#232 The Carbon Capture Startup Google Bet Big On—And Why It’s a Cheaper | Anca Timofte (Holocene)

CleanTechies

In This Episode
In today’s episode of CleanTechies, we’re joined by Anca Timofte, the CEO and Founder of Holocene, a direct air capture (DAC) company revolutionizing carbon removal through a continuous-loop liquid system. With over a decade of experience in carbon capture—including being one of the first employees at Climeworks—Anca offers unparalleled insight into the challenges and opportunities of building climate solutions.

Anca walks us through:

**How Holocene's low-temp carbon capture slashes energy costs with novel organic chemistry.

**Solid vs. liquid DAC: Why Holocene’s approach is a game-changer for scaling carbon removal.

**Holocene's milestones: Securing Google as a customer and advancing major projects.

**Startup lessons: Co-founder alignment, mission-driven hiring, and thriving in Knoxville.

**Why DAC matters: Tackling legacy and ongoing emissions in a decarbonized world.

---
🌎 Want the full Pod? Become a paid sub today (cleantechies.substack.com/subscribe)
---
📺 Watch on YouTube
Topics:
(time stamps are accurate for the full episode and approximate for the free preview)
**00:00 Intro
**02:51 Understanding Direct Air Capture
**05:54 Business Model and Customer Segments
**08:54 Partnerships and Market Dynamics
**11:48 Scaling and Project Deployment
**15:06 Founding Story and Entrepreneurial Journey
**24:52 Navigating Co-Founder Dynamics
**25:48 Adapting to Political Changes
**27:09 Embracing Uncertainty in Entrepreneurship
**28:30 Bipartisan Support for Carbon Capture
—(Free Version ends here)—
**30:19 Public Perception of Carbon Capture
**32:15 Survival vs. Success in Carbon Capture
**34:01 Building a Team in Knoxville
**39:30 Engaging with the Local Community
**41:07 Hiring Lessons Learned
**43:20 Balancing Parenthood and Entrepreneurship
**45:13 Unexpected Challenges in the Startup Journey
**46:31 Valuing Team Dynamics
**47:26 Resources for Climate Tech Founders
**48:36 Encouragement for Carbon Capture Startups

Links:
**Anca Timofte | Holocene
**Read the DOE report on direct air capture technologies here.
**Participate in the CleanTechies Listener Survey: Take Survey.
**Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**Recommended Book: Horizon by Barry Lopez – A lyrical exploration of travel, nature, and climate.

This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.

Support the show

Every ClimateTech Entrepreneur needs a reliable partner for their legal needs. Why settle for less than the best? 💪🏽
Reach out to Goodwin Law today; the law firm of choice for hundreds of ClimateTech Entrepreneurs worldwide. They have you covered from funding docs to offtake contracts to IPO and M&A support. GoodwinLaw.com (and tell them CleanTechies sent you!)

Chapters

1. Intro (00:00:00)

2. Understanding Direct Air Capture (00:02:51)

3. Business Model and Customer Segments (00:05:54)

4. Partnerships and Market Dynamics (00:08:54)

5. Scaling and Project Deployment (00:11:48)

6. Founding Story and Entrepreneurial Journey (00:15:06)

7. Navigating Co-Founder Dynamics (00:24:52)

8. Adapting to Political Changes (00:25:48)

9. Embracing Uncertainty in Entrepreneurship (00:27:09)

10. Bipartisan Support for Carbon Capture (00:28:30)