Thread by @andrewbeebe

Last year we outlined why and how the long boom of climate tech was just getting started. Well, it got started, it got funded (2–3x the previous year), and the scaling is in full effect: the 2020s are shaping up well to be the Decarb Decade.
Here’s our top 10 for this year👇🏽

1⃣ Climate Unicorns: The number of newly funded climate tech start-ups will exceed the total number backed to date. The Great Resignation will play a role in more world positive founders and team members diving in, resulting in a blessing of unicorns (vs Cleantech 1.0)

2⃣Carbon Disclosure: New regulatory standards driven by the SEC will force public companies in the U.S. to disclose detailed information around climate. More than 80% of U.S. listed companies will set voluntary carbon neutrality goals (e.g., @SINAICarbonTech @BeZeroCarbon)

3⃣Web3+Climate: More than $1B of venture funding in the U.S. will be allocated to startups on the intersection of climate and crypto/blockchain (e.g., @ToucanProtocol @solidworlddao @all_infra @nori @PachamaInc)

4⃣Carbon Trading: The voluntary carbon market will grow 3x in dollar size YoY, significantly higher than industry consensus, producing multiple breakouts in the space (e.g., @3Degrees_Inc @usepatch @NCX)

5⃣True Carbon Removal: Direct air capture and other CO2 removal solutions will not become cost competitive in 2022 (i.e. below $100 per ton). We hope the likes of @noya_carbon @running_tide @CharmIndustrial and others prove us wrong!

6⃣Clean Ag: Agriculture will shift from becoming a major carbon emitter to a carbon remover. More than 10% of the farming acreage in Europe will be involved in carbon offset trading (e.g., @mootral @blueoceanbarns @pivotbio @NitricityInc)

7⃣From Natural to Neutral for CPG: Companies move on from ‘natural’ to ‘climate-friendly’. Effort will be led by European consumer demand, but will pick up steam in the U.S. this year (see #6; it will also come with innovative packaging solutions like @DispatchGoods)

8⃣Europe Leads: In a flip of the script for most start-up categories, Europe will lead the way this year when it comes to new starts in most climate tech categories. Consumer demand, regulation, and founder motivations drive the shift.

9⃣Insurtech Goes Climate Tech: Demand for climate-related insurance will increase 3x YoY as climate disasters become more prevalent. Climate will become the new Cyber in Insurtech (e.g., @ourkettle)

🔟EV Infra Scales. The “fleetification of everything" (sorry) will drive massive growth in EV rollout. In high penetration locations (China, California, Norway) EVs become a meaningful asset for the two-way grid (e.g., @springfreeev @WeaveGrid @dcbel_energy @amplypower)

If you see what @ArekZarowski and I see (or think we’re not seeing it correctly), please DM us or email [e-mail] and [e-mail]
h/t to @SophiePurdom @Rajil @shaylekann @KushyKush @Joshmedia @SunilPaul for your insights