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ClimateTech Startup Investment Checklist: Series A Stage (2026)

This checklist covers 20 due diligence items for ClimateTech startups at the Series A stage. Each item has been validated against institutional investor practice. DDR automates the majority of these checks from a single pitch deck PDF upload.

20 checklist items · 2 red flags automatically detected · See a sample DDR report

Series A Requirements

$1M+ ARR or strong path within 12 months
Proven repeatable go-to-market motion
Net Revenue Retention >100% (expansion > churn)
Gross margins indicating sustainable unit economics
Management team capable of scaling to $10M ARR
Clear competitive differentiation and moat building

ClimateTech Sector

GHG Protocol alignment documented and audited
SEC and CSRD compliance roadmap reviewed
Carbon credit quality policy reviewed
Enterprise reference customers in regulated industries confirmed

Deep Dive

GHG methodology alignment with GHG Protocol and ISO 14064
SEC and EU CSRD regulatory compliance roadmap
Carbon credit quality verification for any offset products
Data security for sensitive corporate emissions data

Regulatory

Verify: SEC climate disclosure rule: Scope 1, 2, and material Scope 3 reporting for public companies
Verify: EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD): mandatory for EU companies and US multinationals
Verify: Greenwashing liability: FTC Green Guides and EU green claims directive

OSINT Signals

Check: CDP response quality for enterprise customers
Check: GHG Protocol methodology certification
Check: LinkedIn sustainability team at target enterprise accounts
DDR AUTOMATES THIS CHECKLIST

Upload a ClimateTech startup pitch deck and DDR automatically completes 14+ of these 20 checklist items — sourcing data from 13 OSINT signals, benchmarking against 2 comparable companies, and detecting all 2 critical red flags.

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