Jonathan Crowder

I'm excited to spotlight Ubiquity-backed CEO Stina Brock of Derapi -- and the company's many parallels to Zapier! Since I invested over 10 years ago, Zapier has grown from a seed-stage startup to multi-billion dollar API company that allows you to connect together SaaS tools like Salesforce, Box, and 1,000+ other services to trigger "zaps" of data and rules logic to enable information workers to be more productive. In a similar vein, Derapi is a cloud API startup that connects the world of distributed energy resources (DER) for data and control. This includes things like solar, batteries, thermostats and more -- so that we can unlock a brighter future!! In today's just-released UBQT blog post, we spotlight Derapi CEO Stina Brock, her decades of experience in the energy industry, why she joined the company and where she's taking it from here. Read more at https://lnkd.in/gB4syRzN Glad to have Ubiquity Ventures invest in Derapi's pre-seed round alongside co-investors Earthshot Ventures (Ramsay Siegal, Mike Jackson), Union Labs Ventures (Nate Williams, Chris Kim), and Emerson Collective (Joanna Lichter) #energy #climate #api #developertools #developers

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💡 Interesting takeaways (+ my own commentary) from this #SFClimateWeek session on startups engaging with #utilities - Bits (software) and atoms (hardware) will both be required to power #decarbonization and the #energytransition. Enterprise SaaS is a proven business model that needs to complement innovations in deeptech. Start by targeting the customers most open to moving quickly with new approaches - which might be municipal and coop utilities. Referencing those early customers and successful deployments then helps when you start targeting more risk-averse companies, who have higher expectations and potentially more to lose from new technologies. I've seen the latter play out many times in SaaS markets. Successfully penetrating more mainstream (and conservative) segments of a market requires thoughtfully sequencing and orchestrating product development, partnerships & integrations, go-to-market capabilities, and delivery/service capabilities. Would have loved to be at the session to hear firsthand from Adriana Penuela-Useche Louisa White Page Crahan Andrea Sguazzi Giancarlo Savini.

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Geothermal energy just got its swagger back, and Fervo Energy is leading the charge. Fresh off a $255M funding round, co-founders Tim Latimer and Jack Norbeck are proving that innovation doesn’t just disrupt industries—it reinvents them. Backed by the likes of Capricorn Technology Group, Inc. Impact Fund II, Mercuria, and Breakthrough Energy Fervo is on a mission to elevate #geothermal from an underdog to a cornerstone of the #cleanenergy transition. Let’s talk about why this matters. For years, geothermal hovered in the background—reliable but limited, promising but boxed in by old-school tech. Fervo ripped up that narrative. By pairing horizontal drilling and fiber-optic sensing with #machinelearning, they’re delivering Enhanced Geothermal Systems (#EGS) that shatter the constraints of legacy approaches. The result? A platform capable of generating energy where traditional methods couldn’t compete, with productivity gains hitting 20-30% above the norm. That’s not just incremental improvement—it’s a seismic shift. This latest round of funding is more than just a win for Fervo; it’s a signal to the market. With utilities and corporate giants like Google and Southern California Edison (SCE) Edison already signing on, it’s clear the demand for 24/7 carbon-free energy isn’t coming—it’s here. And with geothermal poised to scale alongside wind and solar, the question isn’t if it will happen but how quickly Fervo can redefine the baseline for #baseloadpower. But it’s not just about the tech. Latimer and Norbeck bring a rare blend of oil-and-gas precision and renewable energy vision to the table. They’ve built a team and strategy that reflect the urgency of the moment, anchored by projects like Cape Station in Utah—a 2 GW venture set to start generating power in 2026. That’s not “one day”—that’s tomorrow in energy terms. And here’s the kicker: the geothermal market is set to grow tenfold by 2032, driven by soaring energy demands from AI and data-heavy industries. Fervo’s ability to rapidly deploy scalable, reliable systems puts them in a league of their own. Add in a landmark 320 MW power purchase agreement with Southern California Edison and a collaboration with Google on clean energy models, and you’ve got a company rewriting how we think about renewables. #Startups #StartupFunding #RenewableEnergy #ClimateTech #DeepTech #Renewables #VentureCapital #CarbonFootprint #GreaterGood #EnergyProtection #Technology #Innovation #TechEcosystem #StartupEcosystem #CleanEnergyModels

