November Newsletter

A monthly round-up of angel investment opportunities to help fund climate startups, featuring Alkemis Paint and Endless.

Welcome to this edition of the New Wave Investment Club newsletter! This newsletter aims to amplify the success of climate entrepreneurs and small-check investors by promoting angel investment opportunities, knowledge-sharing, and networking. To learn more, subscribe.

I’m committed to keeping my content available for free to all subscribers. Here are a few ways to help sustain the newsletter and keep it accessible: become a paid subscriber, post a community classified, or sponsor a newsletter.

I took last week off from writing this newsletter to account for the election. While I was hoping to include a celebratory note, the bleak reality is that we've elected a leader who denies climate change, which is both overwhelming and terrifying. While disheartened, I will never stop fighting for a sustainable and safe future. I hope this newsletter continues to inspire action and accelerate funding for the urgent goal of reducing CO2 emissions. If you're feeling frustrated and angry, consider channeling that energy into something meaningful by angel investing in one of the climate startups giving our planet a fighting chance. Your financial choices are still yours to make, and they can make a real difference.

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This month’s newsletter is brought to you by Work on Climate (WoCl), a nonprofit community committed to building the workforce needed to tackle climate change equitably and justly. WoCl recognizes the urgent need for innovation to accelerate climate solutions and support the growth of climate-focused startups to build the green economy. Their #role-founders Slack channel is designed for aspiring founders and those already leading climate ventures. It’s a place to ideate, start, and scale your initiatives with the support of a vibrant network of peers and subject matter experts. Members gain access to workshops, founders circles, mentorship opportunities, and shared knowledge to enhance their skills and expand their impact. If you want to start and grow your climate startup, join the Work on Climate Founders channel today! You can also join to find or hire for a job in climate.

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Thank you to everyone who joined our first investor event with Homegrown and Jackalo! It was a great opportunity to explore two investment opportunities that I am personally very excited about. If you couldn't attend, you can still catch the full event recording here. And it's not too late to invest—we’re still gathering interest to launch an SPV. If you'd like more information or are interested in participating, reply to this email, and I’ll happily share the next steps.

Alkemis Paint

Alkemis Paint is the world’s first wellness paint — blending nature and design for healthier, more intentional interior spaces. Their mineral and crystalline formulas are rock instead of plastic based - leveraging ancient paint-making practices with modern technology.

Why we’re excited:

• We spend 90% of our time indoors surrounded by interior paint, 95% of global conventional paint is plastic-based and fossil fuel-derived. Conventional brands use acrylic/latex formulas which often contain environmentally harmful synthetics and toxic pollutants.

• Architectural paints are the largest source of microplastics in oceans, adding 1.9 million tonnes to waterways. Babies are born with 257 chemicals linked to microplastics, and studies reveal paint in our blood.

• Alkemis is one of North America's only Cradle to Cradle Certified® paints. Their products contribute to LEED Certification Points, WELL Building Standard Points, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They are certified by Parsons Healthy Materials Lab for meeting its rigorous evaluation standards.

• Paint your walls with rock instead of plastic — Alkemis paint is available online, with a fun, modern, and curated paint buying experience, allowing you to purchase paint and have it shipped to your front door.

The visionaries:

• Co-founders Maya Crowne, a former finance professional, and Price Latimer, an interdisciplinary designer, artist, and curator, are creative and socially conscious entrepreneurs.

• They have built an extensive B2B business, with roughly 20% of the Architectural Digest Top 100 signed up for their trade program, with 200+ additional trade accounts and counting. Some of their well-known clients include LACMA, COS, Design Miami, Tata Harper, and many more!

They’re currently accepting angel investors. For an intro to the founder, more information, or to express interest in an investor event, please respond to this email.

Endless

Endless is launching the “Stanley Cup” of the sunscreen industry, featuring an uncompromising product in design-led, biodegradable packaging. This refill brand is built around people-positive and planet-positive thinking.

Why we’re excited:

• The sunscreen category is dominated by single-use plastic and a throwaway mindset. Less than 12% of sunscreens on the market have sustainability credentials, and those that do compromise on formula, usability, and design.

