??That day the inventor of "CleanTech" introduced me to the author of "The Third Industrial Revolution".

Tonight, as I was debriefing the day with my fiancée Pahn, she said something that stunned me: “Wow, that’s a day to remember.” At first, I shrugged it off. It hadn’t seemed all that special while I was going through it. But as I sat in the quiet of my room, replaying the events, I realized today was nothing short of extraordinary.

Let me take you back a few months to where this story begins.

Ecce Homo.

Earlier this year, The International Energy Agency reported that global investment in clean energy technologies hit a record $1.8 trillion in 2023, with substantial funding directed towards wind and solar photovoltaics. Furthermore, cleantech investments worldwide are projected to surpass $3 trillion in 2024.

In my mind, the two central figures of this narrative, whether through advocacy or lobbying efforts, have played a crucial role in the growth and success of these industries.

6 months ago, I was catching up with my scuba diving buddy, Kookai, who also happens to be my co-creator of ?? The Atlas Capital & Climate Tech Coalition. Kookai told me she had someone I needed to meet—a guy who, apparently, invented the term “Cleantech” two decades ago. She said he’d been on the board of numerous Cleantech funds and companies over the years.

Honestly, I wasn’t convinced. The idea that the actual inventor of "Cleantech" wanted to connect with me felt too surreal. But I said yes to the intro anyway—because, well, what did I have to lose? Maybe I’d get a new LP for my fund out of it.

A few weeks later, I found myself on a call with this mysterious Cleantech pioneer, Nick.

Who? Nicholas Parker .

The man kinda of looked like a final boss from JP Morgan or Big 5 consulting managing partner (you know, the ones who might fire that associate on the spot) but spoke with a warmth that put me at ease immediately.

Five minutes into the conversation, I already told Pahn, “That was one of the most energizing calls I’ve had all week.”

After the call, I did some digging. And yeah, it turned out to be true—he actually did invent the word “Cleantech,” and he co-founded the Cleantech Group, which still runs some of the biggest conferences in the field 22 years later.

I had heard about these conferences a couple of times as some of the conglomerates in our coalition have their bosses go every year, but I never had the opportunity to speak there myself.

Our conversations continued every couple of months until he dropped a bombshell: “I’m launching something new. It’s called Clean AI, and I want you to be part of it.”

You see, Nick is a visionary. After influencing cleantech to become what it is today, he now sees a new industry that could emerge and wants to help shape it, again. It's called Clean AI.

Clean AI integrates artificial intelligence with clean energy and environmental solutions to optimize efficiency, reduce emissions, and support sustainability efforts; for example, AI-powered systems can optimize energy consumption in smart buildings, reducing waste and lowering carbon footprints. Here is their executive summary.

Fast forward 6 months later, to last week, a few days before the Clean AI summit in Toronto. I was catching up with Nick Parker, the host of the event, when he asked me, “What are your top goals for this week?” Without missing a beat, I said, “(1) Hang out with you, and (2) actually meet Jeremy Rifkin.”

Twilight of the Idols.

The Clean AI Summit was packed with more than 200+ renowned investors, innovators, and thinkers from more than 30 countries. Renowned guests like Tom Chi , Shivani Chotalia, P.Eng. Vaughn Blake , Laura Zizzo , Pooran Desai , Dustin Angelo , Guillermo Freire Josh Wong and many more. Such a success for a first edition. But the highlight was definetly having the author of the Third Industrial Revolution with us on stage.

Now, to me, Jeremy Rifkin is a legend.

He forecasted the intersection of technology, economics, and environmental sustainability, inventing the key concepts of the Third Industrial Revolution and the Zero Marginal Cost Society while advising governments such as the United States, European Union, Germany, and China on their transition to a low-carbon, resilient economy.

Some people are dreaming of meeting Taylor Swift.

For nearly a decade, I had dreamed of attending a round table interview with Jeremy Rifkin.

You need to understand that for me, you could say that Jeremy Rifkin is my Taylor Swift in a way: 10 years ago, I read his book and watched several of his interviews, they inspired my career choices and my vision of where I wanted to go in my life, how the future should look like.

The man is incredibly hard to pin down—just getting 10 seconds with him is nearly impossible. His speaking fees are sky-high, and his schedule is shielded by a gatekeeper who would win a World Cup if only he had played soccer. But I threw it out there anyway, hoping the universe might work its magic.

Two days later, I was meeting Jeremy Rifkin.

Nick came rushing up to me as soon as Jeremy Rifkin arrived at the event. Without hesitation, he introduced me, and before I knew it, I was standing face-to-face with one of my personal heroes. We ended up talking for five minutes about everything from the future of civilization to his vision for adapting to climate change. It felt surreal—like a moment I had only imagined in passing suddenly becoming a reality.

At some point during our conversation, I found the courage to tell him that his work had been a massive inspiration for me—so much so that it had led me to write my own book, The Adaptive Economy. I shared how my book talks about investing in human adaptation to climate and technological changes, which had been influenced by his thinking.

We even joked about the fact that I had written my book two years before he published his latest one on the same topic. Of course, mine didn’t come with the fame.

Then, something incredible happened. Jeremy Rifkin looked me in the eye and said, “You know, it’s the right time for an Adaptive Economy. Your investment mandate is going to resonate with a lot of government leaders very soon, no doubt.”

Hearing those words from Jeremy Rifkin felt like a seal of approval on everything I’d been working toward over the past 3 years. At that moment, I wasn’t just talking to an intellectual giant—I was receiving validation from someone who had been at the forefront of where the world was going for decades.

It wasn’t just another day.

Meeting Jeremy Rifkin was a moment of crystallization, where everything I’d worked toward—my book, my investment thesis, my vision—suddenly felt aligned with the future.

And that wasn’t even all that happened that day.

The man who invented “Cleantech” officially accepted my invitation to join the board of Atlas Capital. Just typing that feels surreal. If you had told me years ago that this was where I’d end up, I’m not sure I would’ve believed you.

After the conference, coming back to my hotel room I slowly realized that what I envisioned three years ago—The Adaptive Economy—wasn’t just a concept in my head anymore.

With or without my speeches, It was real, alive, and making waves by itself. Will this new economy of climate resilience and adaptation become a trillion-dollar industry one day?

I had sensed it, envisioned it, like so many others. I even tried, in my own way, to define it. But as mere humans, can we truly claim ownership of such ideas? Perhaps they’re more like waves—larger than us and our fellow surfers. We can attempt to ride them, but no one can control them.

Anyway.

Towards A Trillion Dollar Adaptation Economy?

Today, as I stood there, reflecting on that moment I was talking to Rifkin, it hit me: this is exactly what I’d been building toward.

God wants me on this path. So I'm not going to give up.

12 years ago, Nietzsche taught me to embrace life in its entirety, accepting its inherent chaos, suffering, and unpredictability — The last few days were a good reminder.

And to think, I almost didn’t come to Toronto. After wrapping up Climate Week in New York, where we had spent six intense, non-stop days with our Atlas portfolio companies, I was tempted to head back to Asia for some much-needed rest. I was exhausted, physically and mentally.

But something told me to keep pushing and take the trip to Toronto.

I’m so glad I did.

Because that day wasn’t just another notch in my career—it was the moment when the future became real.

The day I met Jeremy Rifkin. The day The Adaptive Economy took flight.

The day Atlas Capital gained a new board member who had shaped an entire industry. It was a day to remember, and it’s only the beginning.

Thank you, Nick, and welcome to Atlas Capital.