Leaders on a Mission

What if a tractor could change the future of farming?  In this episode, Monarch Tractor CEO Praveen Penmetsa reveals how electric, autonomous machines such as electric tractors are reshaping sustainable agriculture—one farm at a time.  With 500+ robots already sold, in excess of $20M revenue for 2024 and a bold energy-data-autonomy platform, Monarch is solving one of the toughest innovation puzzle...

What if the climate crisis isn’t just about carbon—but about people, systems, and resilience?  In this episode, I sit down with Hampus Jakobsson, General Partner at Pale Blue Dot, a $100M early-stage climate tech fund.  Hampus shares why he left a life of “freedom and bliss” to go all-in on climate innovation—and why the next great founders must be both visionary and gritty.  From navigating uncer...

The future of business is AI-driven, data-informed, and sustainability-focused.  But how do we fund the startups shaping this new reality? In this episode, Tim Chiang, Co-Founder and Partner at Myriad Ventures, unpacks his journey from engineering to venture capital and how Myriad is reshaping AI, deep tech, and clean tech investing.  Learn how AI changes venture capital and how Myriad connects st...

Can we truly decarbonize cities without disrupting daily life?  Shane Johnson, CEO & Co-Founder of CarbonQuest, is proving it's possible. In this episode, Shane shares his journey from engineer to entrepreneur, pioneering on-site carbon capture for hard-to-abate sectors like real estate and industry.  Discover how his team built the world’s first distributed CO2 capture system in an NYC h...

 What if the biggest investment opportunity of our time is also our greatest challenge?  In this episode of Leaders on a Mission, host Simon Leich sits down with Adrian Bührer, Managing Partner at Übermorgen Ventures, to explore the intersection of venture capital and climate innovation.  Adrian shares his journey from entrepreneur to impact investor, the critical role of long-term capital in deca...

What if we could revolutionize agriculture with biology instead of chemicals?  Join Tim Schnabel, CEO of Switch Bioworks, as he delves into the company’s mission to replace 50% of traditional nitrogen fertilizers with engineered microbes.  Tim shares the scientific breakthroughs powering this shift, including microbial symbiosis, ammonia production, and precision field testing.  From raising $28M...

Why is “tough tech” set to revolutionize the next wave of energy transition?  Michael Kearney, General Partner at The Engine Ventures, shares how startups tackling hard engineering problems are unlocking clean, firm baseload power like geothermal, fusion, and fission.  With renewable energy making up 96% of new U.S. production in 2024, Michael explores the rapid scaling of technology, overcoming t...

Cement accounts for 8% of global CO₂ emissions, but what if it could be reimagined to help solve the climate crisis?  Join Simon Leich as he sits down with Ryan Gilliam, CEO of Fortera, to explore how they’re transforming the cement industry, using scalable, economically competitive, and low-carbon technologies in sustainable cement production. Ryan shares hard-earned insights from 20 years in cli...

From growing up in poverty in upstate New York to coining the term "cloud computing" and revolutionising venture capital, Sean O’Sullivan’s story is nothing short of remarkable.  As Founder and Managing Partner of SOSV, Sean has backed over 1,000 startups through world-renowned programs like IndieBio and HAX, driving breakthroughs in synthetic biology, climate tech, and more.  In this ep...

What does it take to lead an advanced materials company from the brink of bankruptcy to becoming a global innovator in nano-composites? In this episode, Simon sits down with Craig Bandes, CEO of Pixelligent Technologies, to unpack his extraordinary 15-year journey. Craig reveals how Pixelligent’s dispersion technology is revolutionising augmented and mixed reality devices with brighter displays, l...

Which early-stage startups are poised for success in the climate tech world? Venture expert Josh Posamentier reveals the telltale green flags that signal a winning investment opportunity. In this episode, Josh shares how early-stage venture capital is driving transformative innovations in climate tech, from renewable energy and food systems to mobility and manufacturing. Josh dives into the critic...

Microsoft opens up a new data center globally every three days. We need to make sure there’s enough clean energy to power this!  In this episode, Tim Vail, CEO of ION Clean Energy, explains how his company is revolutionizing clean power and decarbonization for hyperscalers. Vail shares his decades-long journey in the energy industry and how he found his calling in the fight against climate change....

