Inspiring Sustainability - Podcast

Clive Hall, founder of Rushlight Events and London Cleantech Cluster, chairman London Community Resource Network, and a Fellow of the RSA discusses the keys to building successful sustainability solutions and clean technologies start-ups, why he is inspired by the circular economy and the evolution of the Rushlight events. He talks passionately about why he has carried the torch for the cleantech sector as different buzzwords come and go.The conversation shares some powerful entrepreneurial advice for founders of cleantech and sustainable companies. Reminding startups to think about their route to market, Clive said that ‘its better to have a small percent of something than 100% percent of nothing.’Topics covered in this episode:Tips for cleantech entrepreneurs and how to get your startup investment‘Its not the best technology but the best business that wins’Why Clive is passionate about the circular economyThe Rushlight Show on 30th January, upcoming investor evening briefings and the Summer ShowcaseEvolution of the cleantech eventsThe reason behind the name ‘Rushlight’Useful links:Rushlight Show - https://www.rushlightevents.comClive Hall's Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/clive-hall-68740a/Rushlight Twitter: https://twitter.com/rushlightInnovate UK - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/innovate-ukBEIS - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategyVenner Shipley - https://www.vennershipley.co.uk/Carbon Limiting Technologies - https://www.carbonlimitingtechnologies.com/Granted Consultancy - https://grantedltd.co.uk/Everoze - http://everoze.com/Flanders Investment and Trade - https://www.flandersinvestmentandtrade.com/enProva - https://provapr.co.uk/Where did the word "Rushlight" come from - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RushlightChapters:[00:38] Who is Clive Hall?[02:53] What ignited the passion of Clive?[06:30] Why Rushlight?[09:35] Evolution of cleantech[15:06] Favourite technology or companies[18:31] Focus on effective storytelling[20:48] Routes to market[22:00] Why marine energy hasn't been the vanguard of renewable energy[23:02] Advice for cleantech company[25:20] Understanding yourself as an entrepreneur[26:27] Evolution of cleantech events[28:22] What is the Rushlight Show and who attends the event?[30:58] Circular economy[38:00] Rushlight Awards, Investor briefingsPodcast host, Adam Woodhall, is an advisor to cleantech, circular economy and sustainable startups on their growth stories. Connect with him here:https://twitter.com/adamwoodhallhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwoodhall/http://www.inspiring-sustainability.com

The passionate brainchild behind Cambridge Cleantech, Hugh Parnell gives a broad and deep insight into this critical industry as it is today including; the market failings it faces and how to overcome them, the relevance of his own acronym, EECO, the three S’s for start-up success, why we need inspiration from successful cleantech heroes and the collective approach needed to resolve global environmental issues. Recorded at the start of COP24, the global climate talks, in Adam Woodhall’s #GameChanger interview we learn how after a working for two decades in the oil industry, Hugh changed course in the year 2000 and has been involved in many environmental ventures in the two decades since and has helped grow a vibrant angel network.  In addition to his stimulating insights, we go on fascinating journey through his cleantech career, including being the founder and Chairman of Cambridge Cleantech and also non-exec director of five companies, including Enval a ground-breaking circular economy solution.With the aim of supporting and promoting commercial activities to encourage environmental sustainability initiatives, Cambridge Cleantech are a proactive connector in the green and eco technology solutions space. Hugh first met Adam at the recent Cleantech Venture Day in London, run by Cambridge Cleantech in partnership with the Nordic Innovation Accelerator, where he Chaired this prestigious networking event to bring together start-up companies, larger established organisations and investors.Useful Links:Hugh Parnell - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughparnellincambridge Cambridge Cleantech - www.cambridgecleantech.org.ukEnval - www.enval.comNordic Innovation Accelerator - https://www.nordicinnovationaccelerator.comCleantech Venture Day - http://www.cleantechday.com/london/Meet The Buyer Events - https://www.cambridgecleantech.org.uk/events/greater-london-authority-meet-the-buyer-eventPodcast host, Adam Woodhall, is an advisor to cleantech, circular economy and sustainable startups on their growth stories. Connect with him here:https://twitter.com/adamwoodhallhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwoodhall/http://www.inspiring-sustainability.comChapters:[02:55] Hugh Parnell - background and career[04:15] Hugh’s version of eco – an explanation of the EECO framework[11:23] Governmental obligations and expectations[13:08] The motivation behind Hugh’s two decades years in the cleantech industry[15:47] The three S’s – scale, speed and strength: Reality in transforming ideas into business[17:42] Market failings in the cleantech space and how to overcome these[19:22] Challenges in the progression of cleantech and sustainable enterprises[21:56] Evolution of Cambridge Cleantech, their purpose and mission[24:40] How Cambridge Cleantech is supporting companies to achieve scale[28:00] Enval circular economy technology[31:40] Why we need a language that better describes the current situation[33:30] Importance of designing products with reusable and recyclable options in mind

