Impact assessment matters less than you think – Raphaele Leyendecker (Techstars)

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***Raphaele Leyendecker, a Managing Director at Techstars Sustainability Paris, where she has invested in 70+ climate tech startups, joins the podcast to discuss early-stage impact assessment and the french ecosystem as it compares to the global landscape. In this episode, we discuss:* Why early-stage impact assessment is often a myth* The biggest challenge for climate startups in France* How investors should really measure impact* The role of technological readiness levels (TRLs) in deep tech investing* How France’s climate tech ecosystem compares to the US and Nordics* Why founders should focus on revenue before certifications* And more...***TIMESTAMPS * 00:00 – Introduction:* 01:14 – Why Impact Assessment is Overrated for Early-Stage Startups* 04:45 – Defining Impact Metrics That Matter* 07:32 – Revenue vs. Impact: What Should Startups Prioritize?* 12:10 – Tools & Frameworks for Impact Investors* 18:25 – The Role of TRLs in Deep Tech & Hard Tech Startups* 22:40 – The Strengths & Weaknesses of the French Climate Tech Ecosystem* 30:15 – Why France is Slow to Scale Climate Innovation* 35:50 – Comparing France to the US, Nordics & Germany* 40:10 – Rapid-Fire Q&A: Advice for Founders & Investors* 48:00 – Closing Thoughts***CONNECT WITH RAPHAELE▶️ Raphaele Leyendecker - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaeleleyendecker***CONNECT WITH ME ▶️ Newsletter - https://climateventuresvco2.substack.com/🔗 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugorauch/📧 Email - [email protected]🔴 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@VCo2_HugoRauch***INVESTORS MENTIONED * Citizen Capital* Wind Capital* Racine2* Techstars Sustainability * Bpifrance GreenTech* Pale Blue Dot* Planet A Ventures* World Fund* Revaia * ETF Partners * 2150 VC* Norsken VCASSESSMENT TOOLS AND FRAMEWORKS* CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive)* SFDR Article 8 & 9 (EU impact fund classification)* Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)* SDGs (UN Sustainable Development Goals)* Scope 1, 2, 3 emissions tracking* Impact Business Model (Dutch framework)* Mouvement Impact France (French tool)STARTUPS MENTIONED* Kumulus* Miners AI * NDB Technologies* BiB Batteries* Pelikan Mobility * CarbonBright* SustainSoftBOOKS MENTIONED * Ralentir ou Périr by Timothée Parrique*** PAST EPISODES YOU’LL LOVE* Heidi Lindvall on Impact Assessments (Pale Blue Dot)* Eric Gossart on Impact VCs vs Traditional VCs (Racine2)* August Solliv on cleantech 1.0 lessons (Impact Supporters)* Tim Schumacher on selling to climate deniers (World Fund) ***LEAVE A REVIEW 💜 Apple Podcasts - https://shorturl.at/HIDcg 🟢 Spotify - https://shorturl.at/yDTfR This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climateventuresvco2.substack.com