VC Spotlight: Lachlan Nixon - Motion Capital
Lachlan is the Founder of Auckland-based VC firm Motion Capital which invests in start-ups that help the world decarbonise. The firm was founded in 2023 and has invested in companies such as Ternary Kinetics, and most recently in NZ-based energy-tech Factor.
We spoke to him about Motion Capital’s investment thesis and approach, why climate founders should focus on commercials over the climate benefits, and his thoughts on the start-up ecosystem in New Zealand.
What’s your investment thesis?
We describe our investment thesis as investing in companies that make it cheaper to save the world than to destroy it. So it comes from a place — perhaps a cynical interpretation of human nature — that we need to appeal to humanity's fear and greed to drive a market response to climate change, rather than appeal to humanity's virtue and ask the world to pay for decarbonisation.
That's why we're huge fans of technology. We think it can drive down the cost of various products, and the cost of companies decarbonising. We love companies that make it in people's self-interest to switch to a climate tech alternative.
In a recent article you spoke about how companies should focus more on the commercials rather than the climate benefits. Could you explain why?
The rationale was we've been doing a lot of travel — particularly to the US — with a lot of our companies in the last several months. The world has dramatically changed. There's been a huge pullback in what I'd call voluntary climate commitments by governments and corporates. It's not good for climate tech, but we think this is still a massive opportunity if reframed. In fact, we think climate tech is as investible as ever. You just can't mention the “C word,” which is climate.
Investors aren’t walking away from the climate challenge, but they are walking away from language that sounds like it belongs in a UN report. You need to be pushing narratives that appeal to people’s and a nation's self-interest. We think the capital markets today are hungry for energy resilience, critical minerals, supply chain sovereignty, circular economy, and in driving local economic strength and security through technology.
Fortunately, my view is climate tech, or at least commercial climate tech, already does all of those things. And so it's not a pivot for climate tech in our view, it's a reframing to try and hit the right notes in 2025.
You’ve also wrote a piece about resilience, which isn’t a term I’d associate with climate tech. Can you talk about what inspired the article?
We wanted to share what we see as the changing narrative and landscape, with the Kiwi and Australian companies we work with back home. I do think it takes of time for that thinking to filter back down to the edge of the earth. There was another article called “Sustainability is Security” which related to a circular economy, being something that environmentalism has always championed: of taking the byproduct of one industry and putting it as an input into another.
But it's also great for geopolitics and security if you're able to control the supply chain of a product, because it's coming out as a waste output of a local industry. That gives control by corporates and nation states over critical supply chains. We think the time for the circular economy is absolutely right now, but it's not for environmental reasons. It's for security reasons.
What’s your investment approach?
We focus on Seed to Series A, so we like to invest reasonably early. We've been the lead investor on most, if not all the investments we've done. So we like to find and unearth companies, then work with them over a long period of time to help them develop. We're not just a one and done, “see you at the AGM” kind of investor. We're investing into companies over multiple rounds to get them into the growth stages. And we like to be proactive and roll up our sleeves as an active shareholder, and typically board member of these companies.
What are the strengths of the start-up ecosystem in New Zealand?
New Zealand’s a small place. We’re not an expert in everything, but there are a few areas where we think we are absolutely world class. One is food and agriculture — we spend a lot of time thinking about sustainable food systems, sustainable food products, how to grow them, how to make them, and how to get them onto plates. New Zealand's got a biology based economy, largely around the farming industries; it's just adjacent to that where we think there's a real opportunity to use technology to drive efficiency and sustainability, and also to export the products that come out of that.
The second area is renewable energy. There’s an 88% renewable grid here in New Zealand, not because of any virtue, but because of luck. We have a landscape that lends itself to solar, wind, and hydro, which means we’ve got a variable kind of renewable system. 88% is one of the highest in the Western world, and because we're at that high percentage, we're starting to think about optimising our energy system.
The third area I would point out is industrial decarbonisation. New Zealand has a very successful company called LanzaTech which listed on the Nasdaq several years ago. It takes slag from steel mills and does some clever processing to convert it as an input for another part of the mill. We're starting to see second and third, and even fourth generation companies in New Zealand off the back of LanzaTech’s heritage. We’ve invested in Zincovery and Ternary Kinetics, and you can directly tie the founders back to LanzaTech.
What advice do you have for early-stage climate companies?
What really gets us excited? Frankly, great people. We love having great people. We love great technology and a great market opportunity. [But] that's all table stakes. What really gets us excited — once those three things are present — is go-to-market. We like to see the market really well understood and a path to get there laid out, so essentially having that line of sight on the business. I think a lot of climate tech founders in particular miss that track.
Members-only Webinar: Partnering for Climate Impact - How Corporates Can Lead Innovation in Australia
📅 5th Aug, 12:00PM - 1:00PM (ONLINE)
How can we turn corporate Australia into a driving force for climate innovation?
