Innovation Matters

With the hosts back from vacation, Anthony, Alina, Mike, and Karthik discuss an issue that's increasingly pressing - the impacts of climate change on the food system. Consumers want food that's local, sustainable, and guilt free, but these desires mesh poorly with the reality of the industrial food system that we have today. Can technology overcome these contradictions?

Mike and Anthony are joined by Laura Teicher, the executive director of Forge Impact, a non-profit dedicated to helping businesses scale physical products with local supply chains. They discuss how the important this work has become over the last few years, common pitfalls that companies make, and how manufacturing can help address big picture sustainability challenges. 

With the other hosts on vacation Anthony and Karthik discuss two news stories: first, they evaluate the ongoing efforts to commercialize supercritical geothermal energy; then dig into the Google's recent loss in an antitrust trial, and what that means for the future of AI. 

At the end of their most recent term, the US Supreme Court issued four major decisions that will impact the future of regulation in America. Mike and Anthony break down these cases - including Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, which overturned Chevron deference - and unpack their impact on the scale-up of sustainable innovation in America.

Karthik, Mike, and Alina are joined by the founder of Fermbox Bio, Subramani Ramachandrappa, to discuss everything synthetic biology: the new business models that are unlocking scale-up, what products need to be successful, how consumers are responding, and even the future of food. 

Amy, Mike, and Anthony discuss some of the recent announcements from major brands and companies who will not be meeting their circularity targets. Then, the discussion turns to the Biden Admin's recent circular economy strategy: will this be enough to turn things around? No, but is it a start?

Karhik, Alina, Mike, and Anthony perform an autopsy on the 3D printing market: what went wrong? How did companies so highly valued just a few years ago end up going out of business? Plus, nickel: will people really pay up for green metals in their EVs?

Kartik and Anthony are joined by the CEO and Cofounder of Xintera Patrick Teyssonneyre, who walks them through the company's material informatics technology, how Xinterra is using AI to develop new materials to fight climate change, and why your next t-shirt could be a carbon capture device.  

Mike, Amy, and Anthony sit down with the CEO of Cure Technology Josse Kunst to discuss how CuRe is trying to crack the code on polyester recycling, how Josse builds trust and forms partnerships, how companies can better communicate to consumers about sustainability, and what the vibes are in the circular economy in 2024.