Concrete might be the backbone of modern society, but it comes at a steep carbon cost.

As global climate pressures intensify, the business of “greening” this essential material is heating up, and few are more determined to crack the code than Zarina Bazoeva, co-founder of Neocrete.

In the latest episode of The Business of Tech, Zarina sits down for an in-depth interview about how her New Zealand startup is tackling one of the world’s most stubborn climate problems: cement, the glue in concrete, is responsible for around 8% of global CO2 emissions. 

“To produce cement, we use a lot of fossil fuels, and so partly that's the reason why it's so carbon intensive, and the other part is because the chemistry of cement contains CO2 in it, so it is released during the manufacturing process,” Zarina told me.

Neocrete is using volcanic ash and its own additive to replace conventional cement ingredients, with promising results. With Neocrete shipping product to its first customer in Southeast Asia and embarking on a Series A capital raise, join us to hear Zarina outline her vision for cities build from low carbon concrete.

Streaming on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.