In this special episode, Friederike von Waldenfels, the CEO of Forestrock and Founder of SustainNOW, discusses the concept of Green Retail during her keynote at the SCORE! – Swiss Conference for Retail and E-Commerce. In her speech, she highlights the growing importance of sustainability in retail and why she believes Green Retail is both an opportunity and a necessity.

Here are the three reasons why Friederike believes Green Retail works:

1. Green Retail is like the Digital Revolution 20 years ago: Just as digital transformation radically changed the retail landscape, sustainability is poised to be the next major shift. Retailers who adapt to the green revolution will be well-positioned for the future.

2. Green Retail is an Opportunity to Build the Amazon, Zalando, and Alibaba of Sustainability: She envisions the possibility of creating major global players in the green retail sector—companies like Amazon or Alibaba, but focused on sustainability and environmentally conscious products.

3. Green Retail is About Being Ready for the Next Generations: As the younger generations are increasingly conscious about sustainability, having a green business model will appeal to these environmentally aware consumers and future-proof a brand for long-term success.

Friederike's speech emphasizes the importance of embracing green retail not only for environmental impact but also as a business opportunity that could redefine the future of commerce.

In this episode, Milo Stössel, the Co-Founder of Quickpac, talks about the concept of last-mile delivery in e-commerce and how Quickpac is revolutionizing this space with electric vehicles.

Last-mile delivery refers to the final leg of the delivery process, where goods are transported from a distribution center to the customer's doorstep. As online shopping continues to rise, there is an increasing demand for efficient, fast, and eco-friendly solutions to deliver products.

However, last-mile delivery poses challenges for sustainability, as the number of delivery vehicles in urban areas is expected to increase significantly. A report highlights that by 2030, delivery vehicle numbers will rise by 36%, and emissions from delivery traffic could increase by 32% globally.

Quickpac aims to address this issue by being Europe’s first parcel delivery service to operate 100% electric vehicles. Founded in 2019, it is a subsidiary of Quickmail AG and focuses on eco-friendly last-mile delivery solutions.

Key facts about Quickpac:

• Over 330+ employees
• Delivers more than 5 million packages annually (over 11 million since 2019)
• Operates a fleet of 300+ electric vehicles
• Has helped avoid 5,000+ tonnes of CO2 emissions through its electric vehicle fleet

Additionally, Quickpac uses AI-guided mapping to optimize delivery routes and minimize unnecessary driving, further reducing its environmental impact.

In this episode, Milo talks about the growing importance of sustainable delivery methods and shares insights into how Quickpac is helping to reduce carbon emissions in the e-commerce space.

In todays episode, I am speaking with Ted-Li, co-founder of Oaesense. Oasense developed a self-powered smart showerhead that helps people conserve up to 60% of water and energy by switching off automatically when you step away. Ted-Li has an engineering background and worked in different sensor focused companies as well at Apple. He joined as co-founder in 2019.

Ted, an optoelectronic technologist and passionate nature lover, shares the story behind the Oasense Smart Shower—designed to conserve water without compromising the shower experience. Inspired by California's severe droughts, Oasense’s innovative sensor shower head tackles water waste in a way that’s both sustainable and effective.

Discover how this smart shower works, from its self-generating energy to its adaptive motion sensors and thermal shut-off valves. Ted also discusses the science behind the technology, its impact on sustainability, and the future of water conservation in the home. Tune in for insightful reflections on how small innovations can lead to major changes in our environment.

Key Topics:

• How the Oasense Smart Shower conserves water while maintaining comfort
• The technology behind Oasense’s unique features, including thermal sensors and motion detection
• The journey from garage startup to sustainability-driven business
• How Oasense is contributing to the global movement of conscious consumerism

In this insightful episode of sustainNOW, Katie speaks with Tim Schumacher, a serial entrepreneur and investor deeply committed to climate impact. Tim’s entrepreneurial journey includes co-founding Ecosia, the world’s largest independent search engine, which uses all its profits to plant trees. Tim’s passion for sustainability has driven him to invest in and co-found startups like Zolar, CarbonCloud, Pachama, and World Fund, a venture capital fund focusing on climate tech.

Tim shares his transition from a tech entrepreneur to a climate-focused investor and discusses the challenges and opportunities in the climate investment space. He also dives into his experiences with Ecosia, a certified B-Corp that has planted nearly 200 million trees globally, and how World Fund is shaping the future of startups with the potential to drastically reduce CO2 emissions.

Key Topics:

• The evolution of Tim’s career from founder to climate investor
• The impact of Ecosia in combating deforestation and promoting transparency
• World Fund’s mission to reduce 100 million tons of CO2 annually through innovative startups
• The role of VCs in funding climate solutions and closing the financial gap for impactful startups
• Tim’s top advice for entrepreneurs entering the climate tech space

In this episode of SustainNOW, we’re joined by Sabine Stuiver, the CMO and co-founder of Hydraloop, a company that’s revolutionizing water conservation with its innovative decentralized water recycling systems. Sabine, recognized as one of Europe's top female entrepreneurs with sustainable innovations, shares her journey from the corporate world to leading a company focused on tackling water scarcity while preserving comfort and convenience.

As the world faces increasing water scarcity, especially in Europe, Sabine offers insights into why water will become more expensive and why our current systems for recycling drinking water fall short. She explains how Hydraloop’s technology cleans and reuses lightly contaminated water, reducing up to 45% of tap and waste water usage, while simultaneously lowering the carbon footprint.

