Conscious Tech

Textile waste generates more greenhouse gas emissions than aviation and shipping combined, and most of what's produced ends up landfilled or burned. In this episode, Sera Tajima talks with Jean-Michel Scheuren, founder of Novobiom, about how fungi, nature's recyclers and chemists, can turn that waste into value. Jean-Michel breaks down how Novobiom uses fermentation, genomic modeling, and AI to separate cotton from polyester in blended textile waste, and how the same platform powers their bioremediation work decontaminating former industrial sites across Europe and their biotech partnership with L'Oréal. The conversation also touches on the shifting venture landscape for deep tech and biotech.

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00:00 – Intro

01:24 – How Jean-Michel got into mycellium

02:17 – Fungi as nature's recyclers and chemists

03:35 – Why fungi over chemistry

06:27 – The scale of textile waste

07:30 – Reframing waste as a resource

09:44 – Why cotton-polyester blends are "free food" for fungi

14:08 – The client request that started Novobiom's textile work19:06 – The L'Oréal partnership

34:39 – Expanding into bioremediation

36:16 – Why bioremediation is cost-effective but underused

52:40 – The shifting VC landscape for deep tech and biotech

53:04 – Lightning round

55:22 – The meeting that changed Jean-Michel's life

Reach VCs, founders and operators:[email protected]

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Jinna Li and John Mairlot are the married GPs behind Endgame Capital — one of Europe's most commercially rigorous climate funds. In this episode, we get into their "climate denier proof" thesis, why they only back companies that win on economics alone, how they raised €8M in four months as first-time fund managers, and what European startups need to finally cross the chasm from lab to commercial contract.

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By 2035, cooling will consume more electricity than every data center on the planet combined. Yet, it remains one of the most underfunded problems in climate tech. In this episode, I sit down with Christian Hernandez, partner at 2150, one of Europe's leading urban tech funds, and Dr. Daniel Betts, founder of Blue Frontier, who spun his breakthrough cooling technology out of the National Renewable Energy Lab.

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[00:00] Christian's origin story: from Microsoft & Google to climate VC

[02:15] The contrarian bet: 50% of emissions, 11% of capital

[03:53] Why cooling? From comfort problem to survivability problem

[06:21] Daniel's story: from power generation to AC

[09:32] The technology was too good not to bring to market

[11:18] What actually happens to the grid during a heat wave

[13:50] What is a GigaCorn? Christian explains

[16:52] How Blue Frontier's technology works & liquid desiccant explained

[22:15] The refrigerant problem: 2,000x worse than CO2

[24:48] Why batteries aren't the answer: the California grid case study

[28:51] Cooling as a Service: Blue Frontier's business model

[31:56] What deep tech founders struggle with most

[37:11] "Ship what's on the truck," the no shiny things rule

[38:09] US vs. Europe: how 2150's pipeline has shifted

[39:36] Lessons from Fund 1: never underwrite subsidies

[40:36] Defense tech, dual use, and Article 9

[42:55] The unlock that would 10x the pace

[46:49] Lightning round

[48:04] Ichigo Ichie: the encounter that changed everything

Reach founders, VCs, and operators:

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Andres Mitnik is the CEO of Strong by Form, a deep tech startup revolutionizing sustainable construction materials. With a background in civil engineering and advanced degrees from Harvard and NYU, Andres is tackling industrial decarbonization—responsible for 30% of global carbon emissions.

Strong by Form has developed Wood Flow, a next-generation timber composite that replaces steel, concrete, and aluminum at a fraction of the weight and, critically, at a price point competitive with traditional materials.

After seven years of development and over €5 million raised, the company has secured partnerships with industry giants including BMW, Deutsche Bahn, and Vinci. Now preparing for their Series A, Strong by Form is proving that climate tech can compete on both performance and cost in the $16 trillion construction industry.

Get weekly deep tech intel at conscioustech.co

Chapters 📖

[00:00:00] Industrial Decarbonization & the Green Premium Challenge

[00:02:06] Why Hardware Matters: Beyond Software Solutions

[00:05:49] From Real Estate Consulting to Climate Tech

[00:08:11] Wood Flow Technology: 3D Wood Composites Explained

[00:11:21] Shape Optimization & Fiber Alignment Innovation

[00:13:44] Three Seasoned Founders: Dividing Technical & Business Roles

[00:17:16] Global Expansion: From Chile to Europe

[00:18:37] BMW Partnership & Mobility Applications

[00:19:25] The Holy Grail: Price Competitive with Concrete

[00:21:18] Finding Product-Market Fit in Deep Tech

[00:24:31] Building Visibility: Marketing a Physical Product

[00:27:27] Going to Market: Architecture, Mobility & Construction

[00:31:38] Product-Market Fit Research Insights

[00:36:41] The Catalog Strategy: Balancing Bespoke & Standardization

[00:38:34] Regulations, Durability & Fire Resistance

[00:42:18] Sustainable Wood Sourcing & Certification

[00:46:02] Cost vs. Sustainability: The Reality Check

[00:47:57] Seed Round to Series A: The Fundraising Journey

[00:51:38] Investor Milestones: Unit Economics & Production Costs

[00:54:01] Racing Through Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs)

