#147 Scaling "Equity-Light" Climate Tech: Marketplace Solutions, Equity-Light vs. Software, and Electrification of Transportation w/ Russell Sprole (Virta Ventures)

In this episode, we chat with Russell Sprole, founder and managing partner of Virta Ventures. Virta Ventures invests at the early stages focusing on “equity-light” companies. We dive into the nuances of marketplace models, the potential of AI in climate tech, his journey with Full Harvest, and more.  This is a great episode for software enthusiasts interested in its place in the climate tech ecosystem.  As always, thanks so much for listening and enjoy the episode! https://linktr.ee/cleantechies --- 🌎 If you"d like to see the full PodLetter, go to our substack to see all the written content that supplements the audio interview.   --- 🚨🚨🚨 Shoutout to our sponsor Net Zero Insights — Net Zero Insights is the leading market intelligence platform on climate information with all the latest you need on funding rounds, VCs, and the climate tech ecosystem. Use this link to schedule your demo and get a 10% discount!! 🚨🚨🚨 --- 📺 👀 Prefer to watch: subscribe on YouTube. 📫 Interested in written summaries and takeaways from the episode? Subscribe to the newsletter. Want to be part of the community and engage further? Check out the Slack Channel Topics4:00 Starting Virta Ventures 10:22 Equity Light Solutions 13:50 Software Solutions in Antiquated Industries 17:07 Common Equity Light Business Models 22:55 Investing in Tiba 28:33 Investing in Crowded vs. Nascent Markets 34:41 Lessons from Full Harvest 47:46 Investing in Hydrogen Marketplaces  1:01:52 The Impact of AI on Climate Tech 1:06:54 Effective Practices of Portfolio Companies 1:08:33 Opportunities in the Electrification of Transportation 1:11:12 Fundraising Advice for Climate Tech Founders  LinksRussell Sprole | Virta VenturesConnect with Somil | Connect with SilasCheck out our sponsor, NextWave Partners, for all your Climate, Renewables, and Sustainability recruitment needs.This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.Support the show 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