The Climate Tech Podcast with Fexingo: Energy, Sustainability, and Decarbonization Companies

This episode of The Climate Tech Podcast explores a groundbreaking approach to electronic waste recycling: using fungi. Lucas and Luna examine how a startup called Mycocycle is leveraging mycelium—the root structure of mushrooms—to extract valuable metals like gold, copper, and rare earth elements from discarded circuit boards and batteries. The hosts break down the science behind bioleaching, compare it to traditional smelting and chemical extraction, and discuss the economic and environmental implications. With e-waste projected to reach 75 million metric tons by 2030, Mycocycle's process offers a low-energy, low-toxicity alternative that could transform the recycling industry. The episode also touches on the startup's pilot projects, the challenges of scaling up, and what this means for the circular economy. If you're interested in climate tech, sustainable materials, or innovative biotech solutions, this conversation provides a concrete look at how nature might solve one of our most pressing waste problems.

#Ewaste #Fungi #Mycelium #Mycocycle #Bioleaching #RareEarthElements #CircularEconomy #SustainableMaterials #ClimateTech #Biotechnology #Recycling #GreenTech #WasteManagement #ResourceRecovery #BusinessAndTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Decarbonization

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Every year, breweries produce millions of tons of spent grain — the leftover barley and wheat after mashing. Most of it goes to low-value animal feed or landfill. But a California startup called Upcycled Materials has figured out how to turn that fiber into a biodegradable packaging material that's cheaper than virgin cardboard and actually stronger than recycled paperboard. In this episode, Lucas and Luna walk through the chemistry, the economics, and the surprising business model: selling carbon offsets alongside the packaging. They talk about the $400-million pilot facility breaking ground in Fresno this quarter, and why major brewers like Sierra Nevada and Boston Beer are already signing off-take agreements. It's a concrete look at the intersection of waste valorization, industrial biology, and the packaging industry's desperate search for alternatives to plastic and virgin paper. Hosted by Fexingo Business.

#UpcycledMaterials #SpentGrain #BreweryWaste #CircularEconomy #BiodegradablePackaging #CarbonOffsets #SierraNevada #BostonBeer #WasteValorization #IndustrialBiology #SustainablePackaging #California #Fresno #AgricultureTech #ClimateTech #BusinessAndTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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In this episode of The Climate Tech Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the growing problem of solar panel waste and the startup that's found a way to solve it. With millions of panels reaching end-of-life each year, most end up in landfills. But one company, SolarCycle, has developed a process to recover 95% of the materials—including silver, silicon, and aluminum—and turn them into new panels. We break down how their technology works, the economics of recycling versus landfilling, and why this matters as solar installations accelerate. If you care about the full lifecycle of clean energy, this episode is for you.

#SolarCycle #SolarPanelRecycling #CleanEnergy #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #ClimateTech #RenewableEnergy #WasteReduction #SolarEnergy #Business #Technology #Podcast #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ClimateAction #GreenTech #Innovation #ZeroWaste

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Lucas and Luna dive into a surprising source of carbon removal: mining waste. They look at a startup called Arca, which accelerates the natural process of mineral carbonation — turning crushed rock from nickel and diamond mines into a permanent CO2 sponge. Lucas explains the chemistry: certain silicate minerals react with carbon dioxide to form solid carbonates, locking away CO2 for thousands of years. Arca's pilot at a mine in British Columbia uses waste rock that's already dug up, so the marginal cost is low. They've raised $6 million in seed funding and are targeting removal at under $100 per ton by 2028. Luna asks about the scalability — could this really move the needle on the gigaton scale? They discuss the challenges: not all mine waste is suitable, and you need the right mineralogy, particle size, and access to renewable energy to grind and spread the rock. But the potential is huge: there are hundreds of billions of tons of suitable mine tailings globally. A concrete case in a fast-moving space.

#ClimateTech #CarbonRemoval #MiningWaste #Arca #MineralCarbonation #DirectAirCapture #NetZero #CarbonDioxideRemoval #MineTailings #CleanTech #Startup #Sustainability #Decarbonization #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #EnergyTransition

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Lucas and Luna explore the world of algae-based carbon removal, focusing on one startup that grows algae in saltwater tanks, then dries and buries it to lock away CO2 permanently. They break down the numbers: how much carbon per acre, the cost per ton, and why investors are betting big on 'ocean-based' solutions. The episode features a specific case study of a facility in Florida that processes over 100 tons of algae per year, and the hosts discuss the economics, scalability, and potential pitfalls of this approach compared to direct air capture and enhanced weathering. Lucas and Luna also touch on the role of carbon credits and corporate buyers like Microsoft and Shopify who are funding the first wave of commercial-scale projects.

