Why Regenerative Tech Needs to be the Future with Tom Chi, Google X Founder & author of Climate Capital - Modern CTO Recap

Podcast: Modern CTO

Published: 2026-03-12

Duration: 54 min

Guests: Tom Chi

Summary

Tom Chi, founder of Google X and At One Ventures, argues that regenerative technologies are humanity's best shot at addressing the 21st century's biggest crises: climate destabilization, economic upheaval due to AI and robotics, and geopolitical instability. By focusing on industries with high environmental impact and applying physics-based principles, his firm achieves both superior environmental and economic outcomes.

What Happened

Tom Chi began by outlining the three major crises humanity faces in the 21st century: climate destabilization, economic disruption from AI and robotics, and geopolitical instability. His new book, *Climate Capital*, aims to equip readers with the skills and knowledge to tackle these challenges effectively.

He explained the approach of At One Ventures, which targets the 30 industries responsible for over 90% of environmental damage across air, water, soil, and biodiversity. Chi emphasized the concept of addressing problems early in the 'entropy curve' to avoid insurmountable chaos later, citing examples like redesigning plastic production instead of cleaning microplastics from oceans.

Chi shared how his firm makes investments in companies with technologies that achieve both better unit economics and improved environmental outcomes. He introduced Kubi Technologies, a portfolio company that reduces construction costs by 60% while slashing environmental impact. Using cobotic labor and high-quality materials, Kubi builds homes at $80–$110 per square foot compared to the U.S. average of $230.

The discussion explored how Kubi's factories, costing just $15 million compared to traditional $100+ million facilities, can be set up in six months and are relocatable. These factories use a combination of human and robotic labor, allowing even unskilled workers to participate in production after just one week of training.

Chi detailed the physics-based principles guiding At One Ventures. By analyzing industries' cost structures—feedstock, processing, and logistics—his team identifies where innovations can disrupt outdated processes. For example, replacing high-temperature processes in plastics with lower-energy alternatives directly reduces costs and emissions.

He also commented on the venture capital industry's misplaced focus on software, highlighting that physical hardware innovations, grounded in physics, offer clearer paths to industry dominance. He pointed out that Silicon Valley's origins were in hardware, not software, and lamented how this history has been forgotten.

Chi introduced the concept of the 'triad'—disruptive deep tech that combines better unit economics, environmental economics, and scalable production. He explained how this approach naturally attracts industry leaders, who adopt these technologies not out of environmental altruism but because they improve margins.

Finally, Chi reflected on the collaborative nature of builders across industries and how respect for competency can bridge political divides. He also shared his broader mission for At One Ventures: helping humanity become a net positive to nature while delivering competitive returns to investors.

Key Insights

• 90% of environmental damage comes from just 30 industries. Tom Chi's venture fund, At One Ventures, targets these sectors early in their 'entropy curve'—like redesigning plastic production instead of tackling the near-impossible task of removing microplastics from oceans.
• Kubi Technologies builds homes at $80–$110 per square foot, less than half the U.S. average of $230. Their $15M relocatable factories combine robotic and human labor, training unskilled workers in one week and cutting costs by 60%.
• Most plastics rely on high-temperature processes that waste energy and drive up costs. At One Ventures backs technologies that replace these with lower-energy alternatives, reducing emissions while improving profit margins—a rare win-win in manufacturing.
• Deep tech that combines better unit economics, environmental benefits, and scalable production attracts industry leaders for one simple reason: it boosts margins. Tom Chi argues it’s this economic logic, not environmental altruism, that creates real change.

Key Questions Answered

What does Tom Chi say about solving climate crises using physics principles on Modern CTO?

Tom Chi explained that solving climate crises requires addressing problems early in the 'entropy curve,' where disorder is still manageable. For example, redesigning plastics at the production stage avoids the enormous challenge of cleaning microplastics from the ocean.

What is Kubi Technologies' approach to low-cost housing?

Kubi Technologies uses cobotic labor and relocatable factories to build homes at $80–$110 per square foot, significantly below the U.S. average of $230. Their process minimizes waste, reduces emissions, and allows for high material recovery.

How does At One Ventures choose its investments?

At One Ventures identifies industries with high environmental impact and focuses on innovations with better unit economics and greener outcomes. By analyzing cost structures like feedstock, processing, and logistics, the firm pinpoints where physics-driven solutions can disrupt outdated practices.