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It’s so obvious what’s happening. Lines companies and regulators need to get out of the way (and react much faster than they are) to let the flow accelerate. https://lnkd.in/g9k-z-v7

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🎙️Unscripted: Episode 11 - Scott Wharton "Startup Success: Transitioning From Voice & Video to Solar Innovation" On Earth Day, 2024, I'm thrilled to host Scott Wharton, CEO of Tandem PV, who shares his insights & learnings: ☀️ From Logitech, to Tandem PV: Scott's transition from GM to CEO highlights his passion for scaling up ventures and driving impactful change. 🌏 Perovskite Innovation: Discover how perovskite solar technology is revolutionizing the renewable energy industry, offering higher efficiency and scalability. 📍Roadmap to Success: Scott outlines the challenges and milestones on the path to mass production, projecting a significant impact on global energy markets by 2026. 📖 Embracing Learning: Despite the shift in industries, Scott finds invigoration in continuous learning and the opportunity to tackle climate change head-on. ⚡️Making a Difference: Scott's mission to democratize clean energy and elevate global standards of living underscores the transformative potential of solar innovation. Join us on this episode to learn more about Tandem PV's dedication to driving positive change! For all other episodes visit the Unscripted Channel - https://lnkd.in/gSTSTmAe #solarinnovation #RenewableEnergy #ClimateAction 🌞🌎 Logitech Business Tandem PV

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Whether it’s a free market (like retail energy in Texas and EVs) or highly regulated (like carbon), sometimes the best solution is simplifying things for people. Enable people to easily save money, change habits, or make environmentally friendly choices, and adoption will follow. Complicate the process, and we slow everything down. #electricvehicles #energytransition https://lnkd.in/gsusmi2H

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Reflections from the trails to create huge returns for your business! I wrote this article a while ago and was inspired to repost it after having fun on the trails today! I originally wrote it with respect to running a bussiness but the approach is super transferable to deploying onsite energy systems - your first to at scale! https://lnkd.in/gEuEfwGr Pre-Ride: This phase is all about learning, exploration and preparation. We learn about the opportunities of generating and storing energy right at our facility vs being solely reliant on our power utility. We equip ourselves with the right tools, customized insights, and create a game plan. At VECKTA our platform is designed to support businesses to do just that: Where - which sites are ideal for onsite energy based on your goals, incentives and site parameters. What - match system benefits with your energy demand and financial limitations to determine which clean energy or hybrid systems are best. Who - competitively access capital, services and equipment to finance and deploy onsite power. We get the best solutions with leading suppliers custom selected for your project from the VECKTA marketplace. Re-Ride: Here, we build confidence through success, repetition and deeper learning, refining our approach and enhancing deployments to maximize returns on investment. We achieve this by having customized data and insights at our fingertips accessible to all key stakeholders, Free-Ride: Finally, we leverage the power of our portfolio approach to adapt dynamically to real time market conditions and busienss changes to execute the game plan at scale. We get into the flow and have fun creating sustainable and profitable energy solutions that drive long-term business value at scale. Success requires continuous learning, adaptation, and purposeful action. Let's embrace the journey and ride the value of onsite energy systems to realize compounding value to save 6 to 9 figure dollar savings and operate reliably and sustainably! #EnergyTransition #Sustainability #RenewableEnergy #BusinessGrowth #Innovation #CleanEnergy #AdaptPurposefully #VECKTA

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Sierra's impressive $175 million funding round, led by Greenoaks Capital, catapults its valuation to $4.5 billion in just one year—a remarkable feat for a startup focused on AI-driven customer service chatbots. With industry veterans Bret Taylor and Clay Bavor at the helm, confidence in Sierra is palpable. The need for reliable enterprise AI solutions is real, especially with increasing demand to reduce "hallucinations" in responses. However, is Sierra truly a game-changer or just another player in a crowded market filled with heavyweights like Salesforce and Google? While the valuation is thrilling and hints at vast potential, the challenges are significant. Can Sierra convert investors' enthusiasm into sustained revenue growth and market share? As the AI landscape evolves, eyes are on Sierra to see if it can deliver on its ambitious vision. Will it revolutionize enterprise customer service or falter under high expectations? The journey ahead promises to be fascinating!

