Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe’s leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.
In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Hampus Jakobsson, General Partner at Pale Blue Dot, one of Europe’s leading climate-focused funds. With shifting U.S. politics, renewed uncertainty around climate policy, and growing skepticism of “green hype,” Hampus shares why he defines climate investing as simply “not dumb investing.”
From Donald Trump’s return to the White House to Europe’s resilience, China’s role, and the gritty reality of scaling “boring but effective” solutions, this conversation is a masterclass in how investors, corporates, and founders can navigate climate risks — and seize opportunities.
🎧 Here’s what’s covered
00:10 Political whiplash — Trump, vibes, and the stress test for climate policy.
02:41 Why Europe must stop looking to the U.S. and start managing risk at home.
04:55 Climate investing = not dumb investing — the overlooked opportunities in obvious inefficiencies.
06:50 Case study: last-mile delivery — why disruption often comes from solving “boring” problems.
08:15 Advice to corporates — how CFOs should think about risk and resilience.
09:30 Advice to founders — why no more free pilots, and how forward-deployed engineering wins.
You can listen to the full conversation from the EUCVC Summit 2025 on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
✍️ Show Notes
Climate Stress Test
Trump’s return may paradoxically fuel climate investing by forcing Europe to think independently.
Europe must stop relying on “big brother” America and start building resilience and eastward collaboration (e.g., China strategies).
Not Dumb Investing
Climate investing isn’t just about carbon capture or futuristic tech.
Many industries still run on outdated, inefficient processes — prime opportunities for disruption.
Example: last-mile delivery reinvented through software, data, and EV fleets — better service, cheaper, AND greener.
Advice to Corporates
CFOs must ask: Can we deliver the same product, with the same supply chain and margins, for the next 10 years?
The answer is almost always “no.” That’s where climate resilience planning starts.
Advice to Startups
Stop giving away free pilots. Charge corporates for forward-deployed engineering.
Strong businesses have paying enterprise customers and recurring deployment, not just hype and AI buzzwords.
Legacy of Climate Investing
Winning solutions are often simple fixes to obvious inefficiencies.
The best founders are the ones turning “dumb industries” into resilient, sustainable ones.
💡 One-liner takeaway: Climate investing isn’t about chasing hype — it’s about fixing obvious inefficiencies before climate risk makes them catastrophic.
