Innovation Matters

Anthony, Mike, and Karthik try to figure out the future of plastics recycling, industrial policy, and why policy is currently, you know, like this. 

Karthik, Mike, and Anthony take a deep dive on the Apple Vision Pro, and then are joined by Landmark Ventures' Isaac Brown to unpack the real opportunities for AI and technology in manufacturing. 

Claire Weiller, head of Product and Partnerships at Fermata Energy, joins Anthony, Mike, and Karthik to discuss how electric vehicles can act as energy storage for the grid. 

Karthik, Anthony, and Mike catch up on the news and learn about the one simple fix that will solve the issue of ESG.  For more insights on innovation, check out the Lux Research Blog .

Safia Qureshi, founder and CEO of CLUBZERØ, joins Karthik, Mike, and Anthony to discuss the pitfalls and opportunities for returnable packaging.

Mike, Karthik, and Anthony discuss a growing controversy around undersea mining, and are joined by the cofounder and CEO of Unibloom Anna Sandgren to learn more about the growing world of sustainability data platforms. Corportation need good data to make sustainability decisions - but it takes a lot more than that to bring real sustainability efforts to life. 

Lux's Chief Product Officer Arij Van Berkel joins Anthony, Mike, and Karthik to discuss the year ahead. With interest rates on the rise, funding for start-ups down, and governments rolling out more aggressive innovation policy, the old paradigm of open innovation is increasingly falling by the wayside. Dr. Van Berkel sees a shift to shared innovation, with serious ramifications for everyone trying...

Ammonia is one of the hottest innovation topics in the energy sector, but there's still doubt about its long-term role in the sustainable transition. Mike, Karthik, and Anthony are joined by Jacob Grose, CEO of Copernic, to discuss the future of low carbon ammonia and how innovation can drive decarbonization in energy and industrial applications. 

2023 is officially in the books, and the official Innovation Matters take is that the vibes were kinda off. Will the questionable vibes continue in 2024? Karthik, Mike, and Anthony make predictions for what's to come in 2024, touching on critical minerals, VC investing, grid reliability, and the ongoing climate crisis. 

With 2024 rapidly approaching, Mike, Karthik, and Anthony reflect on the top technologies of 2023. Which technologies were the winners? What's Anthony's go-to McDonald's order? All this and more: from nuclear energy to reusable packaging, the team highlights the most important technology shifts from 2023. 

Mike, Anthony, and a back-from-vacation Karthik tackle all the news, including COP28, the carbon footprint of plastic pyrolysis, and the important issue of kangaroo derived carbon credits. Then, they sit down with Zero Waste Europe's Janek Vahk to break down the recent Packaging and Packaging Waste regulations. We discuss the regulation's wins, failures, and what the best path is for plastic waste...

Mike and Anthony talk court intrigue at OpenAI - will the firing, hiring, and rehiring of Sam Altman derail the development of AI? Or is it all just shadows on the wall? Then, Mike is joined by two experts on the US bioeconomy, Genya Dana and Steven Evans, to learn more about Biomade's efforts to get the bioeconomy across the commercial valley of death.  

This week, just Anthony and Mike are taking on the news: Lux's forum in Amsterdam, Exxon's move into lithium production, New York's lawsuit against PepsiCo, and the problem with sustainable technologies that just don't work.

What's the deal with circular apparel? Can companies overcome their incentives to produce and sell more cheap clothing and truly embrace circularity? Can AI really be used for good? Which Innovation Matters host has met Jerry Seinfeld? All this and more as the hosts are joined by Renewcell's CCO to dig into sustainable apparel and the future of the industry. 

Is US energy policy going to accelerate the energy transition - or is it actually, secretly, bad? This question lies at the heart of today's episode, which sees Anthony, Karthik, and Mike joined by Dr. Arij van Berkel to discuss the recent US DOE Hydrogen Hub funding announcement. 

This week Karthik, Mike, and Anthony catch up on some recent news, including Nucor and Helion's recent fusion announcement and the ongoing United Auto Workers strike in America. 

The venture investing space has seen huge disruption in the past few years, as rising interest rates have triggered a major change in the availability of funding. This week, the hosts are joined by Xiao Zhong, a principal at Mach49 to talk about the big questions - is corporate venturing a useful tool for sustainable innovation? Where does it go wrong? And what does the changed policy landscape me...

Anthony, Mike, and Karthik sound off on Lego's recent recycling flop, and then are joined by Steve Weiss, founder of Grey Heron and longtime innovation leader in the industrial biotech industry. They discuss the pitfalls and opportunities of sustainable innovation, where SPACs went wrong, and more. 

Is reusability a way to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainability? Or is it just more greenwashing? Anthony, Karthik, and Mike discuss Starbucks' new reuse campaign and then talk to the CEO of Muuse, which is putting reuse into practice in Singapore. 

Mike, Karthik and Anthony render judgement on Apple's recent sustainability claims and discuss the possibility of UN regulation on the plastics industry. Then, Adam Litle, the CEO of Sound Agriculture, joins to discuss biostimulants and the challenges of innovating in the agriculture industry.

The CEO of Sublime Systems Leah Ellis joins to talk all about the process of trying to disrupt one of the most challenging industries: cement. Plus, the hosts sound off on AI and pumped hydro. 

Is direct air capture a crucial part of stopping climate change, or merely cover for oil and gas companies to keep drilling? Can ChatGPT help scientists invent a new material? What's the deal with sailboats? We discuss all this and more, and are joined by Jim Hollis, the COO of Geothermal Technologies, to learn more about the future of geothermal energy. 

Anthony, Karthik, and Mike share their thoughts on a recent court case that could pave the way for more climate justice and look back on the biggest sustainable innovation story of the past year, the Inflation Reduction Act.  

In this episode Anthony, Karthik, and Mike tackle the role of oil and gas companies in the sustainable transition, and the impact of ESG finance. Then, they are joined by LanzaTech's Chief Sustainability Officer Freya Burton to learn about LanzaTech's innovation journey and what the future holds for climate tech. 

Anthony and Karthik talk about the hype around LK-99 - the recently discovered, highly controversial alleged room temperature, ambient pressure superconductor. Then, they are joined by the CEO of the Fusion Industry Association Andrew Holland to discuss the present and future of fusion power.