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Our Monday Energy Espresso's come around quick, but I always enjoy a good jolt of energy to kickoff the week. Here is what inspired me in the last week: ⚡ Correlate Energy has partnered with Compass Energy Platform and Distributed Energy Capital to develop a microgrid utility project, led by Cuyahoga County. The initiative involves developing four microgrids, totaling approximately $400 million. The microgrids will serve as small-scale local electricity systems capable of operating independently from the main grid for an uninterrupted supply of clean and reliable energy to multiple interconnected customers. The microgrid projects are expected to be operational by 2025. 🏫 San Rafael City Schools has partnered with REC Solar to design, build, own, operate and maintain 2.3 MW of solar at five schools throughout the district. The rooftop and canopy solar arrays will generate $9.7 million in energy savings and avoid 2,931 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. 🔋 The First Nations outstation of Marlinja, home to 60 people celebrated the launch of what it says is the first First Nations-owned grid-connected solar microgrid in Australia. The microgrid includes a 100 kW solar array and a 136 kWh battery. It took five years to complete as community members and Original Power, the non-profit developer for the project, navigated the design, fundraising, installation and commissioning process. This highlights the need to have more streamlined and enabling tech to facilitate quicker and more efficient deployments. 👩‍🎓 National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the United States Department of Defense published a report - 5G Securely Energized and Resilient. "A fundamental difference between 4G and 5G is the way the data moves; data resources can be closer to the edge. What if we harness the power of edge compute and reduced latency to make the grid components a more effective system?". The energy and digital transitions need one another to be successful and both are moving to distributed solutions. 🏗 Global spending on renewables, nuclear, energy efficiency and low-emissions fuels like hydrogen is set to eclipse $2 trillion in 2024, double the $1 trillion spent on fossil fuels, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) annual review of global energy spending. What caught your eye or which of these updates inspired you the most? Stay tuned through VECKTAs Blog, #BehindTheMeter and Podcast, #RenewableRides for more cutting-edge insights as we continue to navigate the exciting world of the #EnergyTransition.

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Data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) illustrates the current "readiness" of #ClimateTechs + their potential impact on carbon reduction. As shown, many techs are at an early stage of being able to have a material impact. Concerningly, some tech funds recently returned capital back to investors recently + closed their funds - citing inability to fund capital intensive techs, found in areas like ClimateTech. This in part may be contributing to the $2 trillion shortfall in ClimateTech, that Deloitte estimates. What this may mean for the future? - The migration of LPs to global, super VC funds within ClimateTech, given the large capital pools needed to fund tech development - Greater specialization from smaller funds, energizing more niche elements of the ClimateTech market - but also altering their / LP's risk profile - A greater role to be played by debt financing in funding growth entities at an earlier stage - impacting cashflow dynamics Will be an interesting space to watch moving forward. We at The Proptech Connection are constantly working with all parts of the Proptech ecosystem. From the leading LPs, funds, techs and adopters in market, providing an independent view. Reach out to us today to find out how we can help. #InvestorTrends #Strategy #Global Ivo van Breukelen Stuart Daun Kiki C. Ethan Ward

