First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) projects are critical to scaling breakthrough decarbonization technologies, yet they don’t fit neatly into traditional funding models. Investors, developers, and strategic partners need to navigate a complex ecosystem to make these projects bankable and viable.
In this episode, Alex Cameron, CEO of Decarb Connect sits down with David Yeh, a veteran climate tech investor and one of the key voices from our Decarb TechInvest event last autumn. He’s been at the forefront of FOAK investing and is here to share what he’s learned over the past year about getting these projects off the ground.
David was previously featured on the Catalyst podcast discussing the challenges of funding and scaling FOAK projects. This episode builds on that conversation, covering the rapid changes in the sector and how investors and innovators can ensure their projects get the financing, partners, and expertise they need to succeed.
Key Takeaways
- FOAK’s Core Goal: Developing bankable projects from pilot to scale, ensuring they attract investors, customers, and suppliers.
- Bankability Defined: Investors need stable returns, customers need reliability, and suppliers need to be paid on time. Strong teams and risk mitigation are non-negotiable.
- How to Build Bankable FOAK Projects: Expertise is more critical than capital
- The Role of EPCs & Strategic Partners: Success depends on having the right engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) teams and industry partners—not just big brands, but the right people.
- Coachable Founders Matter: FOAK success isn’t just about having great tech; founders must understand commercialization, risk, and capital strategy.
- Proven Models for FOAK Success: Companies like Fervo, Infinium, and Heirloom are demonstrating that FOAK projects can attract significant investment—if structured correctly.
- Why Now is the Time to Build: Economic downturns can be an opportunity for resilient companies to thrive, as seen in past recessions with companies like Uber and Airbnb