[00:56:23] Success, Challenges & Founder Lessons

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Sean Ellis is the OG growth hacker who built growth engines for Dropbox, Eventbrite, LogMeIn, and two other unicorns—shares the frameworks climate tech founders actually need to scale sustainably. Learn the one question that predicts product-market fit (his famous 40% rule), why 80% organic growth beats paid acquisition, how to architect your initial growth engine in 6 months, and the critical mistake that kills startups: scaling before PMF. Perfect for climate tech founders, VCs, and operators who want actionable growth strategies and pattern recognition from someone who's taken five companies from zero to billion-dollar valuations.

Get weekly intel conscioustech.co.

Connect with Sean:

seanellis.me

seanellis.substack.com

Chapters 📖

[00:00:00] Meet the OG Growth Hacker

[00:00:15] From Budapest to 5 Unicorns: The Unconventional Path

[00:16:00] Why "Growth Hacking" Became a Movement

[00:26:48] Product-Market Fit: The 40% Rule

[00:26:48] The Lookout Story: 7% to 60% in 6 Months

[00:13:07] Freemium Strategy: The $4.3B LogMeIn Playbook

[00:38:20] How Dropbox Hit $1B Faster Than Any SaaS

[00:30:40] Growth Systems vs. Growth Hacks

[00:44:34] North Star Metrics: Avoiding Vanity Data

[00:54:44] When to Scale (And When to Wait)

[00:57:41] AI for Early-Stage Growth Teams

[01:01:21] Chemistry with Founders & Conscious Building

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Jacquelyn van den Ende and Liza Rubenstein reveal how they're providing never before seen access to exclusive private markets for climate investing. The Carbon Equity co-founders expose why trading ESG stocks creates zero real-world impact, how they overcame two years of European regulatory battles, and why 80% of new electricity is now solar purely on economics. From €100K minimums down to €20K access, discover the fund-of-funds strategy redirecting billions toward geothermal breakthroughs, EV manufacturing, and grid infrastructure—plus what Trump's policies actually mean for climate tech's unstoppable transition.⁠

Get weekly intel at ⁠conscioustech.co⁠

Chapters 📖

[00:00:00] Introduction and Climate Urgency

[00:02:07] Meet the Co-founders: Backgrounds and Motivations

[00:03:25] The Climate Awakening: From "An Inconvenient Truth" to "The Sixth Extinction"

[00:05:08] The Power of Capital: Money as the Ultimate Allocator

[00:06:21] Private Markets vs Public Markets: Where Real Impact Happens

[00:07:04] Democratizing Access: Breaking Down Barriers to Climate Investing

[00:09:23] Building Carbon Equity: Regulatory Hurdles and the Tesla Model Approach

[00:11:26] Europe vs US: Climate Awareness and Policy Differences

[00:14:30] Trump Administration Impact on Climate Investment Strategy

[00:16:44] The Economics of Renewables: Why the Transition is Inevitable

[00:21:50] Due Diligence and Fund Selection Process

[00:24:37] Investment Strategies: Technology vs Infrastructure Funds

[00:27:58] Portfolio Management and Impact Methodology

[00:30:57] Promising Technologies: Geothermal, EVs, and Battery Innovation

[00:33:42] Red Flags and Investment Timelines in Climate Tech

[00:35:49] Carbon Equity's Future: Expanding Asset Classes and Global Reach

[00:37:02] Accessing Carbon Equity: Current Markets and US Expansion Plans

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Liz Dennett, CEO of Endolith and Alaska native, reveals the hidden copper crisis threatening our digital future. Learn how biotech and microbes could solve mining's biggest challenge, why copper demand will double by 2050, and what 50% tariffs mean for tech infrastructure. From astrobiology PhD to mining innovator, discover the untold story behind every data center and electric vehicle.

