Tim De Chant is an environmental journalist and former senior climate reporter at TechCrunch. He educates in MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing, from which he keeps a sharp eye on the hastily developing plasma technology scene. SOSV, a VC firm that has invested in many biotech ventures, expects to invest in 25 or more plasma startups in the next five years. In the process, their ambitious efforts are helping to reshape industries from semiconductors to spacecraft.
Duncan Turner, general partner at SOSV, has already personally led investments in two promising companies, one of which is Yplasma. This advanced manufacturing firm is employing low-cost, compact plasma actuators to enhance thermal management for data center microprocessors. Their teamwork optimizes airflow to create and shape wind turbine blades. Turner’s strong academic background includes a BA in environmental studies, English, and biology from St. Olaf College. He has a PhD in environmental science, policy and management from the University of California, Berkeley, which has provided him with the knowledge to traverse the complexities of this emerging field.
In 2018, Tim De Chant was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT. He spent his year traveling for fellowship, primarily studying emerging climate technologies and exploring new business models for journalism. As he critically appraises SOSV’s strategic direction, his insights into the intersection of technology and climate change, which are inextricably linked, are invaluable.
SOSV is deeply committed to advancing plasma technology. To help accomplish that goal, they’re expanding into a second lab space with support from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Known as the Plasma Innovation Initiative, this effort is intended to spur innovation and support the growth of plasma-related startups.
Duncan Turner expressed excitement about the potential of plasma technology, stating, “There’s so much here. The best ideas have yet to come to unlock a lot of potential in the fusion space.” He noted that the interest in plasma technology has exceeded initial expectations, remarking, “All of that combined, we were like, ‘Oh wow, there’s way more than 25 companies here.‘”
SOSV is thrilled to be diving into the spellbinding technology of plasma. It takes experts on the level of our own Tim De Chant to cover breakthroughs that will revolutionize everything from agriculture to construction. The plasma-powered future holds tremendous energy efficiency paired with revolutionary applications that would serve critical functions in more than one industry.