Join us for a conversation with Phil Morle, Partner at Main Sequence, Australia’s deep tech investment powerhouse. Phil will explore how corporates can go beyond ESG statements and procurement to become active co-creators of climate solutions, and why they must.
In this interactive session, we’ll unpack:
- Why corporates are key to scaling Australia's climate tech ecosystem
- What successful partnerships between startups and big business look like
- Where Australia is already leading and where we need to catch up
- How founders and corporate leaders can build trust and shared incentives
- Real-world examples from Main Sequence's climate-focused investments
Whether you're a founder, entrepreneur, investor, or policy shaper, this is a unique opportunity to learn from one of Australia's most experienced voices in deep tech and systems innovation.
Members-only Webinar: Term Sheets - What Every Founder Should Know
📅 31st Jul, 10:30AM - 11:30AM (ONLINE)
Join us for a founder-focused webinar on with Stuart Dullard and Damian Garthwaite, experts from Ashurst, as they walk through the essential do’s and don’ts of term sheets.
Whether you're preparing for your first raise or navigating follow-ons, this session will help you approach term sheets with clarity and confidence.
News
NZ start-up Factor raises $3m to help energy retailers and networks with energy pricing and forecasting.
Eclipse Ingredients raises $7m to produce lactoferrin, a protein found in human and animal milk.
NSW government to spend $2.8m in establishing EV chargers between Newcastle and Wollongong in Sydney.
NZ-based VC Icehouse Ventures is raising $30m for it’s fourth Seed Fund. Previous investments of theirs include Halter and Crimson Education.
Scope 3 reporting for property firms is proving challenging.
What exactly is green hydrogen? How does it compare to other energy sources? What are the challenges of adopting it in Australia? This piece by The Grattan Institute answers those questions.
The NSW is spending $26.2m to back companies under their Clean Technology Innovation grants. Recipients include Climate Salad members Sicona Battery Technologies and HydGene Renewables.
Alt. Leather’s bio-based leather product was featured in Japanese designer Yuima Nakazato’s collection for Paris Haute Coutre Fashion Week.
According to the recent Cut Through Ventures Queensland Venture Capital Report, climate tech companies in Queensland received $78m in funding between 2024 and 2025.
Sanders Place is a unique, down-to-earth shared office and event space in Richmond, purpose-built for climate tech businesses driving innovation and impact. It’s an ideal base for those who work remote or for hybrid teams to come together, collaborate meaningfully, and meet with clients in a welcoming, mission-aligned environment.
Climate Salad members get their first month free when signing up for a flexi or permanent membership, but spots are limited, so contact justin@sandersplace.com.au to secure yours.
Programs
Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge #3
This program offers a transformative opportunity for Australian startups in the lithium battery value chain.
What’s in it for you:
- Curated introductions
- Exposure to global capital
- On-the-ground insights into scaling
The winner will embark on a New Energy Nexus-guided trip to the most relevant lithium battery destination on the planet to their startup, gaining unparalleled access to top investors, climate tech leaders, and international conferences.
Click below to learn more or apply for the program.
Energy Lab’s Climate Tech Ignite Program
Are you an aspiring or early-stage founder ready to launch a climate tech startup and make a real impact?
Applications are open for EnergyLab’s 8-week Climate Tech Ignite program, supporting climate tech entrepreneurs with the resources and mentorship they need to generate, test and launch their startup idea!
Why Apply?
- Learn the foundations of entrepreneurship
- Develop and test your climate tech startup idea
- Get 1:1 mentorship from our mentor network
- Join a community of like-minded entrepreneurs
Applications close on the 31st August.
Looking to expand to Italy? Join the Italian Trade Agency Commissioner on Aug 7th to hear about the opportunities available for Australian companies.
Events
Aug 5th, 9:00AM - 4:30PM (ACT) | AI for Climate, Safety, and Environment
Join leading researchers to explore how AI can drive impactful solutions for climate resilience, environmental monitoring, public and industrial safety.
Sessions span cutting‑edge models, real‑world case studies, and collaborative challenges—equipping participants to critically think about data‑driven systems and state-of-the-art algorithms for a sustainable future.
Aug 5th, 9:30AM - 4:00PM (SYD) | Economic Impacts of Climate Change Workshop
This workshop is hosted by the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk and Response. It brings together academia, government, and industry to give short and sharp presentations on what they are working on in this important area.
Topics include the physical risks of climate change on the economy - such as productivity impacts, agricultural impacts, and macroeconomic impacts - as well as the transition risks on the economy.
Aug 7th, 5:00PM - 7:00PM (MEL) | Liveable Cities Collective
Please come and join a group of local change makers for an evening of connection, conversation and fun. This is a great opportunity for young professionals, industry experts, community advocates, and passionate change makers!
