As climate ambition ramps up, one question still looms: Is net zero really enough? In this episode, we sit down with Olly Bolton , CEO and co-founder of Earthly , a climate tech company helping businesses invest in high-quality, science-backed nature-based solutions . Earthly isn’t just another carbon offset platform — it’s building the infrastructure for regeneration . Through a rigorous 106-point project assessment, Earthly ensures that investments go beyond carbon to also deliver on biodivers...
Jun 05, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 43
In this conversation, Friederike and Marian Krüger delve into the intersection of climate technology and entrepreneurship, exploring Marian's journey from a background in basketball to becoming a key player in the carbon removal space. They discuss the founding of a drone-based photovoltaic diagnostic company, the lessons learned from its exit, and the transition to focusing on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) methods. The conversation highlights the importance of various CDR technologies, the poten...
May 01, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 42
In this engaging conversation, Friederike von Waldenfels speaks with Zoe Gamble about the pressing transition to clean energy, exploring Zoe's unique career path, the current landscape of renewable energy in the U.S., and the challenges and trends shaping the industry. They discuss community solar projects, the role of Clean Choice Energy, and reflect on the experiences of women in the energy sector, culminating in a forward-looking perspective on achieving net zero by 2050.
Apr 10, 2025•48 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In this episode Berk Birand discusses the intersection of AI and sustainability, sharing his journey from a young tech enthusiast to the co-founder of Fero Labs . He highlights the challenges of entrepreneurship, the importance of integrating AI into manufacturing processes, and the evolving role of sustainability in industry. Berk emphasizes the need for companies to adapt to changing market conditions and the potential of AI to drive efficiency and reduce environmental impact. In this conv...
Mar 27, 2025•56 min•Season 1Ep. 40
In this episode we focus on Regenerative agriculture, which presents a transformative approach to combating climate change while enhancing the soil's health. Francisco Roque de Pinho shares insights into how the Land Group scales regenerative practices for financial and environmental benefits, while also intertwining his passion for surfing and resilience with his entrepreneurial journey. In this episode we address: • Exploration of regenerative agriculture and its significance • Discussion...
Feb 06, 2025•49 min•Season 1Ep. 39
Curtis E. Shuck Jr., a former oil and gas industry insider, stumbled upon a pressing environmental crisis that changed his life's course. Discover how his unexpected encounter with orphaned oil and gas wells in Montana ignited the birth of the Well Done Foundation, a nonprofit tackling these hazardous sites one well at a time. Curtis's journey from industry "bad guy" to environmental champion is a testament to the power of grassroots innovation and the relentless pursuit of environmental restora...
Jan 14, 2025•43 min•Season 1Ep. 38
Today, we're thrilled to have Anna Alex, a serial entrepreneur and visionary, as our guest. Anna has co-founded and scaled several successful companies, including Outfittery, Planetly, and now Nala Earth. Her journey is a testament to her passion for innovation and her unwavering commitment to making a positive impact on our planet. As Anna herself puts it, "We need to overcome this nonprofit for-profit idea and split in our heads." → can you get this quote out of the podcast? In this episode, w...
Nov 07, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 37
In this episode of Sustain Now , we dive into an innovative solution to combat one of the most pressing environmental issues: methane emissions from livestock. The guest, Steve Meller, CEO and Co-founder of CH4 Global, takes us on a journey of discovering how seaweed can significantly reduce methane emissions from cattle. Founded in 2018, CH4 Global is on a mission to tackle methane—a greenhouse gas with more than 80 times the warming potential of CO2 over 20 years. Methane is primarily emitted ...
Sep 02, 2024•55 min
In this episode of Sustain Now , we sit down with Kilian Kaminski, Co-founder of Refurbed, a leading marketplace for refurbished products. Refurbed offers consumers a sustainable alternative to buying new, with a growing selection of electronics, sports equipment, and household items. Through a meticulous 40-step refurbishment process, Refurbed ensures top-quality, affordable products while promoting a circular economy and reducing electronic waste. Kilian shares the story behind Refurbed’s foun...
Aug 10, 2024•49 min
In this episode of Sustain Now , we speak with Bas van Abel, the founder of Fairphone, the world’s first smartphone company designed with sustainability and ethical practices at its core. Bas shares his journey from a curious child fascinated by how things work, to becoming a pioneer in the sustainable tech industry. After seeing the waste and harm caused by the smartphone industry, he was inspired to create a company that would address these issues head-on, starting with the Fairphone crowdfund...
