Atticus Francken

The DOE funding pullback is clarifying for climate tech investments, not catastrophic. The Department of Energy's decision to return over $13 billion in unobligated clean-energy funds has spooked founders who built capital strategies around grant timelines. Reality check: this is a policy reprioritization toward fewer discretionary grants and longer timelines, not a sector shutdown. What hasn't changed: projects with real economics still get funded. The Loan Programs Office continues approving disbursements for revenue-generating projects—manufacturing scale-up, grid infrastructure, nuclear restarts. DOE's Mine of the Future initiative and critical minerals programs remain active, supporting technologies that secure domestic supply chains. At MFV Partners, we stayed disciplined while others chased 2021-2023 IRA momentum. Those bets are struggling now. We focused on energy deep tech that works without subsidy dependency—solutions that pencil out regardless of administration. Our portfolio reflects this: Conifer builds rare-earth-free powertrains using ferrite magnets, directly addressing supply-chain bottlenecks while improving power density and enabling cleaner HVAC and mobility applications. SUN Mobility operates battery-swapping infrastructure for commercial fleets across India, Africa, and Southeast Asia—accelerating EV adoption in emerging markets while delivering ROI through better asset utilization. We have several other companies in stealth building similar economics-first solutions that drive real climate impact. What founders should do now: Use grants to derisk R&D where available, but build your scale path around customer pilots and project finance. Treat supply-chain resilience as a product feature. Prove the economics: predictable throughput, demonstrated reliability, and numbers that work with conservative assumptions. The fundamentals haven't changed. Electrification and grid modernization are productivity upgrades—lower costs, higher availability, better payback. That's where capital flows, regardless of headlines. We're continuing to invest actively in energy and electrification deep tech. If you're building solutions with strong unit economics that accelerate the energy transition, reach out. https://lnkd.in/gUfdzRXH https://lnkd.in/gNGm9zyM

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This week in #AmTech: Grid Aero raised $20 million in Series A funding co-led by Bison Ventures and Geodesic Capital, with participation from Stony Lonesome Group LLC, Alumni Ventures, and returning investors Ubiquity Ventures, Calibrate Ventures, and Commonweal Ventures (that's us!). Grid builds low-cost, autonomous cargo aircraft capable of carrying thousands of pounds over thousands of miles, enabling resilient logistics for defense, commercial, and humanitarian operations in contested or remote environments. Founders: Arthur Dubois, Brandon F., Chinmay Patel, PhD.   Barnwell Bio raised $6 million in Seed funding led by Twelve Below, with participation from Max Ventures, Dorm Room Fund, Banter Capital, Planeteer Capital, AgVentures Alliance, Daybreak Ventures, Alumni Ventures, and AgLaunch Farmers. Barnwell Bio uses genetic sequencing to monitor poultry barns for early signs of disease, giving farmers advance warning of threats like avian flu before outbreaks spread and force mass culls that drive up egg and chicken prices for consumers. Founders: Michael Rhys, Casey McGinley, Jake Byrnes.   Standard Nuclear raised $140 million in Series A funding led by Decisive Point, with participation from Chevron Technology Ventures, StepStone Group, XTX Ventures, and existing investors WELARA, Fundomo, Andreessen Horowitz, Washington Harbour Partners LP, and Crucible Capital. Standard Nuclear manufactures advanced nuclear fuel for next-generation reactors, serving defense, space, and industrial customers as the nation's only independent supplier not tied to a specific reactor design. Founders: Kurt Terrani, Thomas Hendrix. #VC #VentureCapital #Investing #Startups #DeepTech #DefenseTech #Aerospace #Energy #AgTech #Agriculture #Technology

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Definitely recommend reading the recently released "Climate Capital Reset Project" report, by friends Will Coleman Daniel Firger Bill Tarr and Builders Vision. I wrote about it, and some key lessons in light of recent dramatic events, in my latest Forbes column. I've been investing for more than two decades and I've never seen such a significant market shift so quickly. This is not a time for more-of-the-same from climate investors and capital allocators. Dramatic events call for dramatic shifts, and those who adapt too slowly will fall by the wayside. https://lnkd.in/ekbY69Hp #climateinvesting #privateequity #venturecapital #capitalallocators #wealthmanagement

