Conscious Tech

Hosted by Sera Tajima

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Where deep tech meets capital in pursuit of planetary abundance. Each episode features the investors and founders solving the hardest problems in climate, energy, industry, materials, and the built world. Host Sera Tajima, angel investor, explores how solutions get funded from pre-seed to scale, how the tech works, and how we leverage technology to consciously solve humanity's most pressing challenges.

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6 recent

June 18, 2026Episode 657 min

Novobiom's Genomic AI Powers Fungi for Textile Waste & Bioremediation

Textile waste generates more greenhouse gas emissions than aviation and shipping combined, and most of what's produced ends up landfilled or burned. In this episode, Sera Tajima talks with Jean-Michel Scheuren , founder of Novobiom , about how fungi, nature's recyclers and chemists, can turn that waste into value. Jean-Michel breaks down how Novobiom uses fermentation, genomic modeling, and AI to separate cotton from polyester in blended textile waste, and how the same platform powers their bioremediation work decontaminating former industrial sites across Europe and their biotech partnership with L'Oréal. The conversation also touches on the shifting venture landscape for deep tech and biotech. ⁠Get weekly deep tech intel ⁠ 00:00 – Intro 01:24 – How Jean-Michel got into mycellium 02:17 – Fungi as nature's recyclers and chemists 03:35 – Why fungi over chemistry 06:27 – The scale of textile waste 07:30 – Reframing waste as a resource 09:44 – Why cotton-polyester blends are "free food" for fungi 14:08 – The client request that started Novobiom's textile work19:06 – The L'Oréal partnership 34:39 – Expanding into bioremediation 36:16 – Why bioremediation is cost-effective but underused 52:40 – The shifting VC landscape for deep tech and biotech 53:04 – Lightning round 55:22 – The meeting that changed Jean-Michel's life Reach VCs, founders and operators:sponsors@conscioustech.vc

April 21, 2026Episode 534 min

Endgame Capital Raised €8M First Close in 4 Months for Climate Denier Proof Startups

Get weekly deep tech intel Jinna Li and John Mairlot are the married GPs behind Endgame Capital — one of Europe's most commercially rigorous climate funds. In this episode, we get into their "climate denier proof" thesis, why they only back companies that win on economics alone, how they raised €8M in four months as first-time fund managers, and what European startups need to finally cross the chasm from lab to commercial contract. Explore Resources Reach founders, VCs, and operators:sponsors@conscioustech.vc

April 7, 2026Episode 449 min

Why 2150 Bet on Blue Frontier to Solve the Cooling Crisis

By 2035, cooling will consume more electricity than every data center on the planet combined. Yet, it remains one of the most underfunded problems in climate tech. In this episode, I sit down with Christian Hernandez, partner at 2150, one of Europe's leading urban tech funds, and Dr. Daniel Betts, founder of Blue Frontier, who spun his breakthrough cooling technology out of the National Renewable Energy Lab. Get weekly deep tech intel at conscioustech.co [00:00] Christian's origin story: from Microsoft & Google to climate VC [02:15] The contrarian bet: 50% of emissions, 11% of capital [03:53] Why cooling? From comfort problem to survivability problem [06:21] Daniel's story: from power generation to AC [09:32] The technology was too good not to bring to market [11:18] What actually happens to the grid during a heat wave [13:50] What is a GigaCorn? Christian explains [16:52] How Blue Frontier's technology works & liquid desiccant explained [22:15] The refrigerant problem: 2,000x worse than CO2 [24:48] Why batteries aren't the answer: the California grid case study [28:51] Cooling as a Service: Blue Frontier's business model [31:56] What deep tech founders struggle with most [37:11] "Ship what's on the truck," the no shiny things rule [38:09] US vs. Europe: how 2150's pipeline has shifted [39:36] Lessons from Fund 1: never underwrite subsidies [40:36] Defense tech, dual use, and Article 9 [42:55] The unlock that would 10x the pace [46:49] Lightning round [48:04] Ichigo Ichie: the encounter that changed everything Reach founders, VCs, and operators: sponsors@conscioustech.vc

