Tim De Chant

Senior Reporter, Climate, TechCrunch

Tim De Chant is a senior climate reporter at TechCrunch. Previously, he has written for Wired magazine, The Wire China, the Chicago Tribune, and NOVA Next, among others, and he is also a lecturer in MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing. De Chant was awarded a Knight Science Journalism Fellowship at MIT in 2018, and he received his PhD in environmental science, policy, and management from the University of California, Berkeley, and his BA degree in environmental studies, English, and biology from St. Olaf College.

Tim De Chant

The startup is betting its proprietary liquid and partnerships with enhanced geothermal energy companies will solve some of direct air capture’s problems.

AirMyne taps geothermal energy to scale direct air carbon capture

The new firm follows the startup studio model, hoping to tap into a likely wave of climate-related investments.

Casper’s co-founder is helping launch an incubator for climate tech startups

Coreshell, a battery materials startup, revealed a breakthrough this week that could lower the cost of lithium-ion batteries while reducing reliance on China.

This battery startup says it’s found a way to make cheap LFP batteries without sacrificing range

Investors bet the startup’s algorithms, which feed on satellite data, will fill a significant gap in the methane market.

Orbio Earth finds methane leaks that could cost oil companies billions this year

The cement startup promises to slash carbon emissions in the process, helping the company raise a $6.5 million seed round.

Furno bets that super-efficient, modular kilns will turn the cement industry upside down

The young automotive company raised $5.4 million and added a Tesla co-founder to its board.

Pint-sized pickup startup Telo Trucks adds Tesla co-founder to board as interest grows from fleet customers

The Mexico City-based startup raised a seed round to expand its solar installation platform.

Two former CloudKitchens execs are tackling Mexico’s solar power lag

The largest funding rounds raised by startups are becoming rarer and rarer. For upstart companies working on the future of energy, however, the market is surprisingly strong. The venture deceleration,…

As mega-rounds become rarer, energy startups are powering up

The financial regulator won’t require publicly traded companies to report indirect emissions, but the rules help the U.S. catch up with its peers.

SEC adopts climate disclosure rules, giving carbon accounting startups firm footing

The SEC’s much debated rule has already boosted a burgeoning class of startups that seek to help companies measure, track and report their greenhouse gas emissions.

How a new class of climate startups could get a boost from the SEC

The collaborative, known as Venx, allows Boston VCs to share offices, pitch meetings, and insights.

Compete or cooperate? Five deep tech investors opt for shared gain over sharp elbows

The Nest co-founders’ latest startup quickly incorporated customer feedback, arriving at not just new hardware but a tweaked business model, too.

Mill’s updated bin will turn your food waste into chicken feed before breakfast

Despite automakers like Toyota and Honda pushing fuel-cell vehicles, hydrogen’s future lies elsewhere.

Toyota wants hydrogen to succeed so bad it’s practically paying people to buy the Mirai

The company draws heavily on drilling techniques pioneered by the oil and gas industry and has a deal with Google to provide carbon-free power.

Geothermal startup Fervo Energy is tapping fresh $221M round, filing reveals

Clairity is one of the latest entrants into the direct air capture market, where companies compete to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at the lowest cost.

Carbon capture startup takes ‘good enough’ approach to slash costs

The startup is relying on automation to speed design and quoting of residential heat pump installations.

Arch has a plan to help HVAC contractors install more heat pumps

The material could drastically improve the durability of existing fuel cell designs while also improving the efficiency of hydrogen production by 15%-20%.

Celadyne coats membranes with nanoparticles to make hydrogen fuel cells more efficient

The indoor farming startup uses repurposed warehouse robots to grow produce for Amazon Fresh.

How robotics and AI helped Hippo Harvest land $21M to grow lettuce

To understand what’s happening with seed rounds in 2024, TechCrunch+ spoke with three seasoned investors who offered advice for founders looking to raise.

Seed funding: Everything founders should know about fundraising, seed rounds and more for 2024

The startup is betting that software can supplant manufacturing precision in its quest to deliver reliable, inexpensive fusion power.

Thea Energy raises $20M Series A for pixel-inspired fusion power plants

Transformers are everywhere on the electrical grid, and they’ll need new tech to realize the “internet of power.”

Amperesand raises $12.5M seed round to remake the humble 140-year-old transformer

The SaaS startup, which provides software to solar installers, reportedly missed its growth targets for the past year.

Aurora Solar lays off 20% of employees after reportedly missing growth targets

The startup’s platform helps speed the installation of batteries to back up home and small commercial solar installations.

Haven Energy lands $7M Series A 9 months after its seed round

Swiss startup Terra Quantum says it has discovered a form of graphite that superconducts. But other researchers aren’t convinced.

Latest room-temperature claims met with heaps of skepticism

The oil supermajor filed a lawsuit in federal court asking for permission to ignore a shareholder resolution, sidestepping the SEC.

Exxon throws a fit over shareholders exercising their rights

Researchers have been scrambling to find alternative materials for lithium-ion batteries, from manganese to sodium. Now they might have another: TAQ.

Lamborghini licenses MIT’s new high-capacity, fast-charging organic battery tech

The German automaker previously wavered on EVs. But after posting strong EV sales in 2023, it’s appears to have made up its mind.

BMW’s future growth depends on EVs, and it’s finally going all in

The U.S. battery industry has surged in the wake of the IRA, but it still lacks a domestic anchor like Northvolt.

Northvolt’s $5B debt deal should be a wake-up call for the US battery industry

Featured Article

As more than $1 trillion flows into climate tech, incentive-tracking apps find firm footing

Climate tech is suddenly so awash in cash that there are a number of websites, apps and startups rushing to track all the incentives available.

7:00 am PST • January 14, 2024
As more than $1 trillion flows into climate tech, incentive-tracking apps find firm footing

Featured Article

Hertz is selling its EVs because it botched the rollout for ride-share drivers

Hertz said in an SEC filing that it would be selling 20,000 of its EVs and replacing them with fossil fuel-powered vehicles.

11:00 am PST • January 12, 2024
Hertz is selling its EVs because it botched the rollout for ride-share drivers