Future Optimist

Jacob Pechenik is the co-founder of Lettuce Grow, a company he co-founded with Zooey Deschanel. 

The idea is profound: they’ve created a device that lets people grow a significant quantity of produce either inside their home or outside, with a self-contained hydroponics system that’s basically foolproof. 

This system represents one of the easiest ways to dramatically improve the quality of home produce while greatly reducing the carbon footprint of getting leafy greens and veggies. 

As we love on this show, it really is a win-win.  Just as interesting is Jacob’s own, highly unusual career path, which saw him go from trading to MIT to producing dozens of Hollywood films to founding this company. 

It’s a deeply inspiring tale that I know you’ll enjoy. 

Here’e Jacob Pechenik, of Lettuce Grow.

Raffael Jovine is the founder & chief scientist of Brilliant Planet, a company unlocking the power of algae as an affordable method of permanently and quantifiably sequestering carbon at the gigaton scale. 

Brilliant Planet has raised tens of millions in funding from major partners like Toyota Ventures, and when you hear his innovative solution, you’ll understand why. 

But beyond that, Raffael’s personal story is so incredible—learn how he made massive changes in his personal life and career that led to his biggest breakthroughs later in life. Now he’s a published author and leader extraordinaire. 

Tom Green is joining us today, and he’s the CEO of Project Vesta.

Project Vesta is harnessing the natural power of the oceans to remove excess CO₂ from the atmosphere. The Earth has long sequestered carbon through the oceans, and Tom has found a way, based on decades of prior scientific research, to accelerate this process using a common mineral.

Tom Green has a BA from Oxford and an MBA from Harvard, and his personal career journey is remarkable. Today Project Vesta has received millions in funding and is one of the most exciting and novel solutions to climate change I’ve heard of yet.

Erick Went is the CTO of Genesis Systems, and he’s together Dr. Venkat Kode, a research scientist on the team. 

I’m not going to lie, Genesis Systems is one of the most exciting product ideas I’ve ever become aware of yet.

Genesis Systems manufacture the world's first and only sustainable air-to-water systems that can carbon (CO2) capture. That’s right, they are generating fresh-water from air using integrated technologies never before conceived. 

They’ve received several grants from the US Air Force and Army, and they are partnered with Google, Siemens, and more. They’ve raised tens of millions to date, and this is something I personally can’t wait to buy.

➡️ http://genesissystems.global

Max Rye is the co-founder and chief strategist of TurtleTree, the world’s first sustainable lactoferrin made with precision fermentation. 

Don’t know what any of that means? Great! Because I didn’t either! Essentially they’re able not just to emulate real milk but actually produce identical proteins—the ones that give cow and human milk its nutritional value. 

We’ll learn how Max decided to embrace the kind of change he wanted to see by founding this futuristic company that has the potential to change so many industries around the world. 

They just closed 30 million in Series A funding, so it’s game on time.

Anthony DiMare is the CEO & Co-founder of Bedrock Ocean Exploration, a vertically-integrated ocean exploration company that’s built proprietary robotics and software to explore the oceans quickly and cheaply.

Basically, none of the world’s seafloor is mapped, and this knowledge has far-reaching implications for weather predictions, global shipping, and many other things vital to our survival.

Learn the multiple businesses and models Anthony has pursued, how he’s gotten millions in funding, and how he was named to Forbes 30 Under 30. Bedrock has been featured in Fast Company, TechCrunch, CNN, CNBC and more, and when you hear this man speak, you’ll know why.

➡️ https://www.bedrockocean.com/

➡️ Ep. Highlights: https://rosspalmer.com/anthony-dimare

Phoebe Gardner is the co-founder and CEO of Bardee, a truly novel solution to climate change.

Well have ya heard of composting? It’s a neat idea to take food waste that would otherwise generate methane gas in landfills and repurpose it for fertilizer. The trouble is, it takes a long time to do it.

Bardee has taken that process one step further.

They use Black Solder Fly larvae to turn food waste into a usable product in just seven days, while actually being carbon positive.

Honestly, it’s a remarkable solution to a huge problem, and her team has raised millions in funding so far.

➡️ https://www.bardee.com/

Andre Menezes is the Co-Founder & CEO of Next Gen Foods. 

Andre broke a record for plant-based meat companies when his company TiNDLE raised $100 million in Series A funding. 

Tindle makes a plant-based chicken alternative that’s sold around the world and championed by world-class chefs and fast-food chains alike. 

But more importantly, Andre’s personal journey took him from working directly in the meat industry for many years to realizing the problems with that industry and why plant-based meat alternatives are the future of “meat”. 

It doesn’t get more exciting and inspiring than this, so I apologize in advance for nerding out. 

Highlights: https://rosspalmer.com/andre-menezes

➡️ https://tindle.com/

Kaylin Marcotte is the CEO and founder of JIGGY Puzzles—sustainable, artistic, bespoke jigsaw puzzles sweeping the world.

Kaylin took her unlikely passion and turned it into a multi-million dollar business. 

What was her brilliant idea, that got her 500k in funding from Mark Cuban on Shark Tank? If you guessed “boutique jigsaw puzzles”, you are correct! 

We’ll learn how Kaylin made a series of super smart decisions at exactly the right time to catapult her business forward during the pandemic, a time that saw many businesses close their doors. 

Her story represents everything that I love and value on this show, so buckle up for a great conversation full of inspiration and laughy-laughy good times. 

➡️ Watch this episode on YouTube

➡️ Episode Highlights: beattheoftenpath.com

➡️ https://jiggypuzzles.com/

Paul Evers is the Co-Founder & CEO of RIFF, America's first certified carbon-neutral energy drink.

Paul did some research and discovered a massive problem, 70% of the fruit that surrounds our beloved, sacred coffee beans goes to waste.

And this fruit? It’s a superfruit (if such a term exists) that also happens to be caffeinated.

Paul discovered a way to make a carbon-neutral energy drink from this, helping out farmers, the planet, and consumers in the process.

It’s the exact kind of idea that I love so much, and it’s hard to believe that no one has done it until now.

His Oregon-based start-up has already raised several million in funding and has been featured on many of the world’s top media outlets. 

➡️ Episode Highlights

➡️ https://letsriff.com/