top of page
Emin Askerov
Cleantech FOAK Advisor
My insights and blog
Dive into my latest thoughts on Greentech trends, startup strategies, and investment insights. Stay ahead in the green revolution.
Join my email list and get an e-mail every time I post.


Can Europe make decent EVs? Looks like it can! Welcome - Renault 5!
What Renault 5 might mean for the EU car industry.
Emin Askerov
Jun 24, 20252 min read


Make Transformers (Even) More Boring
The humble transformer is at the heart of the electric grid. And for decades, it’s been a tailor-made marvel. Engineers loved the craft,...
Emin Askerov
Jun 18, 20252 min read


EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy: A promising map, but still no compass
My full breakdown is now live:
What’s working, what’s missing, and what scaleups, especially in cleantech and manufacturing, can do today without waiting for Brussels.
Emin Askerov
Jun 12, 20253 min read


Second-hand equipment and loans for equipment in FOAK
Would you consider using second-hand equipment for your pilot/demo/FOAK?
Emin Askerov
Jun 10, 20252 min read


Book Review: "Unicorns, Hype, and Bubbles" by Jeffrey Funk
Check out my review of Dr. Funk's book, where I highlighted some key takeaways, like why hype has replaced productivity, why consultants always win first, and what it means for anyone evaluating early-stage tech in climate and beyond.
Emin Askerov
Jun 5, 20255 min read


From Lab to Fab: How LeydenJar Rewired Its DNA to Scale
How to transform from project to product.
Emin Askerov
Jun 4, 20252 min read


The Hype Around Water Tech
Can you find unicorns in water? There is a hype around water tech startups. Climate is changing, and some countries, such as Turkey,...
Emin Askerov
Jun 3, 20252 min read


Bridging the FOAK finance gap: IPO before VC
They IPO’d before raising VC. Here’s why that was genius. ATOME Energy didn’t follow the usual startup playbook. No pre-seed. No seed. No...
Emin Askerov
Jun 2, 20251 min read


The Holy Trinity of FOAK Finance
You don’t need to have a financial degree or a background in finance to understand the key principles of funding a FOAK.
Emin Askerov
May 29, 20256 min read


A shared roadmap with a committed client matters more than an off-take
Off-takes are the holy grail of climatetech FOAKs. Conditional off-takes are the norm. Is there another way?
Emin Askerov
May 28, 20251 min read


FOAK no more. Three takeaways from the US climate rollback
Don’t play with the government. That’s a rule my father taught me. He built his business in the 90s and early 2000s in Russia. He knew...
Emin Askerov
May 27, 20252 min read


Fertilizers emit more CO₂ than planes and ships combined. And nobody talks about it.
Hear Olivier Mussat, the CEO and founder of ATOME, about the role of fertilizers.
Emin Askerov
May 26, 20251 min read


Post-FOAK Is the New FOAK: A Strategic Review of the OCED’s First-of-a-Kind Project Playbook
A review of possibly the most comprehensive collection of real-world examples for getting cleantech from the lab to steel-in-the-ground scale. If you’re in the weeds of building a FOAK (First-of-a-Kind) project, or advising someone who is, this report deserves a place on your desk.
Emin Askerov
May 22, 20253 min read


The Energy Test Framework
A climate tech idea that needs more energy than it saves? That’s not innovation. That’s a waste.
Emin Askerov
May 21, 20252 min read


FOAK isn’t the finish line. It’s just the start.
Climeworks is back in the news—and not for the reason they’d like. Reports from Heimildin and others claim that their latest DAC (direct...
Emin Askerov
May 20, 20251 min read


Hype, Raise, Burn, Repeat
How can you hype up, raise investments, burn the money, and do it all again? I have no idea, but life proves that it is possible, again and again.
Emin Askerov
May 12, 20252 min read


Grants for FOAK
During my time scaling up climate tech, I wouldn’t touch government grants. Even when they could clearly reduce my capital costs, help to...
Emin Askerov
May 8, 20257 min read


Working With Working Capital
Working capital is a big challenge for B2C solar and storage startups. Or is it?
Emin Askerov
May 7, 20251 min read


Want to Build Batteries in Europe? Start with the Hardest Part – and the Right Partner
This year, the mood at the Smarter E Europe expo in Munich is different. With many EU battery startups going under, the only way to survive is to find the right partner from Asia.
Emin Askerov
May 6, 20251 min read


Field Notes from the FOAK Frontlines – Via Separations
Everyone wants to decarbonize industry. Not many talk about what happens after the pilot works. Scaling hardware isn’t linear. It’s...
Emin Askerov
May 5, 20251 min read
bottom of page