Today, we are talking to Nate Lowentheil from Commonweal Ventures.
Nate Loewentheil is the founder and managing partner of Commonweal Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on solving America's biggest challenges through entrepreneurship. Nate’s career spans angel investing, politics, and public policy. Previously, he served in the Obama White House, advising President Obama on emerging technologies such as clean energy and broadband expansion. His background includes roles in the Yale Entrepreneurial Society, founding the Roosevelt Institution, and advising startups during his time running venture investments for a family office.
Nate's entrepreneurial spirit is rooted in family tradition, where multiple generations ran their own businesses, from furniture to rare books. His experience combines deep policy knowledge and practical insights into scaling impactful startups.
Commonweal Ventures invests in pre-seed and seed-stage companies tackling generational challenges such as climate change, competition with China, and an aging population. The firm focuses on startups that leverage government partnerships as a strategic advantage, tapping into resources like national labs, regulatory data, and long-term infrastructure projects.
The firm's investment philosophy distinguishes itself from traditional GovTech by emphasizing the unique ability of government to unlock enterprise value rather than solving it as a "problem to fix." With a bipartisan advisory board that includes former Trump, Bush, Obama, and Clinton administration officials, Common Weal Ventures excels at navigating regulatory landscapes and creating opportunities for impactful innovation.
In this episode, Nate shares insights on:
The need for founders who are solving America’s critical issues, combining purpose with the potential for category-defining outcomes
How startups to position them for success in navigating government partnerships, leveraging resources, and influencing regulation
Opportunities for companies in energy, advanced manufacturing, and public safety to thrive through strategic alignment with government priorities
Enjoy!
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📝 Show Notes:
Topics
05:54 The Role of Government in Innovation
12:07 Investing in Early-Stage Companies
14:55 Understanding Political Dynamics in Climate Tech
17:52 Preparing for Trump 2.0
27:19 Shifting Political Economy and Government's Role
31:05 Future of Government Involvement in Commercialization
32:56 Engaging with Government Agencies
35:19 Best Practices for Founders in Government Relations
38:08 Investing Dynamics in Climate Tech
42:49 Encouraging Generalist Investors in Climate Tech
44:15 America's Competitive Edge: Entrepreneurship
45:40 Impact of Monopolies on Startups
48:04 Political Landscape and Antitrust Dynamics
49:51 Looking Ahead: Opportunities in Climate Tech
Links
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This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.
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