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We all know tax day is behind us (ICYMI!); The hidden dragon accelerating the energy transition will be taxes and tax incentives. As the law of IRA takes shape we have entrepreneurs like Alex Gupta at Breakpoint Energy to show us how to think about using the evolving tax landscape to help fund the investment in new energy systems. While the world isn't doing away with tax equity, we have a powerful new tool with these tax credits that functionally enables any business to participate in "investing" in the energy transition. Have a listen, and while 2023 taxes may be behind you, there is nothing like the present to think about how you can displace your 2024 tax liability by harvesting credits in support of the deployment and commercialization of new energy technologies. Listen here ===> https://lnkd.in/gcgeRpf6 #taxes #Cleanenergycredits #energy #energytransition

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I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to share the reason we are building this company, Growthware. As a founder, I care about being authentic. This is an exciting speaking session because it’s why we do this everyday. I’m excited to present our vision, and I truly hope it inspires and makes people discuss it afterwards. I couldn’t be more proud of our group of founders, investors, board members, and the community of local businesses (& enterprises who serve them). :) What a privilege it is for us to build. We get to build something that is more than us. Every mistake we make, and have made, only made us better. We believe we can capture that for everyone, and tune the growth line upwards. #localogy #growthware #gamifygrowth #leaderboards #growthAI

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Power Grid is a board game that is a great tool for learning more about energy, the grid, and the power of renewable energy. https://lnkd.in/gHvsSPiD #energy #powergrid #gridoptimization

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🚀 Calling all adopters of #proptech and #construction tech: real estate developers, builders, and owner-operators, and more! 🌟 Big News! I’m thrilled to announce our partnership with Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2), co-administered by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, to accelerate cleantech adoption. This is a first-of-its-kind initiative bringing public and private industry together to drive the digitization and decarbonization of the built environment with a focus on the adoption of startup technologies by end customers. I couldn’t be more excited to collaborate closely with IN² and NREL’s incredible teams to build the industry’s first Adoption Playbook, and the impact this program will have to catalyze more sustainable innovation implementation to our built world. Led by Program Manager Sarah Derdowski, NREL's team is backed by world-class research and a history of running successful incubators. 💡 If you're a forward-thinking organization that is seeking to innovate your real estate footprint, apply today. Adopters can receive up to $250,000 in grant funding to pilot cutting-edge technologies, while startups have the chance to scale and engage with major corporations. This groundbreaking program offers incredible opportunities for both adopters and startups to drive sustainability and innovation—and we're kicking it off this month! 🌍 With our team at Overlay Build, we will design the curriculum in partnership with IN² for corporate adopters through their Adoption Playbook. The playbook will prioritize pain points, identify innovation areas, and form peer groups for implementation strategies. Overlay will also develop due diligence criteria, help to determine the top startups for potential pilots, and form internal innovation working committees that will drive change. Additionally, Overlay will build a change management strategy to ensure practical evaluation and implementation of pilot projects, helping companies with significant real estate ownership reduce construction inefficiencies, costs, and carbon footprints. 🔍This initiative addresses the "missing middle" in technology adoption of built environment solutions—let's bridge that gap together. For more information or to discuss how you can get involved, feel free to reach out to me directly. 👉 Join us in shaping the future of the built environment! Adopters, apply here today: https://lnkd.in/eCRHCXfm #Sustainability #Cleantech #Innovation #BuiltEnvironment #IN2 #OverlayCapital #DigitalTransformation #Decarbonization #ESG #NetZero

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TAKING THE STAGE We've learned a lot about #ai in the sales space over the last year. Our take: Every company will fall into one of three buckets. 1. You embrace Ai in your #sales today and start separating yourself from the pack. 2. In 2-3 years, you look for an off the shelf solution so you don't lose too much market share. 3. You refuse to #adapt and get left behind. We'll be talking about where the industry is right now and the options you have. Should be a fun one! #presentation #SASW2024 #training

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Industrial manufacturing continues to shine as a resilient industry, showcasing remarkable strength in the post-pandemic landscape. While many major American industries face high quit rates, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce highlights that "in more stable, higher-paying industries, such as financial activities and manufacturing, the number of employees quitting has been lower." This confidence among manufacturing workers is vital, driving the industry's remarkable recovery and paving the way for a brighter future. #IndustrialManufacturing #Data #EmployeeSatisfaction

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