Energy ∙ Industry ∙ Food & Land ∙ Materials ∙ Mobility

SNØCAP is a deeptech venture capital firm run by engineers.

The firm invests in scientific breakthroughs that save money and remove pollution, at the same time. We love businesses that:
Efficiency Gains Icon Create products that are immediately cheaper, or dramatically more effective, than the products they are replacing.
Cost Savings Icon Lower the cost of doing business for their customers, which are typically other businesses.
Pollution Reduction Icon Reduce the immediate and downstream pollution their customers emit as a result of adopting their products.
IP Protection Icon Are in the process of commercializing intellectual property (IP) that they own or license.
Scientific Roots Icon Developed their IP through years of academic research, self-funded or indigenous learnings.
Corporate Interest Icon Have exhibited corporate interest, ranging from written support through to direct sponsorship and purchase orders.
Engineering Support Icon Will benefit from the help of engineers and scientists to predict the market value of their technology.
Ecosystem Leverage Icon Could immediately leverage an ecosystem of academic partners, cheap field trials, and/or grant application support.
First Round Icon Are raising their first round of institutional capital, outside of grants and other non-dilutive capital.
If this sounds like your startup, or one you know, you can apply for funding. Our team reviews new opportunities every week!
Our Ecosystem
SNØCAP
snocap.vc

SNØCAP is a venture fund focused on deep, scientific innovations reduce costs and pollution at the same time. The firm is managed by engineers and General Partners Shrina Kurani, Nate Salpeter, and Jonathan Azoff.The management team has a uniquely deep operational, technical and investing background that they use to determine the winning business models of the future.

The team has been working together since 2015, co-investing and incubating frontier technologies for over a decade. SNØCAP's unique value-add comes from its engineering experience and expert relationships across energy, food, agriculture, waste, and material sciences. Just about half of funding introductions come from direct application!

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Sweet Farm
sweetfarm.org

Sweet Farm is working to make a more compassionate and sustainable food system on a global scale. Sweet Farm's technology program is a major part of the non-profit's ongoing climate efforts. The organization's technology accelerator is now entering its 10th year, creating optimism for the future of science and sustainability. The program supports start-ups across food, agriculture, sustainability, and climate technologies.

GP Nate Salpeter is the co-founder of the non-profit, leading its technology efforts and strategic relationship with SNØCAP.

Sweet Farm Preview Image
9Zero
9zero.com

9Zero is a community of founders, investors, scientists, and innovators who drive climate action together.
Through their club, events, and connections, they build relationships and accelerate solutions.
SNØCAP and 9Zero are major partners in launching the global LAV investment marketplace, backing the
development of hardtech and deeptech businesses, using a first-of-its-kind private funding program.

GP Jonathan Azoff is one of the initial investors in 9Zero, and is proud to call Seattle's 9Zero location the home of SNØCAP's first office.

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Work on Climate
workonclimate.org

Work on Climate is building the workforce humanity needs to solve climate change equitably and justly. They are creating opportunities for individuals to bring their talent to climate work, build relationships within the climate movement, and support others on their journey. Their mission is to build a climate workforce faster than any industry in history.

This effort is powered by a passionate community working together to scale new ideas and inspire others to begin working on climate. SNØCAP is proud to be a strategic sponsor of this transformative initiative.

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The Climate Film Festival
climatefilmfestival.org

The Climate Film Festival showcases films and documentaries that highlight the challenges and solutions of the climate crisis. By bringing stories of climate action to the forefront, the festival aims to inspire audiences to take meaningful steps toward a sustainable future.

GP Jonathan Azoff was one of the inagural sponsors for the film festival, and continues to cultivate narrative development groups for the benefit of climate founders everywhere.