November 5, 2025Episode 31 hr 1 min

Why Vinci & BMW Are Betting on 3D Wood Composites to Replace Steel

Andres Mitnik is the CEO of Strong by Form , a deep tech startup revolutionizing sustainable construction materials. With a background in civil engineering and advanced degrees from Harvard and NYU, Andres is tackling industrial decarbonization—responsible for 30% of global carbon emissions. Strong by Form has developed Wood Flow, a next-generation timber composite that replaces steel, concrete, and aluminum at a fraction of the weight and, critically, at a price point competitive with traditional materials. After seven years of development and over €5 million raised, the company has secured partnerships with industry giants including BMW, Deutsche Bahn, and Vinci. Now preparing for their Series A, Strong by Form is proving that climate tech can compete on both performance and cost in the $16 trillion construction industry. Get weekly deep tech intel at conscioustech.co Chapters 📖 [00:00:00] Industrial Decarbonization & the Green Premium Challenge [00:02:06] Why Hardware Matters: Beyond Software Solutions [00:05:49] From Real Estate Consulting to Climate Tech [00:08:11] Wood Flow Technology: 3D Wood Composites Explained [00:11:21] Shape Optimization & Fiber Alignment Innovation [00:13:44] Three Seasoned Founders: Dividing Technical & Business Roles [00:17:16] Global Expansion: From Chile to Europe [00:18:37] BMW Partnership & Mobility Applications [00:19:25] The Holy Grail: Price Competitive with Concrete [00:21:18] Finding Product-Market Fit in Deep Tech [00:24:31] Building Visibility: Marketing a Physical Product [00:27:27] Going to Market: Architecture, Mobility & Construction [00:31:38] Product-Market Fit Research Insights [00:36:41] The Catalog Strategy: Balancing Bespoke & Standardization [00:38:34] Regulations, Durability & Fire Resistance [00:42:18] Sustainable Wood Sourcing & Certification [00:46:02] Cost vs. Sustainability: The Reality Check [00:47:57] Seed Round to Series A: The Fundraising Journey [00:51:38] Investor Milestones: Unit Economics & Production Costs [00:54:01] Racing Through Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) [00:56:23] Success, Challenges & Founder Lessons sponsor@conscioustechventures.com

September 17, 2025Episode 238 min

Carbon Equity Democratizes Climate Tech Investing for Private Markets

Jacquelyn van den Ende and Liza Rubenstein reveal how they're providing never before seen access to exclusive private markets for climate investing. The Carbon Equity co-founders expose why trading ESG stocks creates zero real-world impact, how they overcame two years of European regulatory battles, and why 80% of new electricity is now solar purely on economics. From €100K minimums down to €20K access, discover the fund-of-funds strategy redirecting billions toward geothermal breakthroughs, EV manufacturing, and grid infrastructure—plus what Trump's policies actually mean for climate tech's unstoppable transition.⁠ Get weekly intel at ⁠conscioustech.co⁠ Chapters 📖 [00:00:00] Introduction and Climate Urgency [00:02:07] Meet the Co-founders: Backgrounds and Motivations [00:03:25] The Climate Awakening: From "An Inconvenient Truth" to "The Sixth Extinction" [00:05:08] The Power of Capital: Money as the Ultimate Allocator [00:06:21] Private Markets vs Public Markets: Where Real Impact Happens [00:07:04] Democratizing Access: Breaking Down Barriers to Climate Investing [00:09:23] Building Carbon Equity: Regulatory Hurdles and the Tesla Model Approach [00:11:26] Europe vs US: Climate Awareness and Policy Differences [00:14:30] Trump Administration Impact on Climate Investment Strategy [00:16:44] The Economics of Renewables: Why the Transition is Inevitable [00:21:50] Due Diligence and Fund Selection Process [00:24:37] Investment Strategies: Technology vs Infrastructure Funds [00:27:58] Portfolio Management and Impact Methodology [00:30:57] Promising Technologies: Geothermal, EVs, and Battery Innovation [00:33:42] Red Flags and Investment Timelines in Climate Tech [00:35:49] Carbon Equity's Future: Expanding Asset Classes and Global Reach [00:37:02] Accessing Carbon Equity: Current Markets and US Expansion Plans sponsor@conscioustechventures.com

August 19, 2025Episode 154 min

Critical Minerals Crisis: How Endolith's Founder Liz Dennett is Solving Copper Supply with Microbes

Liz Dennett , CEO of Endolith and Alaska native, reveals the hidden copper crisis threatening our digital future. Learn how biotech and microbes could solve mining's biggest challenge, why copper demand will double by 2050, and what 50% tariffs mean for tech infrastructure. From astrobiology PhD to mining innovator, discover the untold story behind every data center and electric vehicle. Get weekly intel at conscioustech.co Chapters 📖 [00:00:00] Introduction and D-O-G-S[00:01:32] Sera's Shaolin Training Camp Experience in Germany [00:05:25] Weightlifting and Movement Practices[00:06:14] Leadership Principles and AWS Background [00:09:36] The Hidden Copper Crisis Explained[00:12:30] What Everyone Gets Wrong About Mining [00:15:05] Endless: Using Microbes for Sustainable Mining[00:18:38] Cloud-Native Mining Technology [00:19:06] Mining Ethics and Local vs Global Operations[00:24:30] Finding Your Voice as a Female CEO [00:29:58] Building Support Systems for Founders[00:33:53] Product-Market Fit in Deep Tech vs SaaS [00:38:12] Working with Mining Giants: BHP and Rio Tinto[00:41:31] Series A Fundraising Challenges [00:45:57] Macro Forces: Tariffs and Political Impact[00:49:15] North Star and Company Values [00:50:21] Lightning Round: Books, Advice, and Success sponsor@conscioustechventures.com