Unlocking Climate Innovation: From Strategic Leadership to Investor Readiness
Using Climate Accelerators, Teaser Decks, Data Rooms, and More
Welcome back to Changemakers, the official newsletter of Brighter Future.
Thank you for being a member of this community and joining us for the evolution of the Brighter Future newsletter. Each edition will include insights on brand storytelling, conversations with industry investors and founders, and deep dives into different aspects of planet-driven business.
Make sure to stay connected and never miss out on the latest insights—subscribe below to be part of the conversations helping shape a better tomorrow.
Check out this week’s topics…
Strategic Leadership in Climate Innovation: Insights from Jonny Everett
Using Accelerator Programs to Create Opportunities
Mastering the Art of the Teaser Deck
Creating a Strong Data Room for Investors
Strategic Leadership in Climate Innovation: Insights from Jonny Everett
Jonny Everett, a founding partner at Marble, shares his insights into building climate-focused companies. Marble, a climate tech venture studio, collaborates with scientists, engineers, and operators over a 12-month programme to identify pressing problems, co-found teams, and invest in transformative solutions.
In this issue, Jonny discusses the qualities he looks for in a startup and how founders can navigate the climate tech investment landscape.
What are the key qualities that you look for in a startup?
“At Marble, we prioritise the founder's potential. We seek individuals with deep technical expertise—typically PhDs or postdocs—who are capable of diving into complex problem spaces.
Our ideal founders bring a blend of technical depth and an entrepreneurial mindset, enabling them to collaborate in ideation and development. These individuals often come from academia or industry and are prepared to take on key roles like CEO or CTO in the long-term growth of the company.
We value founders who can contribute both technically and strategically, co-creating solutions at the intersections of unexplored fields. Collaboration is essential, but the technical expertise to overcome challenges is equally important.”
What founder traits make you immediately say “no” to potential investment?
“Our “Explore” programme, which spans three months, demands a high level of technical capability. While founders from various backgrounds are welcome, we require strong technical foundations. We would reject any founder with only a business background and minimal technical experience.
Our goal is to amplify the potential of founders who could succeed on their own but will achieve even greater outcomes with our support. We aim to act as accelerators, not crutches.”
Using Accelerator Programs to Create Opportunity
As Jonny highlights, while traditional methods including conferences and online platforms are valuable, more structured programmes and personal connections are becoming essential to success. One of the most effective strategies is to participate in accelerator programmes, which provide invaluable networking opportunities and exposure to investors.
As Tim Hoerr notes in our Investor Spotlight interview, accelerator programmes have become a crucial platform for connecting with climate-focused investors. Tim emphasises, "The best way (for growth) we've found is to apply to an accelerator, apply to multiple accelerators. They've proliferated across the [United States] in the last decade." These programs refine business models, enhance pitches, and offer invaluable investor introductions.
Accelerators such as Y Combinator’s climate track, Third Derivative, and Greentown Labs offer structured environments for innovation, connection, and growth. Participation in these programmes helps founders build the relationships needed to secure investment.
According to Tim, referrals are key: “The best approach is to apply to an accelerator and leverage those connections for investor introductions.” This structured, targeted strategy increases your chances of securing investment.
Mastering the Art of the Teaser Deck
In the competitive world of fundraising, your teaser deck is often the first thing investors will see—and first impressions count.
The goal of a teaser deck is to hook investors by providing them with a high-level overview of your business. Think of it as the opening scene of a movie: you need to capture attention quickly and leave them wanting more; and here’s how to do it.
What Is a Teaser Deck?
A teaser deck is a short presentation that gives potential investors a quick, compelling overview of your startup. It’s not meant to give away everything—just enough to spark their curiosity and initiate a deeper conversation.
Key Elements of a Successful Teaser Deck
The Problem: Clearly state the problem your business is solving. It needs to be compelling, relatable, and urgent. Investors need to understand why this problem matters.
Your Solution: Describe how your product or service uniquely addresses the problem. What makes your solution stand out?
Market Opportunity: Show the potential of the market you’re targeting. Back it up with relevant data to demonstrate its size and growth potential.
Traction & Milestones: Showcase any significant achievements or progress your startup has made. Investors want to see evidence that you’re gaining momentum.
Competitive Landscape: Briefly address your competitors and explain what differentiates your business. Why are you better positioned to win?
Meet the Team: Highlight the key members of your team and their relevant experience. Investors bet on people as much as they do on ideas.
Financial Overview: Provide a snapshot of your financials. Keep it simple but show you have a clear plan for profitability or scaling.
Call to Action: Finish with a strong CTA, making it easy for investors to take the next step.
Pro Tips for Your Teaser Deck
Keep It Clear and Visual: Use visuals to complement your points—investors need to digest information quickly.
Be Concise: Limit the deck to no more than 10 slides.
Storytelling Matters: Engage investors emotionally by weaving a narrative into your deck.
Mastering the teaser deck will help you make a strong first impression and set the stage for deeper discussions with investors.
Building a Strong Data Room for Investors
Once you’ve piqued investor interest with your teaser deck, it’s time to prepare for due diligence by building a robust data room. A well-organised data room is essential for conveying transparency, competency, and readiness. Here’s how to make sure your data room is in top shape for potential investors.
What Is a Data Room?
A data room is an organised and secure online repository of critical documents that investors need to review as part of the due diligence process. It includes financials, legal documents, and other critical operational information that gives potential investors a complete understanding of your business.
Key Documents to Include in Your Data Room
Legal Documents: Incorporation papers, IP agreements, shareholder agreements, and key contracts.
Financial Statements: Include your profit and loss (P&L) reports, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and revenue forecasts.
Cap Table: Detail your ownership structure. Ensure it’s accurate and easy to follow.
Team Contracts & ESOP: Include employment contracts for key staff and details of any employee stock option plans (ESOP).
IP & Patents: Any patents or trademarks that protect your business’s innovations should be clearly documented.
Business Plan & Strategy Documents: Outline your business model, market strategy, and growth plans.
Client & Partner Contracts: Show the stability of your revenue and relationships with contracts from key clients and partners.
Tips for a Strong Data Room
Organisation is Key: Ensure everything is clearly labelled and easy to navigate.
Update Regularly: Keep your documents current to avoid confusion.
Security Matters: Use a secure platform to protect sensitive information.
Be Transparent: Provide all the necessary information—don’t hide anything, as it can raise red flags later.
A well-prepared data room will help investors gain confidence in your business, speeding up the due diligence process and getting you closer to securing that investment.
The Countdown to Impact Festival Begins
The Impact Festival is just weeks away, and we’re looking forward to engaging with fellow leaders in planet-driven innovation. We’re excited to once again partner with Impact Festival, helping this year’s Impact Award winner elevate their brand and storytelling.
For this partnership, we’re also excited to share that we will be hosting two live interviews during the event. The first will feature Steffan Gerlach from eeden, the recipient of last year’s Impact Award. We will also be interviewing this year’s winner, which will be announced at the Impact Stage on October 30th at 6 PM.
If you’ll be attending, we invite you to join us for these insightful discussions. In addition, we’ve partnered with Impact Festival to offer a limited number of tickets for anyone attending the festival. If you're interested, please register using the form below.
Let’s Tell Your Story
Our team is here to support your organisation in developing a powerful brand identity, crafting compelling narratives around your work, and amplifying your impact on the world.
If you’re interested in learning more, book a consultation call with us to discover how we can help you drive meaningful change through storytelling and brand strategy.
Thanks for joining us this week. We’ll be back with the next edition of Changemakers on November 7th. See you soon.
Cheers,
The Brighter Future Team