From Skype to Smallholders: Equilibrium on the Next Carbon Boom - Sid, Sri and Neelesh

In this episode of This Week in Carbon, hosts Edward Smith and Rene Velasquez are joined by Siddhanth Jayaram, Sricharann Seshadri and Neelesh Sachdeva, co-founders of Equilibrium, together with a legendary surprise appearance from carbon market OG Nick D’Alleva (co-founder of APX/Vera). From late-night Skype auctions worth millions to building India’s most diverse high-integrity removal portfolio — this one’s packed with history and forward vision.We discuss: • Surprise drop-in from Nick D’Alleva: Wild stories from the early VCM days, near-miss million-dollar transfers, and why he’s calling the end of the 2022–2025 down-cycle • Nick’s market forecast: Next explosive up-cycle starts late 2026, peaks 2028–2030 — bigger than 2020–2022 — driven by lower rates, removal demand, and high-quality supply • Equilibrium’s origin story: Two ex-VC/finance guys betting everything on smallholder-led carbon removal in India • Going full-stack: How they layered capital markets thinking + carbon science + on-ground ops with 125 million smallholder farmers at the core • Portfolio deep-dive: Regenerative ag (VM42), agroforestry (VM47), mangroves (VM33), biochar (Puro + Isometric), and live enhanced rock weathering pilots • Why tech alone failed on integrity — and what actually works • Capital stack wars: Inverted pyramid vs. forest ecosystem metaphors, blended finance breakthroughs, and India’s first major USAID-backed CDR transaction • Registry evolution: For-profit registries (Isometric, Puro, Rainbow) forcing innovation and better developer experience • Buffer pools need a full rethink — insurance as buyer of first resort? • Voluntary → compliance bridging: Who bears liability when credits go compliance-eligible? • The massive Series A/seed funding gap in carbon — and how Equilibrium convinced top-tier VCs anyway • Advice to buyers still on the sidelines: “Shoot bullets now before you have to fire cannons later” • Why early corporate action today is the smartest risk-mitigation play for tomorrow’s compliance reality.