Hendrik Van Asbroeck shares Astanor Ventures' exciting approach to venture capital, fueling groundbreaking, impact-driven startups revolutionizing the future of food and agriculture. In this insightful conversation, Hendrik discusses his firm's mission to create a more sustainable and regenerative food system globally, drawing on his own journey from corporate finance to clean tech. He e...

Sky NRG is revolutionizing aviation with sustainable fuel to tackle climate change and decarbonize the skies. In this episode, Philippe Lacamp, CEO of SkyNRG, delves into the challenges and opportunities of transforming the aviation industry through sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).  He shares the incredible journey of SkyNRG, from its early efforts to create demand for SAF to its role in building...

Is nuclear energy a dinosaur from the past? Ed McGinnis talks about exciting new nuclear energy innovations that are leading the path for clean energy transition, as well as solving nuclear waste issues. The CEO of Curio shares his unique journey from working in high-level government nuclear policy to leading Curio, a fascinating company transforming clean nuclear energy.  He explains how Curio’s...

Explore how Zenobē Energy has raised over 1 billion pounds with their innovative energy storage and electric vehicle technology. Steven Meersman, Founder Director of Zenobē Energy, is leading the clean energy revolution, tackling grid challenges, scaling electric mobility, and shaping the future of sustainable energy. From financing breakthroughs to revolutionizing public transport such as electri...

Qorium is revolutionizing the leather industry with lab-grown, animal-free leather that's sustainable, cruelty-free, and set to reshape the future of fashion. In this episode, Michael Newton, CEO of Qorium, takes us on an exciting journey through the groundbreaking world of sustainable leather. He explains how Qorium pioneered the creation of real leather without harming animals, using innova...

Bart Biebuyck, CEO and founder of Green Energy Park, discusses how they are driving the transition to affordable, renewable hydrogen. From his early career with Toyota to leading Europe’s largest hydrogen research program, Bart shares his passion for hydrogen energy and its potential to revolutionize the global energy landscape.  Bart explains how his personal concerns for climate change led him t...

Jeremy Wrathall, founder and CEO of Cornish Lithium, is revolutionizing the way lithium and other vital battery metals are sourced in the UK. He shares his bold vision for sustainable extraction methods that are helping to shape the future of the UK’s green economy. Jeremy’s passion for geology and his understanding of lithium’s growing importance in the global energy transition sparked the creati...

LanzaJet, led by CEO Jimmy Samartzis, is pioneering the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from waste materials. LanzaJet has developed an amazing technology that transforms ethanol from sources like municipal waste and agricultural residues into bio jet fuel , offering a greener alternative to fossil-based fuels. By avoiding the extraction of new carbon, LanzaJet’s approach recycles ex...

Aaron Rudberg of S2G Ventures shares his firm's unique approach to sustainable investing, focusing on positive environmental and social impact. Aaron addresses the question "what is sustainable investment?" and explains how S2G invests in "tough tech" industries like energy and agriculture, providing patient capital and hands-on support to help these companies scale.   Dis...

In this episode, host Simon Leich chats to Greg about his carbon conversion company's pioneering work in CO2 capture and carbon conversion – turning it into valuable products like sustainable aviation fuel in partnership with @NASA.   Greg discusses @aircompanynyc 's innovative "artificial photosynthesis" technology that combines CO2 and hydrogen to create sustainable fuels, ch...

Chad Mason, CEO of Advanced Ionics, shares how they're pioneering the efficient, cost-effective green hydrogen tech of the future. Advanced Ionics play a leading role in the transition to a sustainable energy future with hydrogen green energy. In this episode, Chad discusses his personal journey, from growing up on a family farm to developing a passion for green hydrogen systems.  🌊 He expla...

CEO Rory Brown explains how Airhive are using CO2 capture technology to reduce the carbon footprints of major brands like Coca-Cola. The UK-based green tech company is revolutionizing the world of direct air capture. Airhive has developed a cutting-edge fluidized bed system that can efficiently removes CO2 from air on an industrial scale.   🥤But the story doesn't stop there. Airhive has forg...

Robert Fryers’ company, Spotta, are shaking up the pest control world with some seriously cutting-edge tech. In this episode, I chat with him about their not-so-secret methods of eco friendly insect control.  Robert takes us on his journey from the medical devices field to becoming a leader in pest control solutions, tackling a $400 billion problem head-on! He shares how his insect control company...