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2026 federal funding update for ecosystem builders A week ago I wrote about where federal innovation funding stands for 2026. Here's what's changed in 7 days: What's now signed into law: The Commerce, Justice, and Science bill passed the Senate 82-15 on January 15 and is headed to the president's desk. This locks in: NSF → $8.75 billion (with protection against disproportionate cuts to any directorate) → Regional Innovation Engines: Up to $200 million EDA → Tech Hubs: $41 million → Build to Scale: $50 million → MEP: $175 million What passed the House, awaiting Senate action: The Financial Services bill passed 341-79 on January 14, confirming: SBA → Entrepreneurial development: $330 million (Congress rejected the proposed cut to $150M) → Regional Innovation Clusters: $9M → Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST): $9M → Growth Accelerator Fund Competition: $9M What's still in flux: Leaders just released a final bipartisan package for Defense, Homeland Security, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-HUD. The House may vote this week, with the January 30, 2026 deadline approaching. SBIR/STTR authorization remains expired. No new solicitations until reauthorization—though there's been some movement here. There's also a bunch of new AI policy I need to dig into still. The bottom line hasn't changed: You cannot build a 10-year innovation ecosystem on annual appropriations battles. The regions that succeed are strengthening their partnership infrastructure now, and leveraging federal funding as a bonus to accelerate outcomes. See the full analysis: https://lnkd.in/euDxDVkZ

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Energy affordability is now a competitiveness issue. From California to Pennsylvania — and increasingly here in Ohio — rising power prices, grid constraints, and clean-energy demand are reshaping energy policy and investment decisions. For mid-sized industrial companies, energy strategy is no longer just about price. It’s about reliability, flexibility, and long-term access to power that supports growth. At TPI Efficiency we’re helping manufacturers navigate this shift with smarter procurement and operational energy strategies as policy and markets continue to evolve. #EnergyMarkets #OhioManufacturing #EnergyPolicy #GridReliability #CleanEnergy #IndustrialEnergy #MidwestEconomy

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$7.5B in Clean Energy Projects Canceled — and a Political Storm Is Brewing In a stunning reversal with major implications for the future of U.S. climate innovation, the Department of Energy has abruptly canceled 321 clean energy awards — worth $7.56 billion — many of them in states that voted for Kamala Harris in the last election. 📉 The cuts affect critical projects like: ▪️ Direct Air Capture (DAC) initiatives aimed at pulling CO₂ out of the atmosphere. ▪️ Hydrogen hubs designed to accelerate the transition to green fuel — including a $1.2B project in California and others in Texas and Louisiana. The cancellations touch over a dozen states, from New York and Oregon to Florida and Illinois. Even more controversial: many of these awards were originally granted to accelerate clean energy R&D, manufacturing, and grid modernization — and 26% were approved between Election Day and Inauguration Day, a legally valid period that is now under scrutiny. ➡️ The political undertone is impossible to ignore. A senior budget official celebrated the move online, declaring, “The Left’s climate agenda is being cancelled.” Meanwhile, the DOE has banned staff from even using terms like “climate change” or “emissions.” ➡️ Legal battles are already heating up: several awardees have filed appeals, and early lawsuits over similar cancellations have produced mixed results — with courts split on whether these moves are “arbitrary” or legitimate oversight. ❓Why it matters: This isn’t just a story about clean energy funding — it’s a test of how political shifts can dramatically reshape the U.S. climate and energy agenda overnight. Billions in private-sector partnerships, supply chain investments, and decarbonization goals are suddenly in limbo. 🟢 The message is clear: climate innovation isn’t just a technological race — it’s a political battleground. 💬 Question for you: How should the private sector respond when policy swings threaten long-term climate strategies? ✔️ Share your thoughts in the comments — and follow me here on LinkedIn for more breakdowns on how policy, technology, and business strategy collide in the clean energy transition. https://lnkd.in/d4AB58pX? Platform: TechCrunch Author: Tim De Chant #CleanEnergy #ClimatePolicy #EnergyTransition #Hydrogen #CarbonCapture #DOE #Sustainability #EnergyInnovation #PoliticsAndPolicy #GreenTech #NetZero #ClimateTech

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𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐃𝐮𝐦𝐛 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 I recently sat down with Ryan Grant Little, the host of Another Climatetech podcast (but also a climatetech founder, advisor, and investor) to talk about why AI is the new electrification, and how it makes an increasingly complex energy system legible. Some other topics we covered: 🔋 Why electrification isn’t just inevitable - it’s the most capital-efficient climate solution on offer 🔄 What "sector coupling" means, and how heat pumps, EVs, and industry can all talk to each other ⚡ The distributed grid, smart meters, and how regulation is slowing everything down 🔐 Why cybersecurity for backyard solar systems might be our next national security crisis 🔌 The dark horses of climatetech: agrivoltaics and bi-directional EV charging At Vireo Ventures, we believe decarbonization is the greatest challenge and the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime. Our investments, including - FLEXECHARGE, Atmen, nuuEnergy, dsb - are driving exactly that: the digital and electrified infrastructure needed to achieve net-zero and make our energy system work. Listen on Spotify 🎧 https://lnkd.in/dTUVs7id or Apple 🍏 https://lnkd.in/ddDHT_bS

