EPISODE · Nov 25, 2025 · 1H 13M
From Skype to Smallholders: Equilibrium on the Next Carbon Boom - Sid, Sri and Neelesh
from This Week in Carbon · host This Week In Carbon
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.
What this episode covers
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.
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From Skype to Smallholders: Equilibrium on the Next Carbon Boom - Sid, Sri and Neelesh
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