Get weekly intel at conscioustech.co

Chapters 📖

[00:00:00] Introduction and D-O-G-S[00:01:32] Sera's Shaolin Training Camp Experience in Germany

[00:05:25] Weightlifting and Movement Practices[00:06:14] Leadership Principles and AWS Background

[00:09:36] The Hidden Copper Crisis Explained[00:12:30] What Everyone Gets Wrong About Mining

[00:15:05] Endless: Using Microbes for Sustainable Mining[00:18:38] Cloud-Native Mining Technology

[00:19:06] Mining Ethics and Local vs Global Operations[00:24:30] Finding Your Voice as a Female CEO

[00:29:58] Building Support Systems for Founders[00:33:53] Product-Market Fit in Deep Tech vs SaaS

[00:38:12] Working with Mining Giants: BHP and Rio Tinto[00:41:31] Series A Fundraising Challenges

[00:45:57] Macro Forces: Tariffs and Political Impact[00:49:15] North Star and Company Values

[00:50:21] Lightning Round: Books, Advice, and Success

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After Figma's dramatic journey from a failed $20 billion acquisition to a successful IPO, the design world is buzzing.

In this essential episode, renowned design systems expert Dan Mall breaks down everything product designers need to know about building scalable design systems in the Figma era.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

Why most design systems fail (and how to build ones that actually get used)

Dan's "pilot approach" to design systems that saves companies millions

How to get stakeholder buy-in without building everything first

Why Figma's success doesn't solve the designer-developer handoff problem

The future of design democratization and what it means for your career

Dan Mall shares hard-won insights from 25+ years in design, including his journey from agency owner to design systems authority. He reveals why design systems should focus on "common" components rather than "foundational" ones, and how to avoid building a "design system ghost town."

Connect for more good energy ⚡️

https://www.seratajima.com/links

Chapters 📖

[00:00:00] Introduction & Figma IPO Context

[00:01:22] Meet Dan Mall: From Agency Owner to Design Systems Expert

[00:02:26] Origin Story: From 3D Animation Dreams to Design Reality

[00:04:38] The Life-Changing Decision: Starting Super Friendly Agency

[00:07:46] Work-Life Balance: The 40-Hour Agency Owner

[00:09:11] The Design Systems Journey Begins

[00:10:54] Design Systems Fundamentals: Beyond UI Kits

[00:14:23] Getting Buy-In: The Wrong Way vs. The Right Way

[00:16:53] The "Pilot Approach": Focus on Common, Not Core

[00:19:33] Designers Must Learn Business Language

[00:21:34] Seeing Impact: Why Designers Need User Contact

[00:23:50] Agency Work vs. Tech Bubble Reality

[00:24:23] Navigating Politics: Simple Frameworks for Complex Problems

[00:27:07] The Staff Augmentation Trap

[00:29:08] Steve Jobs vs. User-Driven Design

[00:30:04] Scale Challenges: When Design Systems Get Smaller

[00:33:22] Templates vs. Components: What Users Actually Want

[00:36:15] Starting with Business Context, Not Audits

[00:39:04] Handling Component Requests: The Three-Team Rule

[00:42:12] The Collection Philosophy

[00:44:14] Figma Reality Check: The Parity Problem

[00:46:18] Tokens and Variables Explained

[00:47:13] The Figma Incentive Misalignment

[00:49:32] Getting Started: User-Centric Design Systems

[00:52:22] Public Design Systems: Portfolio and Recruiting Tool

[00:54:03] Future Predictions: Democratizing Design

[00:56:04] Collaboration Over Gatekeeping

[00:56:40] Wrap-up and Resources

Where to find Dan Mall 🔎

Design Systems: ⁠https://designsystem.university/⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmall/⁠

Twitter / X: ⁠https://twitter.com/danmall⁠

Website: ⁠https://danmall.com/⁠

___________________________________________________________

I'm Sera Tajima, Startup Advisor & Climate Tech Investor. 🤙

I talk about:

→ Tech

→ Climate

→ Consciousness

→ Tea

In this episode, Microsoft Design Manager Sandra Pallier reveals how she created the Green Design Principles that influenced sustainability strategies across Big Tech. From starting with a simple PowerPoint template hackathon to building a 11,000-person grassroots community at Climate Action Tech, Sandra shares insider insights on embedding climate consciousness in product design at scale. Discover why Microsoft's emissions grew 29% since 2020 despite net-zero commitments, how the AI race is driven by capitalism over societal need, and why sustainability often works as a "Trojan horse" in product development. Sandra breaks down the "Think Bigger Before You Start" and "Build Better by Default" frameworks, explains why making products more sustainable actually improves user experience, and discusses the changing landscape of tech worker activism. Perfect for founders, product designers, and anyone interested in sustainable technology, climate tech, and the intersection of design and environmental impact. Learn practical strategies for getting stakeholder buy-in on sustainability initiatives and why transparency shouldn't burden users with behavior change.