#AlgaeCarbonRemoval #ClimateTech #CarbonDioxideRemoval #CDR #OceanBasedCarbonRemoval #Startup #DirectAirCapture #CarbonCredits #Sustainability #Decarbonization #Microsoft #Shopify #Florida #Biomass #CarbonLocking #Investing #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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Episode 21 of The Climate Tech Podcast with Fexingo dives into a surprising corner of the circular economy: plastic waste turned into filament for 3D printing. Lucas and Luna profile a startup called ReFlow that has developed a process to take low-grade mixed plastics—the stuff that normally ends up in incinerators or landfills—and convert it into high-quality printer filament that costs 40% less than virgin material. They trace the journey from a dumpster behind a recycling center in Ohio to deals with school districts and automotive suppliers. The conversation covers the chemistry of depolymerization, the economics of distributed recycling hubs, and why ReFlow's model actually pencils out without subsidies. Plus: if this episode was worth a coffee to you, that's the link.

#ReFlow #3DPrinting #PlasticWaste #CircularEconomy #Filament #AdditiveManufacturing #RecyclingTech #Depolymerization #Ohio #SchoolDistricts #AutomotiveSupplyChain #WasteToProduct #ClimateTech #BusinessPodcast #FexingoBusiness #CleanTech #Manufacturing #Sustainability

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Episode 20 of The Climate Tech Podcast explores a groundbreaking process that transforms a very unglamorous raw material—sewage sludge—into sustainable aviation fuel. Lucas and Luna talk through the chemistry, the economics, and the scale required. They focus on a specific startup, EcoJet Fuels, that just secured a $200 million Department of Energy loan to build its first commercial plant in Nevada. The hosts break down how the technology works, why it matters for airlines under pressure to decarbonize, and what it would take for this approach to move from niche to meaningful. They also discuss the regulatory push from the EPA's Renewable Fuel Standard and the Inflation Reduction Act's clean fuel tax credits. No greenwashing, no hype—just a clear-eyed look at a real climate tech play that's about to break ground. If you care about aviation emissions and the messy business of turning waste into fuel, this one's for you.

#SustainableAviationFuel #SAF #WasteToFuel #ClimateTech #EcoJetFuels #SewageSludge #Decarbonization #AviationEmissions #DOELoan #RenewableFuelStandard #InflationReductionAct #CleanFuelTaxCredit #Nevada #HydrothermalLiquefaction #HTL #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness

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In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore carbon mineralization—a process that turns captured CO2 into solid rock within two years, not centuries. They focus on one Icelandic startup, Carbfix, which has injected over 100,000 tonnes of CO2 into basalt formations since 2014. Lucas explains the chemistry: when CO2 dissolves in water and meets reactive basalt, it forms carbonate minerals. The cost? Around $25 per tonne, compared to $100–600 for traditional carbon capture and storage. Luna asks about scalability, and Lucas points to parallel projects in the US Pacific Northwest and India. They discuss the carbon removal credit market—how companies like Microsoft and Shopify pre-purchase credits at $200–$600 per tonne to fund scale-up. The episode ends with a look at the math: to hit net-zero by 2050, we need to remove 10 gigatonnes per year; mineralization could handle 1–2 gigatonnes if basalt geology is accessible. A grounded look at a technology that's working today, not just in a lab.

#CarbonMineralization #Carbfix #CarbonRemoval #DirectAirCapture #Basalt #Iceland #ClimateTech #CarbonCredits #NetZero #Microsoft #Shopify #CO2Storage #Geology #Startup #Sustainability #BusinessAndTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how one startup is turning methane—a potent greenhouse gas—into protein for animal feed and human food. They dive into the science of methanotrophs, the economics of gas fermentation, and the surprising carbon math that makes this a potential game-changer for both climate and agriculture. With a specific focus on a company called Calysta (based in the UK) and its partnership with Mitsubishi, they unpack the $60 million plant in Tennessee, the race to replace soy imports, and why the venture capital world is suddenly very interested in eating greenhouse gases. If you've ever wondered where your bacon's breakfast came from—or whether a burger can be part of the climate solution—this episode has answers.

#Methane #Protein #Calysta #GasFermentation #Methanotrophs #SustainableAgriculture #AnimalFeed #CarbonCapture #ClimateTech #GreenhouseGas #Biotech #VentureCapital #FoodTech #AlternativeProtein #Decarbonization #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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Most compostable packaging and food scraps end up in landfills, releasing methane. But a small biotech company called Circular Bio is using fermentation to turn those waste streams into succinic acid — a chemical used in everything from pharmaceuticals to bioplastics. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Circular Bio's process works, why succinic acid has historically been expensive to produce from petroleum, and how the company's first commercial facility in Iowa hit full production capacity in February 2026. They also discuss the economics: the plant processes 50,000 tons of organic waste per year, sells the acid at a price competitive with petroleum-based alternatives, and generates carbon credits from avoided methane emissions. If the model scales, it could replace a significant slice of the chemical industry's fossil feedstock. Specific, grounded, and quietly revolutionary.

#CircularBio #SuccinicAcid #Biomanufacturing #IndustrialBiotech #WasteToValue #Fermentation #ChemicalIndustry #CarbonCredits #MethaneAvoidance #Bioplastics #CircularEconomy #ClimateTech #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ClimateTechPodcast #Sustainability

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