Read time: 3 minutes 59 seconds
Good Morning! Welcome to our 42+ new readers. We’re co-hosting an event next week at NatureTech week. Check it out here.
Three time saving resources for you this week:
1) How founders can do a $5k website refresh for $5 in under an hour
2) The 10+ startups helping make fertiliser supply more resilient, clean and affordable following the Iran war (Everyone only seems to be talking about energy?)
3) 30+ new deals, events and links
Enjoy,
Ollie
📡 WEEKLY RESOURCE
Give your company a $5k website refresh for $5 in under an hour
25 mins
Time to implement
Hours!
Time saved p/w
Easy
Difficulty
Building a high-quality website for a energy/resourcse business costs thousands and is a 3-4 week ordeal. You need a designer for the layout, a developer for the build, a copywriter for the content, a motion designer for the animations. None of them are cheap and none of them are fast.
The tools to do this cheaper and faster already exist. Claude Code can write production frontend code. Open-source design skills bake in best-practice principles. Generative video and image models produce bespoke assets for cents per output. The problem is nobody has stitched them together into a single workflow.
For this weeks resource I step through how you could do a total re-design of your website for less than the price of a coffee. Over 30 mins we build a solar website end-to-end in one Claude Code session. Production-quality frontend code, mobile responsive, with a coherent design system that does not look AI-generated.
Check it out here (best viewed on laptop): https://meridian-solar-7b2c32.netlify.app
🧭 DEEP DIVE
Iran War & The Nearshore Fertiliser Thesis
TL;DR
The Iran War turned fertiliser into a national security story overnight, but the unit economics, distribution networks, and incumbent cash piles that made investment into local production sources have not gone anywhere.
The Challenge
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since late February 2026, and global fertiliser supply is feeling the squeeze. Strikes have stranded cargoes carrying up to 30% of global fertiliser shipments.
Farmers are already paying the price. US anhydrous ammonia has surged 36% from a pre-conflict average of $828/ton to $1,123/ton by mid-April 2026, adding $25-$55 per acre to corn production costs.
Our shopping bills are the next domino. Corn underpins roughly 40% of the US calorie supply through animal feed, ethanol, and processed foods, . The IFPRI team warns the disruption risks "reigniting global food inflation".
Solutions
If you cannot ship it through a warzone, make it closer to the farm:
Path A) Distributed ammonia, powered by cheap domestic gas and renewables. Modular plants the size of a few shipping containers can sit next to a co-op or grain elevator and produce ammonia on demand, avoiding the 6,000-mile journey from Gulf-state mega-plants. Companies like Starfire Energy and Atmonia are commercialising small-scale Haber-Bosch and electrochemical synthesis at price points that increasingly compete with imported tonnage.
Path B) Biological nitrogen-fixation, where the microbes do the work. Engineered soil bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen directly at the root, replacing up to 40 lbs of synthetic N per acre with no factory, no pipeline, and no tanker required. Pivot Bio's is already on millions of US corn acres, and the unit economics get more attractive every time ammonia prices ticks up.
Who is building?
Who? | What they do? | Traction |
|---|---|---|
Starfire Energy(Denver, CO) | Modular Rapid Ramp ammonia plants using electride catalyst at lower temps/pressures | $24Mn Series B (2022) led by Samsung Ventures; MHI, Chevron invested |
TalusAg(Austin, TX) | Containerised 20 ton/day modular units for on-farm ammonia from air, water, renewables | Deployed units in Iowa, Kenya, Spain; 40 ton/day Eagle Grove plant Q2 2026 |
FuelPositive(Canada) | On-farm containerised green ammonia systems (FP300: 100 tpy; FP1500 for 10k acres) | FP300 commissioned Manitoba (Jun 2025); manufacturing facility planned |
Tsubame BHB (Japan) | Small-scale electride-catalyst plants at lower temp/pressure than Haber-Bosch | Kashiwazaki 500 tpy demo began Aug 2025; INPEX/JOGMEC backing |
Atmonia(Iceland) | Electrochemical nitrogen reduction at ambient conditions; 150 tpy modular target | $3.55Mn total raised (Eyrir Invest, Nýsköpunarsjóður, ReykVC); Rannís Tech Dev Fund grant 2023; 2028 market launch planned |
Kula Bio (Boston, US) | Biofertiliser using engineered nitrogen-fixing microbes | $50m+ raised; field trials across US Midwest corn belt |
Still to prove?
