In this episode, Chuck Templeton sits down with Jason Wellcome and Mike Bruno, advisors at Play Bigger, to discuss the methodology behind category design. The discussion unpacks how companies can shift their thinking from making better products to forging entirely new market categories, drawing on illustrative examples like Qualtrics' evolution from survey tools to an experience management platform. Jason and Mike delve into the strategies that enable businesses to identify unique problems, achieve "Category King" status, and ultimately drive unprecedented growth and market leadership. This episode offers valuable perspectives for investors and entrepreneurs keen on leveraging category design to secure a competitive edge.

Key Topics:

1. Problem Identification: The Play Bigger team emphasizes the importance of pinpointing unique, high-impact problems that consumers often overlook. This critical step lays the foundation for creating a new market category, setting leaders apart from competitors focused merely on iterative improvements.
2. Creating a Category Blueprint: Establishing a new category necessitates a detailed blueprint that ensures both customers and competitors grasp the full scope and transformative potential of the new category, fostering wider market adoption.
3. The Advantages  of Category Leadership: Leading a new market category offers substantial economic benefits, with "Category Kings" capturing up to 76% of the category's total value. 
4. Inventing a Taxonomy: Effective category design involves crafting a distinct language and taxonomy. This effort not only differentiates the new category but also educates the market. 
5. Iterative Validation and Organizational Alignment: The journey of category design is iterative, requiring ongoing validation and alignment within the organization. By engaging leadership and synchronizing efforts across all departments, companies can ensure cohesive execution and maximize their chances of achieving market success.

Resources:

Play Bigger 

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

In this episode, Rishad Tobaccowala, former Chief Growth Officer at Publicis Groupe, and current author, speaker, advisor, and host of the What Next? podcast, offers an incisive look into the evolving nexus of technology and human capital shaping the future of work. Rishad discusses the critical importance of rethinking workplace design and integrating new technologies into workflows to drive growth. He also provides actionable strategies to leverage advancements in AI and enhance employee engagement to ensure companies remain competitive in the face of tomorrow’s challenges. This episode is a must-listen for leaders seeking to scale their companies effectively while navigating the dynamic shifts in work environments and trends.

Key Topics:

1. The Major Shifts in Work Motivators: Rishad explains how we went from looking for money, fame, and power out of our jobs, to desiring purpose, values, and connections and then eventually freedom, story, and growth. 
2. Trends Shaping the Future of Work: Rishad explores the trends that leaders must keep top of mind to ensure their companies are prepared for a rapidly evolving future. These include changing demographics, power shifts, mind shifts, and technological shifts.
3. Cultivating a Culture of Change and Innovation: According to Rishad, the strategic importance of fostering an environment conducive to change and innovation cannot be overstated. For investors and entrepreneurs, embedding this type of culture within their startups or established enterprises is key to navigating future uncertainties.
4.  Leveraging AI as a Catalyst for Comprehensive Engagement: AI's role transcends operational efficiencies, emerging as a crucial catalyst for enriching employee engagement. Rishad advocates for greater integration of AI to foster an environment of heightened productivity and employee satisfaction.
5. Adaptive Leadership for Resilient Workplaces: Throughout the conversation, Rishad encourages leaders to remain agile and forward-looking amidst rapid changes in work environments. By thinking critically about workplace design, employee engagement, and technological integration, leaders can forge paths that not only adapt to but anticipate future trends.

Resources:

What Next with Rishad Tobaccowala

Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in the Age of Data

Rishad’s substack

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

In this episode, Chuck Templeton is joined by Nikhil Arora and Alejandro Velez, co-founders of Back to the Roots, a company that's redefining what it means to be a home gardener. Starting from an unconventional college experiment using coffee grounds to grow mushrooms, their venture has grown into the only end-to-end organic gardening brand, helping to ignite a new generation of sustainability-minded gardeners who are looking for a more rooted relationship with their food.  The duo discusses the significance of deep customer understanding, the art of pivoting in response to challenges, and the non-negotiable commitment to sustainability and transparency that has defined their brand. This discussion offers a realistic look at building a mission-driven business, the challenges encountered, and the perseverance required to stay true to one's values in the competitive retail landscape.