The Solar Impulse Foundation both celebrates and promotes game changing solutions and is a game changing organisation itself. In Adam Woodhall’s Inspiring Sustainability interview with Willem van Hasselt we learn where they are on this exciting, and necessary, journey.In 2003 global adventurer Betrand Picard decided to prove that you could fly around the world without use of fossil fuel. A 16-year-old Willem saw Betrand speak about his ambitions and was inspired to follow him in delivering a more sustainable world. In 2016, flying the Solar Impulse 2, Betrand fulfilled his ambition, and then launched the Solar Impulse Foundation. In 2018, Willem fulfilled his, by joining the Foundation as Investor Relations Manager.The Foundation established ‘The World Alliance for Efficient Solutions’ and in the interview we discuss how they are bringing together the main actors involved in developing, financing and promoting products, services and technologies that can mitigate climate change, protect the environment and create clean growth.If you are an innovator, entrepreneur or investor in cleantech and environmental sustainability, and want to be a member of the Foundation, create your free account on their website. Then you can apply to become a ‘Labelled Solution’: (https://solarimpulse.com/members/subscribe)Highlights of this episode: * What was learnt from flying around the world using only solar power* The types of cleantech ventures they are working with - from re-engineered wood to acid regeneration and from maritime to the building industry* How far into the 1000 ‘Labelled Solutions’ they are* Why profitability is essential for sustainability* How Willem is inspired by the collaborative nature of sustainable entrepreneurs* The ventures the foundation are looking to partner with* Betrand’s three key things which he shared with Willem 18 years agoUseful Links:Podcast host, Adam Woodhall:- https://twitter.com/adamwoodhall- https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwoodhall/Inspiring Sustainability: http://www.inspiring-sustainability.comSolar Impulse Foundation online: https://solarimpulse.com/Connect with Willem on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willemvanhasselt/Follow Solar Impulse Foundation and Bertand on Twitter:- https://twitter.com/solarimpulse- https://twitter.com/bertrandpiccardCleantech Venture Day run by Cambridge Cleantech:- http://www.cleantechday.com/london/- http://cambridgecleantech.org.uk/Cleantech startups featured:- Bound For Blue (Rigid Wing Sail System) https://solarimpulse.com/efficient-solutions/bound4blue-wingsail-system-for-fuel-efficiency-in-the-shipping-industry- REGMAX (Acid regeneration system for pickling steel) https://solarimpulse.com/efficient-solutions-design/regmax- WooDoo (Reengineered Wood) https://solarimpulse.com/efficient-solutions-design/woodooUnited World College Singapore https://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/Chapters: [0:58] What is the Solar Impulse Foundation[2:20] Examples of cleantech ventures on their platform and who they partner with[4:00] The genesis of the venture[8:38] The bigger picture of the foundation[11:03] How they review if a solution is profitable[12:20] Why it’s so important to be profitable[14:24] Dealing with people who don’t care about the environment[24:08] How Willem was inspired from a young age[30:00] Bertrand’s quote that WiIlem lives by everyday

