its True Potential https://lnkd.in/gfyvdXyU Elemental Excelerator Robert O'Connor Jason Salfi Seneca Nation Group #EnvironmentFinancing #EnvironmentTech #GreenTech, #FundingManagement, #InvestmentSolutions, #EquityManagement, #DebtManagement, #FinancialPlanning, #BostonConsulting #StartupSolutions, #projectdesign, #budgeting, #contracting, #communityengagement, #CapitalManagement, #ProjectManagement, #ClimateChange

It's high time we revolutionize climate tech funding... In our latest Liquid Assets episode, we had the privilege of diving into the mind of Wayne Byrne, co-founder of METHOD CAPITAL LIMITED, as he shared his groundbreaking approach to financing climate tech innovations with host Ravi Kurani. Wayne shed light on: - The shift from traditional venture capital to innovative funding models is accelerating the growth of climate tech startups, and the importance of supporting technologies is crucial in the fight against climate change. - The challenges and opportunities within the water tech industry and how Method Capital is helping companies scale by minimizing risk and maximizing impact. - His diverse journey across multiple industries, from software to biogas to water, and how being a generalist has been a key advantage in driving success across various sectors. Join us in exploring how innovative financing paves the way for a sustainable future. 🌱 🎧 Listen here https://lnkd.in/eDKHv7ph 🎬 Watch here https://lnkd.in/ee_aZTMy #ClimateTech #Sustainability #LiquidAssetsPodcast #CleanTech #WaterInnovation