Aug 12th, 5:30PM - 7:00PM (SYD) | Catalysing Climate Capital Report Launch
Join us for the launch of Catalysing Climate Capital, a landmark report spotlighting the bold ideas, capital innovations, and ecosystem enablers accelerating climate solutions across Australia and Southeast Asia.
This report, produced by Greenhouse and commissioned by the City of Sydney, dives into what is the challenges and barriers facing climate tech scale-ups and importantly provides a industry playbook for how to accelerate climate solutions at speed and scale.
Aug 15th, 9:00AM - 7:00PM (WA) | Electrify Ag 25
Come join the AgZero team at The Hub, Bentley Technology Park for Electrify Ag 25! At this in-person event we will hear from a diverse range of speakers on how we, in agriculture and our communities embrace the opportunities of a clean energy economy and thrive in a changing climate.
We’ll cover the full spectrum, from the the state of play of the energy transition, the challenges and opportunities of community engagement and transition, pathways for financing the energy transition in agriculture, to Indigenous Economic Development (Noongar Land Enterprise and Yued Aboriginal Corporation), the electrification of farms and the agri-supply chain - and to finish the day, an active display of a range of electric vehicles.
Aug 21st, 5:30PM - 8:30PM | Driving Growth: Find your Co-Founder or CEO
Whether you’re a startup founder searching for a cofounder or CEO to help bring your climate vision to life — or a mission-driven leader looking to join the next game-changing clean energy company — this is where you can find the right person for your next business chapter.
We have brought together a panel of climate tech founders to share both their co-founder stories as well as their tips and tricks for how to find someone who is the right fit for your startup
Aug 23rd, 1:30PM - 2:30PM | Shifting Perspectives — the role fiction and storytelling can play in climate action
ft. Alice Robinson (If You Go) and film maker and organiser Alex Kelly (In My Blood It Runs) in conversation.
Words in Winter is a literary and arts festival held in August in Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. The festival is a celebration of words, stories and ideas in all their forms, shared by locals and visiting presenters through readings, poetry, theatre, music, talks, workshops, author talks, and exhibitions.
Aug 27th - 28th, 8:00AM - 5:00PM (ADL) | Climate Smart Engineering
The Climate Smart Engineering Conference (CSE25) is your opportunity to join the engineers and industry experts taking action to create a more resilient world.
Together, we’ll explore:
- The latest tech innovations, including digital and AI solutions
- The push to build more circular economies
- Strategies to protect our built and natural worlds
- The ways workforces can adapt to uncertainty and change.
Agritech ClimAccelerator Singapore 2025
Powered by Better Earth Ventures, Climate KIC, and dedicated Asia-Pacific champions, the Agritech ClimAccelerator Singapore nurtures solutions that go beyond technology. These founders are driving transformation — from regenerative ag inputs and circular food systems to climate intelligence and alternative materials made from kiwifruit waste.
2025 cohort:
🧪 Nick Hazell (Australia): Algenie is developing a patented low-cost high-productivity photobioreactor to make algae production radically cheaper and more scalable.
🌾 Deryl Lu and Ankit Gupta (Indonesia): DayaTani uses technology to provide agronomic expertise and integrated farmer support to improve farmer livelihoods and promote sustainable farming practices for over 3000 farmers today.
🥝 Shelley Houston and Chris Harper (New Zealand): KiwiLeather Innovations has the ability to upcycle 100,000 tonnes of New Zealand kiwifruit waste into plastic-free, bio-based vegan leather - a luxurious, low-impact material for fashion, automotive, and furniture industries.
🛰️ Antonio Titno and Raul Abreu (Singapore): LambdAI Space provides scalable climate intelligence using satellite data and physics-guided AI. They help farmers, insurers, agri-finance players, and governments across the world to assess climate risks, reduce losses, and enhance resilience across food systems and landscapes.
🌱Abhi Agarwal and Avika Narula (Thailand): Living Roots empowers farmers with high-performance biological fertilisers that increase yields by up to 30%, rebuild soil carbon, and cut synthetic inputs and emissions by 50–100% - driving regenerative agriculture across Southeast Asia.
🧴 Didi Gan and Dr. Jaslyn Lee (Singapore): N&E Innovations, through their patented ViKANG99, transforms food waste into antimicrobial coatings, post-harvest washes, and biodegradable packaging, cutting spoilage, replacing plastics, and extending produce shelf life up to 4x.
🐻❄️ Jonathan Harvey and Joe Khoo (Singapore): Polar Cold is a climate-tech company using data and energy-saving technology to modernise Southeast Asia’s cold chain.
⚡Darryl Lyons and Mic Black (Australia): Rainstick uses electricity to mimic the natural effects of lightning to grow crops bigger, faster and more sustainably.
🪨 A stealth mode startup (Vietnam) tackling Enhanced Rock Weathering
Interested in attending the Demo Day in Singapore on the 6th of November? Register below!
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