Cost: Cost parity without subsidies. Domestic ammonia production and biological nitrogen fixation both depend on policy support or sustained high import prices to compete. If Hormuz reopens and prices normalise, the urgency (and the unit economics) could evaporate.
Adoption: Trial results from the farm next door required to make farmers switch. Most growers still default to synthetic inputs they understand. Changing behaviour takes more than one crisis.
Supporting infrastructure: Infrastructure is not currently optimised for a distributed production system. The US has spent fifty years optimising rail, barge, and pipeline networks to transport from ports to farms. Nearshore production flips that on its head and requires significant last-mile logistics, retail dealer relationships, and on-farm storage. These do not get built overnight. Any inefficiency or delay in this new systems is a reason for a farmer to default back to old systems.
🛗 FOR YOUR LIFT CONVERSATIONS
🛗 Links
Energy & Minerals
🚗 Norway hits 98.6% EV share with Tesla Model Y best-seller: The country registered 6 BEV pickup truck models now available for farmers and rural customers, some starting under €50,000. New entrants include the Kia PV5 minivan and JAC T9 pickup, expanding commercial and agricultural EV options beyond passenger cars. Link
⛏️ G7 convenes emergency meeting on critical minerals to counter China dominance: France is leading G7 trade ministers in talks to secure supply chains for rare earths and battery metals, with China controlling 95% of rare earth production. The meeting comes as Australia-Japan announced A$1.67 billion in joint critical minerals support, and Chile and Brazil both advance legislation to formalise national strategies. Link
Land
🌾 Fertiliser prices spike $35/acre for US corn as Iran crisis closes Strait of Hormuz:The closure has triggered what Rabobank warns is "widespread demand destruction risk" for US farmers already facing low grain prices. Brazil Potash reports 91% of its production is pre-sold for 10-17 years as buyers scramble for local supply alternatives to volatile Gulf imports. Link
📊 Global food prices could rise 12-18% by end of 2026 warns Helios AI: The AI forecasting platform flags conditions similar to 2022 when multiple countries cut food exports following Russia's Ukraine invasion. Fertiliser disruptions from the Persian Gulf crisis are the primary driver, with several nations already restricting grain shipments. Link
🐮 Boomitra ranchers in Mexico receive first carbon credit payments from regenerative grazing: The milestone marks real financial returns from verified removal credits, not prepayments. Ranchers are paid from actual credit sales in the market. As grasslands recover and store more carbon, the system creates a reinforcing cycle of greater financial returns and increased herd sizes. Link
Water
🚢 Maritime decarbonisation accelerates as ports build electrical infrastructure: Port equipment, drayage trucks, yard tractors, and harbour craft are driving investment in substations, shore power, battery buffering, and renewable PPAs. Once this platform exists, every additional electrified vessel becomes easier. Ports are emerging as the second leading edge after road transport. Link
Atmosphere
💨 Chile landfill tops global methane emitter list in UN report: The compressed trash heap produces 102,667 metric tons of methane annually, equivalent to emissions from nearly 2 million cars and 20,000 tons more than the second-ranked site, an oil and gas facility in Turkmenistan. Chile says it's converting the methane into clean energy, transforming an environmental liability into a revenue source. Link
💰 Deals & Fundraises
🇮🇳 Skyroot Aerospace, a Hyderabad, India-based Indian launch startup developing orbital rockets, raised $60m in Series C funding.
🇺🇸 DISA Technologies, a Houston, TX-based High-pressure slurry ablation technology for mineral processing, raised $33m in Series B funding from Galvanise, BHP Ventures, Evok Innovations, Constellation Energy, Halliburton Labs, Valor Equity Partners, Veriten.
🇫🇷 Lithosquare, a Paris, France-based Metals-discovery software developer for critical minerals exploration, raised $25m in Seed funding from World Fund, Kindred Capital, Daphni, Omnes Capital, Ovni Capital.