Jul 23, 2024•45 min
In this episode of SustainNOW , we delve into the world of innovative lithium-ion battery manufacturing with Paul Baade, the co-founder of 8Inks. From his early days at ETH Zurich, where he developed an electric race car in the Model F1 Club, to his Ph.D. in materials and device engineering, Paul’s journey has been fueled by a passion for sustainable technology. Now, through 8Inks, Paul is revolutionizing battery design, pushing the boundaries of performance, reliability, and sustainability. Joi...
May 13, 2024•33 min
Today, we're focusing on MuteBox, a company dedicated to redefining workspace design by offering modular phone booths and meeting rooms with a sustainability focus. Joining us are Christian Toft Bach, CMO, and Adil Sheikh, Managing Director of MuteBox, who share the journey of this innovative Danish company. MuteBox offers a smart solution to the hybrid workspace challenge by creating sound-regulating phone booths that fit seamlessly into existing office environments. As companies adapt to post-...
May 01, 2024•38 min
In this episode of SustainNOW , we sit down with co-founder Joshua Lachter to explore how Synonym is pioneering the bioeconomy revolution. As a self-proclaimed biological maximalist, Joshua is dedicated to using biotechnology to replace petrochemical products and accelerate the transition to sustainable materials. Synonym’s mission is ambitious: to create a bioeconomy asset class that enables the commercialization of bio-based products, aiming to replace over 50% of petrochemical products with b...
Mar 25, 2024•49 min
In this episode of SustainNOW , Philippe Birker, co-founder of Climate Farmers , takes us on a journey into the world of regenerative agriculture. Growing up in an agricultural town in Western Germany, Philippe has always been connected to farming, and now he’s dedicated to restoring its image and making it more sustainable. He shares his mission to make farming "sexy again" by highlighting the importance of regenerative practices that enhance soil health, increase biodiversity, and combat clima...
Feb 28, 2024•44 min
In this episode of SustainNOW , Doris Hafenbradl, CTO of Electrochaea , shares her groundbreaking work harnessing the power of archaea to create sustainable bio-methane. Doris, a passionate scientist with a background in biotech and pharmaceuticals, has spent over a decade exploring how ancient organisms like archaea can revolutionize energy production. Electrochaea leverages methanogenic archaea to convert renewable energy and carbon dioxide into synthetic methane, a crucial energy product comp...
Feb 14, 2024•49 min
Today I am talking with Lara Bryant, Deputy Director of NRDC (The Nature Resource Defence Council) in USA. Lara has a background in chemistry and studied plant and Soil Science and has a master’s degree in public administration in environmental science and policy from Columbia University. NRDC is a Non-Profit organization with more than 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 700 scientists, lawyers, and other environmental specialists to confront the climate crisis. La...
Nov 17, 2023•29 min
Rose and Ruben co-founded SeaO2, an oceanic carbon removal company based in the Netherlands, with the ambitious mission to reduce CO2 concentrations in the ocean and the atmosphere, combating global warming. Rose, inspired by her PhD research on electrochemical oceanic carbon capture, partnered with Ruben, a serial entrepreneur with expertise in business consulting, to bring their vision to life. Along with their third co-founder, David Vermaas, they formed SeaO2, aiming to capture 1 Gigaton of ...
Nov 01, 2023•45 min
Stephanie Bischof, Managing Director of AirFix, shares insights into the growing field of Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS), a critical solution to reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change. With over a decade of experience in corporate finance, Stephanie transitioned into the climate field after being inspired by a documentary on soil health. Since 2022, she has been leading AirFix, a company focused on developing carbon capture infrastructure and creating markets for neg...
Oct 11, 2023•38 min
Nirav Patel, founder and CEO of Framework, shares the vision behind his innovative company that aims to tackle the massive environmental impact of consumer electronics. Framework was founded in 2019 with a bold mission: to create products that are long-lasting and sustainable. After working as an engineer at major tech companies like Apple, Meta (Facebook), and Oculus VR, Nirav took the leap into entrepreneurship, driven by his desire to reduce e-waste and its environmental consequences. Framewo...
Sep 14, 2023•31 min
Dana Yarden is the co-founder of BioBetter, an Israeli Agri/FoodTech start-up that aims to revolutionize the cultivated meat industry by using tobacco plants as natural bioreactors for producing growth factors (GFs). Dana’s background spans 18 years in the Life Science and Biotech industries, and she holds both an MD and an MBA from Tel-Aviv University. Through BioBetter, Dana envisions a future where molecular farming—using plants like tobacco to produce crucial resources—plays a pivotal role i...
