We look forward to investing in, and supporting, extraordinary people and businesses that address the consequences of climate change, increasing demand for low carbon energy, and stress on the Earth’s natural resources. We believe innovative solutions to these global challenges will benefit society and offer outstanding investment opportunities.
Leveraging a 37 year friendship and business partnership between the principals, Roger Strauch and Dan Miller, The Roda Group is committed to sharing its collective wisdom, extensive network of contacts, and financial resources to build the businesses with which we are associated.
The Roda Group's most recent investments:
Axine based in Vancouver, Canada, has developed a low-cost, chemical-free solution for treating high concentrations of problematic, toxic organics, ammonia, and other pollutants in industrial wastewater solving a multi-billion dollar problem for large companies in a wide range of industries. Its energy-efficient, scalable system treats recalcitrant and non-biodegradable organics, ammonia, and some inorganics (up to 10,000 mg/L COD) at up to five times lower cost than conventional chemical or biological solutions.
Gridtential Energy, Inc., based in San Jose, California, is developing an advanced lead-acid battery that incorporates semiconductor wafers in the battery which results in more depth and rate of discharge and longer lifetime. The combination of a well-established battery chemistry with a manufacturing process from the semiconductor industry is expected to produce batteries with significantly better performance and lower cost, especially in energy storage and traction applications.
Inventys Thermal Technologies, based in Vancouver Canada, has developed a post-combustion CO2 capture technology for coal and natural gas power plants. The Inventys VeloxoTherm™ system can capture CO2 for $15 a metric ton (capture only), which is a fraction of the cost of existing solutions. The system is also a fraction of the size of current chemical-based capture systems, making it much easier to retrofit existing power plants. The markets for the VeloxoTherm™ system includes Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CSS), and providing CO2 feedstocks for chemical manufacturers. The company recently secured $9 million dollars in Canadian and British public financing for pilot plant facilities.
mOasis, based in Mountain View, California, has developed a polymer based soil amendment called BountiGel™ that increases water and nutrient retention around the seeds and roots of plants. The BountiGel "aquamer" is low cost, non-toxic, and lasts for many rain or irrigation cycles. Several dozen well regarded California farmers and agricultural institutions have tested the product and the results show an increased crop yield of 25% with 25%+ less irrigation water for some crop and soil types. BountiGel offers a compelling value proposition to farmers in a water-constrained world.
10 Jul 2014 - Axine Water Technologies Receives Prestigious BlueTech Innovation Tracker Certification
12 Mar 2013 - Gridtential Goes After Energy Storage with Improved Lead-Acid.
15 Jan. 2014 - Drought Solution: Supergel, super foam store water to save crops (Video)
20 Dec 2013 - The device is called Game Ready and its goal is to live up to its name.
18 December 2013 - Former US Energy Secretary Steven Chu Joins Board of Canadian Carbon Capture Company Inventys Thermal Technologies
8 Sep 2014 - The Food of Future Past: Want a more sustainable future? Eat algae.