The Climate Film Festival Preview Image

Shrina Kurani

Managing Partner

Mechanical engineer and sustainability scientist with a decade of experience building, investing in, and advocating for frontier climate tech. She invested in early stage, mission driven companies with Better Ventures and built out Republic’s business lines as VP, democratizing access to capital. Shrina ran for United States Congress championing strong climate policy. LinkedIn
Shrina Kurani's Headshot

Nate Salpeter

General Partner

Ph.D. Mechanical Engineer with 13 years experience in the climate tech space, including 5 years at Bill Gates’ TerraPower. He is the co-founder of Sweet Farm, a New York based non-profit incubating food, agriculture, and climate tech startups. He invests and personally advises in emerging sectors, including being the first investor in and an advisor to TurtleTree Labs. LinkedIn
Nate Salpeter's Headshot

Jonathan Azoff

General Partner

Software engineering leader with twenty years of experience across a wide array of sectors (social, gaming, real estate, fitness, logistics, fintech) and two notable exits in the past ten years (Zillow, Disney). He’s the inventor of Goat-2-Meeting (2M+ ARR), the primary architect behind Omni (25M+ XRP raise). He managed several teams at Carta (7B valuation), where he led tool development for the VC back office. LinkedIn
Jonathan Azoff's Headshot

Abigail Albright

Founding Venture Partner

Abby is a seasoned investor and product leader with over a decade of experience. She has led product management, business development, and go-to-market strategies for early-stage startups and global franchises. As an investor, Abby has supported seed to Series B venture funds with $2B+ in AUM, backed 35+ startups as a generalist angel, and co-founded an early-stage spatial computing fund. Startups she’s supported have raised over $500M. Abby holds an MBA from The Wharton School and a BA in Neuroscience from UC Berkeley. LinkedIn
Abigail Albright's Headshot

Kate Kingen

Founding Venture Partner

Kate is a category expert, seasoned senior leader, and finance executive with over a decade of experience. She has led growth companies in the food and DTC consumer industries, managed major governmental organizations, and advised on transactions totaling over $21bn in deal value as an investment banker. LinkedIn
Kate Kingen's Headshot

Kelci Zile

Venture Partner

Kelci Zile is the Director of Venture Community for EnVest and sits on the University of Washington Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship board. She previously led sustainability investments for Madrona Venture Labs and, before that, led sustainability for AWS Marketplace while serving on the Amazon Sustainability Ambassadors Global Board. Her expertise includes the circular economy, supply chain emissions reduction, net-zero planning, and nature-based solutions. LinkedIn
Kelci Zile's Headshot

Jared Elkins, SNØCAP Fellow

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Sonia Soloviova, SNØCAP Fellow

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GovTech Market Analysis: Stability, Innovation, and Strategic Investment Opportunities in…

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Armon Bhau, SNØCAP Fellow

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Asher Barondes, SNØCAP Fellow

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Welcome Kelci Zile — SNØCAP’s Newest Venture Partner

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Krisha Ramani, SNØCAP Fellow

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Cristina Baily, SNØCAP Fellow

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Climate Tech is (almost) just Tech

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10 Female Climate Tech Innovators to Watch in 2023

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Seattle Climate Hackathon: Info & Networking Session

9Zero Climate Innovation Hub - Seattle View Event

Pre-Climate-Week Lunch (9Zero Members)

9Zero Climate Innovation Hub - San Francisco View Event

2 tons to save the planet! the workshop by Terreau

9Zero Climate Innovation Hub - Seattle View Event

Webinar: Grant-funded Forest Resilience Project

Personal View Event

Corporate Sustainability Hot Topics: Reductions, Removals, and Materials (SFCW Roundtable)

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9Zero Open House

9Zero Climate Innovation Hub - San Francisco View Event

Nature Data: Monitoring the Future of Biodiversity

Personal View Event

SF Climate Week: Envest Presents "The Future of Urban Transportation"

EnVest Member Programming View Event

SF Climate Week: Envest Presents- "Reducing Plastic Pollution – What works?"

EnVest Member Programming View Event

Transportation-Mobility Member Sector lunch

9Zero Climate Innovation Hub - Seattle View Event

Designing and scaling desirable climate solutions

Personal View Event

GroundForce Capital's SF Climate Week Mixer

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