Throughout the episode, Sabine discusses:

• The water crisis in Europe and why it’s already here.
• How Hydraloop’s technology works and its potential to change the way we use water.
• What needs to change in policies and awareness to address water scarcity.
• The market potential for decentralized water recycling, and why new buildings are key to scaling these solutions.

If you’re curious about how we can make a meaningful impact on water usage in both homes and communities, and how Hydraloop is paving the way toward a more sustainable future, don’t miss this conversation!

In todays episode, I am speaking with Jonas Warmstad, founder and CMO of Drupps. Their vision is to recycle industrial evaporated wastewater into drinking water while recycling a lot of heat at the same time. Jonas says about himself that he is an engineer with too little patience to be an engineer. He wants to solve sustainability problems and the fastest way to do so, is sometimes to combine and re-purpose old methods and technologies.

Drupps’ innovative technology captures moisture from the air and recycles it into usable water, helping companies save water and energy while improving sustainability.

Jonas, an engineer turned entrepreneur, shares his journey from co-founding two companies in sustainable water and air treatment to developing a game-changing solution for industries such as food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. Learn how Drupps' water and energy recycling technology is transforming industrial processes, helping companies increase drought resilience and reduce their environmental footprint.

From overcoming technical challenges to expanding across four continents, Jonas dives into how Drupps is tackling one of the most pressing issues of our time: water scarcity. Plus, discover the impact of their approach on CO2 emissions and the future of sustainable water management.

Don’t miss out on this fascinating conversation about water, sustainability, and the power of innovation.

In this insightful episode, Lynsey Wenger, CFO of Pairwise, delves into how cutting-edge technology is transforming our food systems. Pairwise is leveraging the power of CRISPR gene-editing to enhance plant diversity, creating healthier and more sustainable fruits and vegetables.

Lynsey, with her rich background in global natural resources investment banking and sustainability, shares her unique journey to Pairwise and how her financial expertise intersects with the mission to improve both human health and the environment.

Throughout the episode, Lynsey explains the potential of genome-edited food, breaking down complex science for everyday listeners. She discusses the current state of genetically modified food, the environmental benefits of Pairwise’s innovations, and how this technology could help solve pressing challenges in the fight against climate change. From addressing food security to improving nutritional content, Pairwise’s innovations promise to transform the agricultural landscape.

Join us as we dive into the world of gene editing, sustainable agriculture, and the quest for a healthier future.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• The role of CRISPR gene-editing in agriculture
• How Pairwise is using technology to create healthier food options
• The environmental impact of genome-edited plants
• Scaling challenges in food tech and sustainability
• The importance of transparency and mission-driven innovation in the food sector

Tune in to discover how genome editing could be the future of our diets and the climate.

What if living a zero-carbon life was effortless? In this episode of SustainNow, we sit down with Till Quack, co-founder of Zerofy, a game-changing app designed to help households track and reduce their carbon footprint—automatically.

Till, a seasoned tech entrepreneur with a background in AI and AR/VR, made the leap into climate tech to tackle one of the biggest challenges of our time. Zerofy’s mission? To make sustainable living seamless, empowering users to monitor their carbon impact in real time while offering smart solutions—from energy tracking to investing in solar power.

We dive into:
✅ Why household emissions matter (hint: they account for 70% of global emissions!)
✅ How Zerofy automates carbon tracking and helps users make greener choices
✅ The innovative way you can earn money from solar energy
✅ The personal "aha" moment that made Till switch from big tech to climate tech

If you’ve ever wondered how technology can make sustainability second nature, this episode is for you. Tune in now!

Could mushrooms be the future of sustainable food? In this episode of SustainNow, we sit down with Isabella Iglesias-Musachio, co-founder and CEO of Bosque Foods, a pioneering startup using mycelium fermentation to create whole-cut meat and fish alternatives.

Mycelium, the root-like structure of fungi, is packed with nutrients, naturally umami-rich, and requires far fewer resources than traditional meat or plant-based proteins. Isabella shares how Bosque Foods is leading the charge in food tech innovation, creating minimally processed, delicious, and climate-friendly alternatives.

In this episode, we explore:
🍄 What is mycelium, and why is it a game-changer for sustainable food?
🔥 How does fermentation unlock the future of meat alternatives?
🌍 Why mycelium-based proteins are more efficient and environmentally friendly than traditional plant-based options
🚀 The challenges of scaling, regulations, and entering the market

Isabella’s passion and expertise make this conversation a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of food, sustainability, and innovation.

Can crushed rocks help fight climate change? In this episode of SustainNow, we talk to Mary Yap, co-founder and CEO of Lithos Carbon, a pioneering company using enhanced rock weathering to capture gigatons of CO₂ while improving soil health.

By spreading basalt rock on farmland, Lithos accelerates a natural process that pulls carbon from the air and locks it into the earth—all while boosting crop yields. With her background in plant biology and geology, Mary is on a mission to turn farmland into powerful carbon capture centers.

In this episode, we dive into:
🪨 How enhanced rock weathering works and why basalt is the key ingredient
🌾 How this method benefits farmers while permanently removing CO₂
📊 How Lithos accurately measures carbon capture using machine learning
🚀 The future of carbon removal and Lithos' five-year vision

If you're excited about nature-based climate solutions and large-scale carbon removal, you don’t want to miss this one!