Fusing the energy of the sun and start-ups is the topic of this podcast, where we find out how Tokamak Energy is planning to recreate the power of the sun... on a business park in Oxfordshire, and thus deliver almost limitless renewable energy.Physicist and communications consultant at Tokamak Energy, and polar explorer and conqueror of Everest, Dr Melanie Windridge, explains how nuclear fusion is not science fiction, but an energy source that will be clean, green and safe.Fusion energy has famously always been 30 years away from commercial utilisation, starting from the first international agreement to build a fusion reactor by the leaders of the USA and USSR, Reagan and Gorbachev, in 1985. There is still no clarity on when this massive global initiative will start producing energy commercially.Tokamak Energy, which started in 2009, is developing a small scale fusion reactor, which recently reached a temperature hotter than the centre of the Sun, 15 million degrees, and they plan to be producing industrial scale energy by 2025.Melanie who has a PhD in Plasma Physics from Imperial College London shares the history of fusion energy from the development of the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) and the JET (Joint European Thorus) to the current race for fusion energy which is now being led by start-ups around the world.Highlights of this episode:What is fusion energy how does it compare to fission nuclear energyRecent history of the developments in fusion energy and why the tokamak is a promising approachCurrent race to develop the first commercial fusion energy reactorCurrent developments at Tokamak Energy and their future plansCriticism of fusion energy and how we can overcome these challengesHow being an outdoor adventurer combined with her science background has allowed her to inspire othersHow she overcame initial difficulties working in a male dominated areaUseful links:Tokamak Energy: https://www.tokamakenergy.co.uk/Recent news release: https://www.tokamakenergy.co.uk/hotter-than-the-centre-of-the-sun-uk-prototype-reaches-15-million-degrees-paving-the-way-for-commercial-fusion-energy/ Melanie Windridge’s personal website: http://melaniewindridge.co.uk/Melanie’s book - Aurora: In search of the Nothern Lights: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28014506-auroraNuclear Fusion as a renewable resource: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_proposed_as_renewable_energy#Fusion_fuel_supplyChapters:[00:50] What is nuclear fusion?[05:00] Why is nuclear fusion energy always still 30 years away?[10:00] Tokamak Energy[13:00] A worldwide collaboration to create ITER and a big meeting between Reagan and Gorbachev[15:00] 3 things that affects output of fusion energy[17:00] Magnetic technology has moved on[19:00] Pivoting to making power stations with small tokamaks[20:40] Milestones to commercialise Tokamak Energy[23:00] Science is difficult to predict[26:00] Climate change is happening[29:00] Other types of fusion energy[32:00] Criticism of fusion energy[34:00] Background of Melanie Windridge[37:00] Polar exploration and climbing Everest[39:00] Being a woman in science

Serial entrepreneur Charlotte Morton of Cleantech Innovate shares her experience founding, advising and investing in game changing sustainable startups.In this episode, Charlotte talks about her inspiration switching from being a lawyer to founding car rental company Whizzgo which was acquired by City Car Club. Charlotte currently runs We Are Orchard where they manage the trade association ADBA (Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association) and Cleantech Innovate events that showcases and connects startups in sustainability with investors.Highlights of this episode:Introducing the pay-by-the-hour car rental concept to the UK and changing consumer behaviours with WhizzgoRunning a trade association organisation for sustainability niches at We Are OrchardThe types of support startup can expect from Cleantech Innovate and some of her favourite startup ideasElements that will derisk a startup for investors and success factors for foundersHow to bring the right experience into your board member and executive teamUseful links:Charlotte Morton’s Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-morton-1a0a322Charlotte Morton’s Twitter https://twitter.com/charlotte_adbaWe Are Orchard http://www.weareorchard.com/We Are Orchard’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/we-are-orchard-ltd/We Are Orchard’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/orchardexpoCleantech Innovate https://www.cleantechinnovate.com/Cleantech Innovate YT channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxp-J_8HK3h-a-ON71TSuRQ/videosAirponix http://www.airponix.com/Kite Power Solution http://www.kps.energy/67PallMall http://67pallmall.co.uk/

