We’re back with the sixth installment of our Missing Middle in Climate Tech series, produced in partnership with Spring Lane Capital.

As we kick off 2026, this episode offers a timely, grounded conversation with two seasoned investors who bring decades of perspective to where climate investing has been and where it’s headed next. Rather than focusing on predictions alone, the discussion goes deeper into the nuance of how capital is actually being deployed in today’s market.

Rob Day, Co-Founder of Spring Lane Capital, and Raj Atluru, Managing Partner at Activate Capital, trade ideas and reflect on how the climate tech landscape has evolved.

Together, they unpack how investor priorities have shifted over time, the metrics they look for in growth-stage companies, and the opportunities emerging from today’s macro forces, including interest rates, deglobalization, and AI’s rapidly escalating energy demand.

For listeners looking to understand how experienced investors are navigating complexity, risk, and scale in climate tech right now, this is a conversation worth spending time with.

On today’s episode, we cover:

• 02:20 – Guest Intros & The “Missing Middle” Problem
• 04:39 – A Second Lens on the Missing Middle
• 07:00 – Origin Story of Activate Capital
• 10:40 – Energy, Load Growth & Macro Shifts
• 12:09 – “Why Now?” and Today’s Load Shock
• 17:27 – Structural Causes of the Missing Middle
• 19:26 – Heavy Lifting at Growth Stage
• 25:43 – Hardware Is Back: Fund III Themes
• 30:16 – Scaling, Learning Curves & Project Execution
• 33:00 – From Founder-Led to Scalable Sales
• 40:13 – Being Contrarian (EVs, AI & Hype Cycles)
• 43:57 – EV Fundamentals & Infrastructure Gaps
• 45:15 – Policy vs. Interest Rates
• 47:55 – Home Electrification & Rooftop Solar
• 48:06 – Speed-Round Predictions for 2026
• 49:26 – Dry Powder & Exit Fuel
• 51:50 – Climate Tech Becomes “Just Tech”
• 53:06 – Closing & Call to Action

Resources Mentioned

• Spring Lane Capital
• Activate Capital
• DFJ (Draper Fisher Jurvetson)
• SolarCity (historical, now part of Tesla Energy)
• Enpal
• Voltus 
• Crusoe Energy
• XNRGY
• Aerones
• Infravision
• Jetson
• Muon Space
• Soluna
• Lunar Energy

Connect with us

• Rob Day
• Raj Atluru
• Jason Rissman

Keep up with Invested In Climate

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If you like what you hear, subscribe and rate to support the show! Have feedback or ideas for future episodes, events, or partnerships? Get in touch!

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