This deeptech investor wants more climate tech startups to solve 'critical path' problems

How do investors think about problems?

Something new we'll be showcasing with ProblemKit is the nuance in how different early-stage investors think about the 'problem sets' they want to back solutions to – and what makes a new startup stand out from the crowd.

To kick off this series, I sat down with Luke Charbonnier-Bevan, Deeptech and Climate investor at Zinc VC, to get his take on how to think about problems in climate tech.

If you're not in climate tech, keep in mind: what's the equivalent of 'emissions' in your field? How might you use your problem statement to escape the tropes that make every pitch sound the same?

Zinc VC's Approach to Climate Tech Investment

By Luke Charbonnier-Bevan, Deeptech and Climate Investor at Zinc VC

Learn more about Zinc VC

Zinc is a mission-driven pre-seed VC and venture builder, where I am an Investment Manager working with founders to solve problems in the Environment and Climate space.

At Zinc, we are passionate about investing in founders building ventures that lie on the critical path to a decarbonised and sustainable future. 

As a talent-led venture builder, we believe in the power of mission-driven entrepreneurs to address some of the most pressing climate challenges of our time.

Beyond Carbon Dioxide Metrics: A Broader View on Climate Tech

In climate tech, it’s common to classify problems based on their carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (CO2e).

Some investors use this metric as a screen to determine which ventures to support, prioritising those that target the largest sources of emissions. 

However, at Zinc, we take a different approach.

While we recognise the importance of reducing CO2 emissions, we do not apply strict carbon metrics as filters for our investments.

Why? Because focusing solely on CO2e could bias our portfolio toward uncertain, high-impact solutions while neglecting equally vital but less inherently quantifiable opportunities. 

Many enabling technologies, which might not directly eliminate vast amounts of CO2, still play a crucial role as systemic interventions in the broader climate ecosystem. 

These technologies might streamline industrial processes, reduce energy waste, or enhance the efficiency of renewable energy systems—indirectly driving substantial decarbonisation over time.

The Power of Founder Passion and Expertise

Our investment philosophy is guided by the passions and expertise of the founders we work with. 

We believe that founders who have deep knowledge of specific industries and the climate challenges within them are best positioned to develop impactful solutions. 

Climate tech is distinct from other tech categories because it doesn’t cluster around a single pool of engineering talent. Instead, it requires a multifaceted approach, drawing on diverse expertise from various fields.

Moreover, climate tech transcends traditional industry boundaries. It’s not limited to a single sector; rather, it is a generalist field that seeks to address a wide range of challenges across multiple industries. 

In many ways, climate tech is a social movement aiming to find technological and market solutions to the existential threat of climate change.

Critical Path Problems: Integral to Decarbonisation

However, this does not mean that we are interested in just any idea or problem. 

At Zinc, we are focused on those problems that lie on the critical path to decarbonisation—challenges that are integral to achieving a sustainable, low-carbon future. 

These are not peripheral issues; they are the core problems that must be solved to decarbonise our economy and society effectively.

By investing in ventures that address these critical path problems, we aim to support the development of solutions that are not just innovative, but essential. 

We seek out founders who are experts in their fields, who understand the intricacies of the industries they are working within, and who are driven by a deep commitment to making a positive impact on the planet.

Selecting the Right Problems

At Zinc, we encourage founders to focus on problems they are uniquely equipped to solve, drawing on their specific expertise and experiences. 

While we admire passionate missions, we are also cautious against pursuing areas with a romantic allure unless founders have domain knowledge in those spaces—such as food waste, biodiversity, and oceans—that can be exceptionally challenging to build in. 

Our venture builder program is designed to help entrepreneurs refine their focus.

Many founders arrive with a clear opportunity in mind but are often surprised at how the partnerships they form in our program deepen their understanding of the problem in unexpected and transformative ways.

We are looking for mission-driven founders to join our 9th venture-builder programme, which kicks off in January. We are also making direct investments in pre-existing pre-seed deeptech companies.

If this sounds like you, or if you know an exceptional future founder, check out our website here.

“I lost a $2 bill down on Atlantic avenue,” said the man.

“What’s that?” asked the puzzled officer. “You lost a $2 bill on Atlantic avenue? Then why are you hunting around here in Copley square?”

“Because,” said the man as he turned away and continued his hunt on his hands and knees, “the light’s better up here.”

– 1924 May 24, Boston Herald, Whiting's Column

Wishing you lots of problems,

Alex