Episode Brought to You By ⭐️

Growth Design for a Sustainable Future

The cohort starts July 14th.

⁠Get 20% off with code PODCAST⁠

Chapters 📖

[00:01:09] How Sandra joined Microsoft and Climate Action Tech within a year of each other

[00:02:05] The ripple effect of Microsoft's green design principles across the industry

[00:03:26] Starting small: How a simple PowerPoint template hackathon led to bigger sustainability conversations

[00:05:38] Microsoft's Green Design Principles explained: "Think Bigger Before You Start" and "Build Better by Default"

[00:07:07] Grid adaptability: How products can adapt to renewable energy availability

[00:10:35] Why transparency shouldn't put the burden on users to change behavior

[00:12:18] The misconception that sustainability compromises user experience

[00:13:28] Jevons Paradox: Why making things more efficient doesn't always reduce consumption

[00:21:02] Microsoft's 29% emissions increase since 2020 due to AI data centers

[00:22:02] The AI race driven by capitalism vs. actual societal need

[00:27:32] Why the Green Design Lab doesn't ask for funding to stay critical

[00:32:36] Strong sustainability voices leaving Microsoft to push from the outside

[00:34:15] How sustainability often comes as a "Trojan horse" in product development

[00:39:46] How tech worker power has diminished, changing employee activism

[00:52:24] Success metrics for sustainability in UX design

Where to learn more 🔎

Climate Action Tech: https://www.linkedin.com/company/climateactiontech/

___________________________________________________________

I'm Sera Tajima —  Founder, Climate Tech Advisor & Investor. 🤙

I talk about:

→ Product Growth Strategy (Growth, Design, AI)

→ Climate Tech

→ Venture Capital

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Connect for more good energy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⚡️

Become a sponsor: [email protected]

Ever wondered what it really costs to escape the 9-5?

You’ve never heard a conversation like this with Kate Syuma. The former Head of Growth Design at Miro, reveals how she "bought back her time" by leaving corporate to found Growth Mates - and why her living costs actually decreased in the process. She gets raw about the psychological preparation needed for the leap, the hidden maintenance costs of corporate life, and how she puts "what's good for users is good for business" into practice. Whether you're a product designer feeling trapped or a founder questioning your path, Kate's journey offers both inspiration and tactical wisdom for building an authentic career on your own terms.

Episode Brought to You By ⭐️

Growth Design for a Sustainable Future

The cohort starts July 14th.

Get 20% off with code PODCAST

Chapters 📖

[00:00:00] Introduction: Kate's Journey from Miro Head of Growth Design to Founder

[00:02:42] From Art School to Product Design: Finding Your Creative Path in Tech

[00:05:44] The Evolution of Growth Design: When Business Meets Creativity

[00:08:32] Building Growth Communities: From Internal Practice to Public Platform

[00:10:24] The Growth Mindset: Essential Skills for Modern Product Designers

[00:12:05] Making the Leap: Corporate Stability vs Entrepreneurial “Risk”

[00:14:03] Buying Back Your Time: The True Cost of Career Transitions

[00:16:11] Setting Boundaries: Valuing Time as a Freelancer and Consultant

[00:18:08] Recognizing Burnout: When Ambition Becomes Self-Punishment

[00:20:17] Redefining Enough: Breaking Free from Consumer Culture

[00:23:19] Simplicity Over Status: Learning to Appreciate Less

[00:26:42] Conscious Content Consumption: Filtering Information for Mental Health

[00:29:23] Japanese Yaki Onigiri Break

[00:32:21] What is Growth Design? The Five Essential Elements Explained

[00:37:24] Articulating Impact: Communicating Growth Strategy to Stakeholders

[00:39:12] Born vs Made: Can Entrepreneurship Be Learned?

[00:41:16] Authentic Expression: Why Kate Left Corporate to Build GrowthMates

[00:44:05] User-Centric vs Revenue-Focused: Choosing Your Business Philosophy

[00:46:49] Side Projects and Product Dreams: Building Apps for Behavioral Change

[00:47:52] Ethical Growth Design: Making Tech More Conscious and Human

Where to find Kate Syuma 🔎

Growthmates Newsletter

Linkedin

___________________________________________________________

I'm Sera Tajima, Climate Tech Advisor & Investor. 🤙

I talk about:

→ Product Growth Strategy (Growth, Design, AI)

→ Climate Tech

→ Venture Capital

Connect for more good energy ⚡️

➕ ⁠⁠⁠Conscious Tech Newsletter⁠⁠⁠

➕ ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

➕ ⁠⁠⁠Advising⁠⁠⁠

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