#162 Impact Metrics Liability, Navigating Reporting, Profit-First, & More w/ Zécca Lehn (Responsibly Ventures)

CleanTechies Podcast

**Check out the new takeaways section at the end of the episode!!**
In this episode, Somil and Silas chat with Zecca Lehn, GP of Responsibly Ventures, backing U.S. PreSeed startups in both Social and Sustainable Tech. He uses the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a guidepost for his investments.

We breakdown the specifics of his investing thesis including what is “customer love” and what it means to be ethical in investing, Zecca is especially good at using data and data reporting – we heard a lot of really unique insights from him on how he uses data in his operations. We also dive into his experience as an impact investor, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

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Topics:
**1:45 Introduction and Background
**10:23 Early Interest in Sustainability
**13:43 Investing in Sustainability and Social Good
**15:52 What is Customer Love?
**17:13 Ethics and Honesty in Investing
**25:26 Balancing Returns and Impact
**27:21 Data and Reporting in Venture Investing
**30:52 Subjectivity in Measurement and Reporting
**31:57 Challenges of Collecting and Using Data
**34:05 Privacy and AI Concerns in Impact Investing
**37:09 The Power of Follow-on Investors
**39:50 Maintaining Focus and Presence
**42:08 Climate Anxiety and Perspective
**45:16 The Role of Returns in Climate Investing
**52:04 Addressing Desertification as an Impact
**54:05 Takeaways

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Links:
**Zécca Lehn | Responsibly Ventures
**Check out our Sponsor, NextWave Partners
**Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn
**@Silas & @Somil_Agg on X

Support the Show.

Chapters

1. Introduction and Background (00:01:45)

2. Early Interest in Sustainability (00:10:23)

3. Investing in Sustainability and Social Good (00:13:43)

4. What is Customer Love? (00:15:52)

5. Ethics and Honesty in Investing (00:17:13)

6. Balancing Returns and Impact (00:25:26)

7. Data and Reporting in Venture Investing (00:27:21)

8. Subjectivity in Measurement and Reporting (00:30:52)

9. Challenges of Collecting and Using Data (00:31:57)

10. Privacy and AI Concerns in Impact Investing (00:34:05)

11. The Power of Follow-On Investors (00:37:09)

12. Maintaining Focus and Presence (00:39:50)

13. Climate Anxiety and Perspective (00:42:08)

14. The Role of Returns in Climate Investing (00:45:16)

15. Addressing Desertification as an Impact (00:52:04)

16. **NEW** Takeaways (00:54:05)