How to Raise Money for your ClimateTech Startup w/ Tommy Leep, founder of Jetstream VC

Today's topic is how to raise money for your ClimateTech Startup with Tommy Leep. He is the founder of Jetstream. A ClimateTech VC focused on investing in pre-seed ClimateTech companies. 

Today's conversation focuses on three things. 

First, some of his background, how he got interested in ClimateTech, how he got into VC, and some of the challenges in his career. 

Second, we spoke about his advice to climate tech founders who are fundraising. He has a lot of incredible tips in this section. If you want to skip to that, it's around the 12 min mark. 

Third, he walked us through his thought process for investing. So, if you're trying to get a check from Tommy, definitely check that part out too. It starts at around the 30 min mark. 

Really fun conversation, wish we had more time, will have to bring him back on again in the future. 

Topics: 

• 3:40 Intro

• 8:27 Keeping head down versus plotting next move

• 9:59 A very challenging time in his career

• 11:32 How he became interested in ClimateTech

• 13:13 5 Tips for fundraising

  • 14:58 Stay lean

  • 18:46 Find a strong lead investor

  • 21:25 His sequence for raising/pitching

  • 24:42 Optimize for the investment partner, not the price

  • 27:36 Bring deal to many great investors

  • 29:20 Build relationships for the next round, this round

• 31:27 How he decides on investing

  • 32:23 Market: Predicting the Market

  • 39:34 Product: PMF

  • 40:18 Founders: It's a 10-year relationship

  • 41:10 Fit: Does he feel right about it

• 42:36 Advice to potential founders

Links: 

• Follow Tommy on Twitter:

• Checkout his website, Jetstream.io

• Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners:

• Join the Slack Channel: 

• Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn:

• HMU on Twitter: @silasmahner

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We are proud to continue working with NextWave as our official show sponsor for this podcast. NextWave and all of its staff are highly motivated to advance the ClimateTech revolution and are constantly innovating ways that they can help affect that transition. From experts in the talent space to ESG experts, NextWave is taking on Climate and Social responsibility head-on and helping companies build great cultures that not only make the world a better place but also increase workplace satisfaction. Reach out to NextWave Partners today to learn more about how we might partner with you today. https://www.next-wavepartners.com/ / info@next-wavepartners.com

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