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We've interviewed dozens of investors and founders, and collated some real fundraising advice from the front lines of climate tech... What are investors really looking for? We spoke to leading voices from XPRESS Ventures, StarBeam Capital, Future Energy Ventures, and founders deep in the fundraising trenches. Here’s what they said 👇 💬 “50% team, 25% tech, 25% business model—most founders get that balance wrong.” 💬 “The best pitches tell a compelling story—ambitious, grounded, and commercial.” 💬 “Don’t underestimate how little investors know about your space. Educate, early.” 🔥 Quick takeaways: Lead with traction, not tech theory Keep your pitch simple, commercial, and aligned Fundraising is a marathon—stay focused on your mission 🔁 One founder pitched the same investor three times before securing funding. Another said: “Having a co-founder to share the emotional load saved made all the difference.” Full The Green Techpreneur read here. Subscribe for bimonthly insights → https://lnkd.in/etY2UKty #climatetech #startupfundraising #greentech #founderinsights #climateinvesting #startuplife

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🌍 How we build climate tech portfolios for outsized returns At Pachamama Ventures, our portfolio construction isn't just about writing checks—it's about strategic allocation that drives both climate impact and financial returns. Our disciplined approach: 25-30 deals over 4-year investment period $100K-$500K investments Focus on $5M-$10M valuations (larger only at reasonable discounts) The secret sauce? Risk-adjusted diversification! 📊 Portfolio matrix breakdown: 16 companies at moderate risk/return (2x-5x potential) 8 companies positioned for breakout growth (5x+ potential) 3 companies with moonshot potential (50x+ returns) Early results speak volumes: Our current 3 portfolio companies achieved 9X revenue growth in 2024, with markups expected in the next few months. Companies like Gentian (biodiversity monitoring), Matereal (bio-based materials), and ElectricFish (EV charging infrastructure) are already securing Fortune 500 customers. Why this works: 16 years of Fortune 100 finance experience taught me that corporate capital flows drive climate tech innovation. We don't just invest—we connect our portfolio companies to enterprise customers and acquisition partners through our deep corporate networks. Climate tech is primed for scale in the next decade. The question isn't whether to invest, but how to construct portfolios that capture the massive opportunity ahead. What's your take on portfolio construction in climate tech? Drop your thoughts below. 👇 #ClimateTech #VentureCapital #PortfolioStrategy #ClimateInvesting #Sustainability

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ASVLP 2026 | EMERGING FUND MANAGERS ROUNDTABLE Navigating the 2026 VC Cycle: Opportunities, Constraints & Competitive Edge for Emerging Fund Managers Raising and deploying capital as an emerging fund manager in 2026 is no longer about momentum. It’s about positioning, credibility, and structural advantage. LP expectations have tightened. Capital formation is slower and more selective. And differentiation is no longer declared — it’s demonstrated. At ASVLP — Africa Startup & VC Landscape Preview, this high‑signal roundtable brings together experienced investors, capital allocators, and ecosystem leaders to unpack what it truly takes to compete — and survive — as a new fund manager in the current cycle. This is not a discussion about starting funds. It is a candid examination of how capital is actually being allocated, where emerging managers face real constraints, and what separates those who scale institutional credibility from those who stall. Speakers Emmie van Halder — @/MPower Netherlands Varun Turlapati — Chaanakya Capital Abiola Adediran, MBA, FCA, FIMC, CMC, M.CIoD — GENEA FAMILY OFFICE Emmanuel Adegboye — Madica Mope Abudu — AfriGloCal VC Zachariah George — Launch Africa Ventures Amb. Dr. Dunston P. — Private Office of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Faisal Al‑Qassimi Moderator Maha M. — COREangels MEA The conversation will explore: • What LPs are truly underwriting in emerging managers today • Where structural constraints — not talent — limit fund performance • How new managers can build defensible edge in portfolio construction, signalling, and partnerships • What must change for emerging funds to graduate into durable institutions Who should attend Emerging fund managers, LPs, DFIs, and ecosystem builders focused on shaping Africa & MENA’s next generation of venture capital — with discipline, not hype. ASVLP 2026 Participation is FREE but strictly by invitation. To join: Repost and comment #ASVLP2026 — your registration link will be sent via DM. This Session is Powered by COREangels MEA

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