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Episode 5: Angel Investing in the Energy Transition | John Jeffers

Episode 5 with John Jeffers, Co-Founder & CMO of REVOLUTION Turbine Technologies

John Jeffers is an accomplished energy industry executive who has dedicated his 32-year career to tackling some of the sector’s most critical emerging challenges. His journey spans global upstream oil and gas, technology, and strategic leadership roles with ExxonMobil, Schlumberger, and Southwestern Energy.

Since leaving his corporate role in 2020, John has focused on helping early-stage companies succeed by mentoring and advising entrepreneurs on customer discovery, product development strategy, strategic partnership opportunities, fundraising and building scalable businesses. His journey into investing in startups began first through venture capital, and for the past several years, he has been an active angel investor. His interests include all facets of energy transition, including improving efficiency, reducing the environmental impact of legacy energy sources, and development of economically viable, scalable alternatives.

He is a co-founder of Revolution Turbine Technologies, a waste energy recovery technology aimed at decarbonizing natural gas operations. He is a member of SWAN Impact Network, a Texas-based angel network. John is currently an XiR for the current cohort of the Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator. He holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from Dartmouth, a masters from Rice, and has completed executive education coursework at SMU’s Cox School of Business.

During our conversation, he discusses:

  • His transition from working in oil and gas to angel investing

  • The role of subsidies and unit economics in clean energy

  • The potential of waste heat recovery technologies

  • The future of hydrogen as a fuel and potential methods of production

  • Strategies for evaluating investment opportunities in clean energy

  • The significance of understanding both customer needs and operational integration when evaluating a new technology

  • The necessity for adaptability and strategic pivots

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

What We Cover:

  • 00:00 Introduction

  • 02:30 John's Journey into Angel Investing

  • 03:26 The Mindset of Early Stage Investing

  • 05:10 John's First Angel Investment

  • 07:19 Focus on Clean Energy and Energy Transition

  • 09:47 Revolution Turbine Technologies

  • 12:02 Investment Trends in Alternative Energy Equipment

  • 14:58 The Importance of Unit Economics

  • 20:47 Efficiency Improvements in Industrial Settings

  • 28:29 Business Models for Green Technology Adoption

  • 37:59 Hydrogen as a Future Fuel

  • 40:39 Challenges and Opportunities in Hydrogen Production

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Stuff We Reference


All opinions expressed are personal and may not reflect the views of the individual’s organization or of The Diligent Observer. Not investment advice.

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