Richard Barker of Iona Capital talks about what the abolition of slavery in Britain tells us about climate change. The historic moral movement that preceded the industrial revolution is a poorly understood era of Britain but could hold the key to how finance and political campaigning need to change.This episode follows Richard Barker’s thought provoking TEDTalk and shines a light on possible radical solutions that can unlock the trillions of dollars tied in pension funds for long term sustainable investments. Richard Barker is an Adviser and Investment Committee Member at Iona Capital, a specialist environmental infrastructure investor. He has been active in the low carbon space for over a decade having previously been CEO of the UK’s leading biogas company and also CEO of France’s largest aluminium recycling company. He is a member of Al Gore’s Climate Reality Leadership Corps.Highlights of the podcast:+ Why there is enough wealth in the world to address climate change+ How a pay cheque to owners of big oil assets can be a solution to climate change+ Why the finance sector is not fit for purpose and how to fix this+ Why we should pay more attention to the opportunities than the cost of climate action+ Effective climate action for individuals, employees, businesses and governments+ What we can learn from organ donation to change people’s psychology“What Abolition of Slavery tells us about Climate Change” TEDTalk: https://youtu.be/3NI-j8sDKnoIona Capital https://www.ionacapital.co.uk/Richard Barker’s Linkendin https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-barker-78b97428/Host Adam Woodhall of http://www.inspiring-sustainability.comConnect: http://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwoodhall

BuyMeOnce is an online curator of beautiful products that last. Tara Button, CEO of buymeonce.com and author of “A Life Less Throwaway” shares her journey from working at a global advertising agency to manifesting her dream of a global platform for durable goods and leading a movement for sustainable living. First inspired by a Le Creuset cast iron pot, she was constantly looking for products that last and thought that someone else must have created a website with such a collection. Tara was “stalked by the idea of a website” for over 2 years before realising she had to take action.Tara shares her journey of commercialising the early Buy Me Once website after a Telegraph article went viral and her inbox was flooded with interest. After two major website upgrades and a change in business model, Buy Me Once is a growing seven person team, including one in New York, and over 2000 products listed.Highlights of the podcast:+ How they have developed a process to assess longevity and durability of products+ What companies are doing to improve the sustainability of products+ Why Tara is campaigning to make product lifetime information more transparent+ How the circular economy is the only way forward+ Tara’s book being sold all over the world, from Taiwan to Turkey and Vietnam to Poland+ Interesting products listed on their website; including a pen that has enough ink to last a lifetime, the unpoppable One World Futbol and the Elvis & Kresse wallets made out of London Fire Brigade hosesBuy Me Once website: www.buymeonce.comTara’s personal website: www.tarabutton.comTwitter https://twitter.com/buymeonceA Life Less Throway: https://buymeonce.com/pages/a-life-less-throwawayOne World Futbol: https://uk.buymeonce.com/products/one-world-play-one-world-football-blueInfinium Space Pen: https://uk.buymeonce.com/products/fisher-space-pen-infinium-space-pen-black-titaniumElvis & Kresse: https://www.elvisandkresse.comHost Adam Woodhall of www.inspiring-sustainability.comConnect: www.linkedin.com/in/adamwoodhall

The risk of crossing a tipping point leading to ecosystem collapse is clear to Alan Laubsch of Lykke, and having spent years mapping climate risk he came to conclude that it is his life commitment to take systemic climate action.Alan is a connector and ecosystems builder. His mission is to protect earth’s most vital ecosystems by democratizing impact investment with the blockchain. He has over two decades of risk management experience with leading financial institutions. As he says in the interview:“After many false starts I believe it’s time for a new approach to carbon, to reinvent carbon markets and the overall idea is very simple. Every organisation manages financial capital. It also manages human capital. Finally, every organisation should also manage natural capital.”Lykke is a marketplace for free exchange of financial assets. Their mission is huge, with a fully open-sourced platform, they see a future where natural capital is fully tokenized and protection of natural resources is incentivised.Alan explains how blockchain technology is uniquely positioned to disrupt financial markets which is full of intermediaries, such as brokers and banks. Bringing in high frequency trading algorithms into marketplaces like Lykke will bring liquidity to the natural capital markets. Lykke listed TREE, the first natural capital backed cryptocurrency where anyone can invest into preservation of our planet. By owning one TREE token, you participate in the movement of preserving one of the most valuable plants of Myanmar, the mangrove.Connect with Alan Laubsch https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlaubsch/Alan interview on Lykke: https://www.lykke.com/city/blog/team-interview-alanTree Tokens http://tree-volution.com/Tree Tokens on Lykke: https://www.lykke.com/how-to-buy-world-view-treeThor Heyerdahl Climate Park: http://www.wif.care/heyerdahl-climate-parks/