🇺🇸Stoked Bio, a Biotechnology company (agri-biotech assumed from context), raised $2.5m in Seed funding.
🇺🇸 Pacific Hybreed, a Big Island, HI-based Aquaculture biotechnology for resilient shellfish production, raised $1m in Seed funding from Hawaiʻi Angels, Blue Startups.
🇬🇧 Barocal, a London, United Kingdom-based Refrigerant-free cooling and heating technology developer, raised €8.5m in Seed funding from World Fund, Breakthrough Energy Discovery, Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, IP Group.
🇫🇷 Aura Aero, a Toulouse, France-based Electric aircraft developer for sustainable aviation, raised €50m in Series B funding.
🇺🇸Terra, a Low-carbon concrete technology startup, raised Seed funding from All Aboard Fund.
🇬🇧 Riversimple, a Powys, United Kingdom-based Hydrogen electric vehicle manufacturer with zero-emission mobility service, raised £1.7m in Seed funding from UK government grant funding.
Project Finance / Debt
🏭 Cora Gold, a Mali-based Gold mining project development, raised $120m in PF Debt funding from undisclosed.
☀️ HAU Energy, a Egypt-based 200 MW solar project with battery storage in Benban, raised $65m in PF Debt funding from EBRD.
Exits
🔋 Envision AESC, a Japan-based EV battery manufacturing and energy storage systems, went public by GIC (existing backer) at an implied valuation of $2b.
🚗 Monarch Tractor, a Livermore, CA-based Autonomous electric tractors for agriculture, acquired by Caterpillar.
🧱 USA Rare Earth, a Oklahoma, USA-based Acquiring Brazil rare earth producer Serra Verde for supply chain security, acquired by USA Rare Earth at an implied valuation of $2.8b.
Funds
Lime Rock New Energy, a United States-based Clean energy private equity buyout fund, closed $640m for its fund with support from undisclosed LPs.
Daphni Climate Fund, a Paris, France-based Climate tech fund backing scientist-entrepreneurs, closed €250m for its fund
📅 Events
🇺🇸 USGBC ADAPT: Denver Regional Conference: Regional gathering exploring green building's role in climate resilience and adaptation. (May 12-13)
🇺🇸 2026 Americas Forum on Carbon Capture and Storage: A new conference highlighting frontier carbon removal technologies. (May 12)
🇺🇸 National Adaptation Forum 2026: The premier U.S. (May 12)
🇮🇹 Energy Mediterranean Exhibition & Congress (formerly Lisbon Energy Summit & Exhibition): Official Lisbon Energy Summit site shows: "Lisbon Energy Summit & Exhibition 2025 … June 18-20, 2025, Lisbon, Portugal.". (May 12-14)
🇺🇸 Capture the Energy® 2026 Conference & Expo: Regional conference convened by NY-BEST and partners, spotlighting the progress of energy storage in New York State and Northeast markets. (May 12-14)
🇺🇸 National Adaptation Forum: At the National Adaptation Forum (a broad climate adaptation conference), a significant track is devoted to forest resilience. (May 12-14)
🇵🇹 International Conference on Water, Energy, Food and Sustainability (ICoWEFS 2026): Explores integrated solutions for water, energy, and food nexus challenges, highlighting circular approaches and resilience in resource systems. (May 13-15)
🌍 XIX International Scientific Conference of Environmental and Climate Technologies (CONECT 2026): CONECT 2025 page confirms: "May 26-29, 2025, Riga, Latvia.". (May 13-15)
Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways we can help you:
1. Energy & Resources Advisory
In our day jobs, we support some of the largest Energy and Industrials organisations to due-diligence new investment opportunities, and support portfolio companies with value creation post-acquisition. Want to chat? Get in touch by replying to this email.
2. Media Partnerships
We have a growing audience of 48,000+ Investors, Business Owners and Executives across Energy and Natural Resources and ClimateTech. Apply to feature your business in front of our readers by replying to this email.
📩 Written by Ollie. Feel free to send us deals, announcements, or anything else using the link below or via LinkedIn.