Aug 23, 2023•39 min
In this special episode, Friederike von Waldenfels, the CEO of Forestrock and Founder of SustainNOW , discusses the concept of Green Retail during her keynote at the SCORE! – Swiss Conference for Retail and E-Commerce. In her speech, she highlights the growing importance of sustainability in retail and why she believes Green Retail is both an opportunity and a necessity . Here are the three reasons why Friederike believes Green Retail works: Green Retail is like the Digital Revolution 20 years a...
Aug 07, 2023•28 min
In this episode, Milo Stössel , the Co-Founder of Quickpac , talks about the concept of last-mile delivery in e-commerce and how Quickpac is revolutionizing this space with electric vehicles. Last-mile delivery refers to the final leg of the delivery process, where goods are transported from a distribution center to the customer's doorstep. As online shopping continues to rise, there is an increasing demand for efficient, fast, and eco-friendly solutions to deliver products. However, last-mile d...
Jul 19, 2023•40 min
In todays episode, I am speaking with Ted-Li, co-founder of Oaesense. Oasense developed a self-powered smart showerhead that helps people conserve up to 60% of water and energy by switching off automatically when you step away. Ted-Li has an engineering background and worked in different sensor focused companies as well at Apple. He joined as co-founder in 2019. Ted, an optoelectronic technologist and passionate nature lover, shares the story behind the Oasense Smart Shower—designed to conserve ...
Jul 08, 2023•23 min
In this insightful episode of sustainNOW , Katie speaks with Tim Schumacher , a serial entrepreneur and investor deeply committed to climate impact. Tim’s entrepreneurial journey includes co-founding Ecosia , the world’s largest independent search engine, which uses all its profits to plant trees. Tim’s passion for sustainability has driven him to invest in and co-found startups like Zolar , CarbonCloud , Pachama , and World Fund , a venture capital fund focusing on climate tech. Tim shares his ...
May 30, 2023•40 min
In this episode of SustainNOW, we’re joined by Sabine Stuiver , the CMO and co-founder of Hydraloop , a company that’s revolutionizing water conservation with its innovative decentralized water recycling systems. Sabine, recognized as one of Europe's top female entrepreneurs with sustainable innovations, shares her journey from the corporate world to leading a company focused on tackling water scarcity while preserving comfort and convenience. As the world faces increasing water scarcity, especi...
Apr 24, 2023•55 min
In todays episode, I am speaking with Jonas Warmstad, founder and CMO of Drupps. Their vision is to recycle industrial evaporated wastewater into drinking water while recycling a lot of heat at the same time. Jonas says about himself that he is an engineer with too little patience to be an engineer. He wants to solve sustainability problems and the fastest way to do so, is sometimes to combine and re-purpose old methods and technologies. Drupps’ innovative technology captures moisture from the a...
Apr 02, 2023•40 min
In this insightful episode, Lynsey Wenger, CFO of Pairwise, delves into how cutting-edge technology is transforming our food systems. Pairwise is leveraging the power of CRISPR gene-editing to enhance plant diversity, creating healthier and more sustainable fruits and vegetables. Lynsey, with her rich background in global natural resources investment banking and sustainability, shares her unique journey to Pairwise and how her financial expertise intersects with the mission to improve both human...
Mar 15, 2023•47 min
What if living a zero-carbon life was effortless? In this episode of SustainNow , we sit down with Till Quack , co-founder of Zerofy , a game-changing app designed to help households track and reduce their carbon footprint—automatically. Till, a seasoned tech entrepreneur with a background in AI and AR/VR, made the leap into climate tech to tackle one of the biggest challenges of our time. Zerofy’s mission? To make sustainable living seamless, empowering users to monitor their carbon impact in r...
Feb 14, 2023•33 min
Could mushrooms be the future of sustainable food? In this episode of SustainNow , we sit down with Isabella Iglesias-Musachio , co-founder and CEO of Bosque Foods , a pioneering startup using mycelium fermentation to create whole-cut meat and fish alternatives. Mycelium, the root-like structure of fungi, is packed with nutrients, naturally umami-rich, and requires far fewer resources than traditional meat or plant-based proteins. Isabella shares how Bosque Foods is leading the charge in food te...
Jan 08, 2023•40 min
Can crushed rocks help fight climate change? In this episode of SustainNow , we talk to Mary Yap , co-founder and CEO of Lithos Carbon , a pioneering company using enhanced rock weathering to capture gigatons of CO₂ while improving soil health. By spreading basalt rock on farmland, Lithos accelerates a natural process that pulls carbon from the air and locks it into the earth— all while boosting crop yields . With her background in plant biology and geology , Mary is on a mission to turn farmlan...
Nov 17, 2022•47 min
