#242 The 3 Most Common Mistakes Climate Founders Make | David Brekke, Goodwin

In This Episode: The story of him co-launching the Goodwin climate practice What’s happening in climate tech right now? (Market update) The 3 Biggest Mistakes Climate Founders Make Check Out Our Sponsors! Goodwin: The Law Firm of Choice for ClimateTech Entrepreneurs ErthTech Talent: Affordable CleanTech Search Firm What’s up, everyone! Today’s episode is special since we’re speaking with David Brekke from Goodwin. In case you somehow missed it, Goodwin is the sponsor of our podcast, so yes, this is sponsored content. (tbh, even if it were not, we’d still have David on — but don’t tell him that) With everything going on in the world of climate tech right now, it’s hard to know which end is up. But David has a great perspective. You see, he’s always interacting with tons of founders and investors in climate. He sees the good, the bad, and the ugly. For this reason, he’s one of the best people to get a read on the market from. In addition to a market update, we get to hear the story of him going to Goodwin to start the climate practice. Then he walks us through the greatest hits of what to do and what not to do. He’s been around the block, and in addition to his experience, they have an entire team with even more grey hair that knows how to guide founders. This episode is value-packed — enjoy! Want to access all our content? Upgrade to paid today. Act fast! Annual subscriptions increase to $100 on May 1st (currently $80). 📺 Watch on YouTube Topics 03:11 Building a Climate Practice at Goodwin 06:08 Law x Climate Innovation 09:12 Personal Motivations in Climate Tech 12:04 Navigating the Climate VC Landscape 15:10 Challenges and Opportunities for Climate Founders 17:56 The Role of Legal Advisors in Startups 21:00 Current Climate Market Dynamics 24:03 The Future of Climate Investments 27:13 Rebranding in the Climate Sector 30:02 Reorienting Climate Tech Pitches 33:19 The Evolution of Climate VC Participation 36:42 Navigating Fundraising Challenges 37:11 Common Mistakes in Climate Tech Startups 48:01 Investor Relations and Stakeholder Management Links David Brekke | Goodwin Book: Venture Deals Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn This podcast is NOT investment or legal advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast. Support the show If you're gonna change the world, you're gonna need a world-class team. Partner with ErthTech Talent to help you do that, for less. 70+ Placements 5+ Years (exclusively in CleanTech) The Lowest Fees in the Market (12-15% of first-year salary) 90-day placement guarantee It's really hard to say no to that. Wait?! -- The best service is also the cheapest? Seems too good to be true, but it's the entire reason we started this company. We believe that Climate entrepreneurs are doing important work, and there should be a firm to help them find the best talent, without it breaking the bank. Reach out today for a free assessment of your hiring process. [email protected]