• By 2050, it is predicted that there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans. No more compromise for the planet — the category needs a shakeup, and we’ve seen it work in other categories (e.g., Uni, Everist, Blueland, Cabinet Health).

• Their first product is a lightweight, moisturizing, vegan, non-nano zinc oxide for the face, packaged in clean materials from nature that return to nature. Their plastic-free and bio-based packaging is made with compostable microorganisms that will biodegrade in landfills and oceans.

• The refillable packaging market is expected to reach $61.32 billion by 2032. 92% of suncare cosmetic users would switch brands if given a sustainable option.

The visionaries:

• After a summer of sunscreen (a market worth over $16 billion by 2030), husband and wife duo Siobhan and Ryan Frost were appalled that a product so concerned with our health was contributing to the problem.

• Their team is award-winning and impact-proven in brand, marketing, and sustainable packaging, bringing startup and global experience from P&G, Walmart, COTY, Nespresso, Bumble, Samsung, and Verizon.

They're currently inviting angel investors to join their investor syndicate (SPV) with a minimum investment of $5,000. The deadline to join is November 30th. For an introduction to the founder, more information, or access to the direct investment link, please respond to this email.

Interested in past opportunities? It‘s not too late to reach out! Rewatch the Science and Sustainability in Hair and Beauty Webinar with LAB here. 👀

This month’s post is written by Brandi Schaefer, a program design and strategy consultant for organizations supporting entrepreneurs and systems change leaders across the globe. Her work ensures leaders and institutions have the capital and technical advisory they need to thrive and scale.

Cultivating Your Climate Community

In September, Liz shared a short guide to angel investing. Angel investors need to have constant knowledge of startups that are fundraising and have experience and networks to bring value to potential founders. Building a strong climate tech network, deepening your knowledge of climate solutions, and honing skills critical to early-stage founders will help you secure spots on cap tables.

Expand Your Climate Network

Having a robust network of climate founders and investors increases dealflow. Follow early-stage investors and firms in the climate tech space, as well as climate tech accelerators and their directors. In addition to this newsletter, subscribe to Climate Tech VC, Climate Raise, and Climate Insiders for regular insights and deals. For podcasts, tune in to the My Climate Journey startup and capital series or Jason Rissman’s Invested in Climate. 

Join networks like MCJ Collective, Women and Climate, Work on Climate, and Intention's Climate Investing Community to learn about climate solutions and connect with peers. Find a Climate Curious, Green Drinks, or Climate Tech meetup near you for in-person networking. Search for specific communities and networking opportunities in line with your investment thesis. Whether it’s stage, industry, geography, or tech type, you can find peers and companies at the intersections of your investment niche.

Build Your Brand

Showcase your experience and insights on LinkedIn or in your own newsletter to build a reputation as an investor. Interact online with other investors and founders aligned with your thesis through investor events. Engaging with leaders in the ecosystem can ensure you’re up to speed on market trends and policy changes relevant to your investments and build credibility as an angel investor. 

Make it known you’re investing. As you meet startups, identify and promote the unique value you bring to early-stage founders. Attend or present at your local Startup Week or be a judge for a pitch competition. In addition to accelerators, follow programs like The Greenhouse, coworking spaces like 9Zero, and companies like Enduring Planet and RaiseGreen to find opportunities to share your expertise or mentor founders. 

Joining a syndicate is a great way to learn from experienced investors and expand your portfolio of investments. These groups offer structure, deal flow, shared due diligence, and mentorship opportunities for new angels. In addition to New Wave Angels, Climate Capital, Cool Climate Collective, and Climate Avengers have syndicates for accredited investors and mentorship opportunities for experienced leaders to support climate tech startups. Angel Capital Association’s Member Directory can offer a wider list of syndicates beyond the climate space. 

It can be competitive to get on a cap table, stand out to founders by offering strategic mentorship or introductions to partners, customers, or investors.

• AppMakersUSA is a US-based software agency helping startups and small/medium-sized businesses build rockstar software. Book a free consultation with them today or email them directly at team@appmakersla.com. View their complete services here.

• Caroline Miller is a recent graduate from the University of Maryland and is excited to jump into the graphic design world. She recently helped give my newsletter an updated, fresh, vibrant design. She's based in Baltimore, MD, but is also open to remote work opportunities.