Key Topics:

1. Sustainable Innovation as a Market Differentiator: Back to the Roots exemplifies how sustainability can be a viable market strategy that resonates deeply with consumers. Their commitment to peat-free soil and packaging from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic not only sets new industry standards but also appeals to a new generation of gardeners, showcasing the potential for similar innovation-driven growth across various sectors.
2. Compounding Relationships Fuel Growth: The episode highlights how the strategic nurturing of relationships—with suppliers, retailers, and team members—can serve as a catalyst for rapid growth and market penetration.
3. The Power of Simplified Consumer Offerings: By focusing on simplicity in their product line, Back to the Roots has successfully created an end-to-end gardening solution that removes barriers to entry for new gardeners. This lesson in product development stresses the value of consumer-centric design and simplification in fostering user engagement and loyalty.
4. Navigating Entrepreneurial Challenges with a Strong Foundational Partnership: The enduring co-founder relationship at the heart of Back to the Roots provides a blueprint for entrepreneurial resilience. A shared vision and complementary skill sets are critical when facing challenges, making strategic pivots, and achieving sustained profitability.
5. Aligning Business Goals with Broader Missions: Staying true to their North Star has enabled Back to the Roots to weather challenges and continuously adapt to get to where they are today. A clear and compelling mission can guide decision-making, inspire innovation, and attract like-minded customers and partners.

Resources:

Where to find Back to the Roots products and seed packets

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

In this episode, Sanjeev Krishnan, co-founder and managing partner of S2G Ventures, takes us through his career path from investing in telecom in emerging markets to building out a life sciences investment group at the IFC, the early days of energy environmental investing, his decision to hone in on food and agriculture, and finally to his journey with S2G. Sanjeev shares learnings critical for anyone investing or innovating in tough tech sectors, including his framework for using capital markets to transform industries, his approach to systems thinking, and his perspectives on the power of specialization and the importance of bringing value beyond capital. From his wealth of experiences to the Sanjeevisms that have permeated our vernacular, Sanjeev has been a spirited and thoughtful leader since day one at S2G, and we are excited to share this conversation with you.

Key Topics:

1. Specialization: Sanjeev underscores his belief in the importance of industry specialization. By deeply understanding the nuances of a specific sector, he believes investors and entrepreneurs can uncover unique opportunities for innovation and growth. 
2. Innovative Business Models: Sanjeev shares examples from his past that illustrate how rethinking traditional ways of doing business can lead to profitable ventures that also contribute positively to people's lives and the planet. 
3. Capital Markets: Sanjeev advocates for a capital market system tailored to the unique financial needs of sectors undergoing significant changes. 
4. Consumer Demand: The rising influence of Millennials and Gen Z consumers, who prioritize sustainability and social impact, creates a growing demand for aligned products and services. Sanjeev discusses his perspective that aligning company values with those of conscious consumers can drive substantial market growth.
5. Systems Thinking: Sanjeev discusses how the interconnectedness of various sectors presents unique challenges and opportunities for innovation. Systems thinking, which focuses on the 'seams' between sectors, encourages a holistic view of industries, where understanding the broader ecosystem and leveraging partnerships can lead to groundbreaking solutions. 

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

In this episode, we dive into the entrepreneur and investor journey that has led to the first EPA-approved RNA crop protection product and created a paradigm shift for the industry. Chuck Templeton chats with both GreenLight Biosciences CEO Andrey Zarur and S2G Managing Director Matt Walker, who has been working with Andrey and the GreenLight team for many years, about the company’s journey from defining a pressing need to designing a solution and bringing their first product in the market. There are so many hurdles to establishing a new product category, from developing the technology to working through long regulatory processes and then finally getting customers to adopt a novel product. This conversation is a great listen for anyone working to create or invest in category-defining technologies.

Key Takeaways:

1. Identifying a Genuine Problem: Entrepreneurs often fall into the trap of creating solutions in search of problems. GreenLight’s trajectory underscores the importance of starting with a specific, pressing issue and designing targeted solutions. 
2. Understanding Your Customer Base: Success in any industry hinges on an entrepreneur's ability to comprehend the needs, challenges, and preferences of their customers. GreenLight’s commitment to listening and adapting to feedback from farmers was pivotal in refining its products for successful adoption. 
3. Navigating Regulatory Landscapes: Investors and entrepreneurs alike must account for the time and uncertainty inherent in obtaining regulatory approvals. Andrey shares how engaging with regulatory bodies ended up being an opportunity for collaboration and learning rather than a mere obstacle.
4. Evolving With a Purpose-Driven Team: As companies transition through various development stages, the importance of assembling a capable, diverse team aligned with the company’s mission cannot be overstated. Entrepreneurs must be prepared to reassess roles, delegate effectively, and ensure that every team member is passionate about the collective goals. 
5. Building Out Growth Opportunities: GreenLight is dedicated to tackling larger agricultural problems and ensuring their breakthrough technologies are accessible to small landowners worldwide. 

Resources:
FAO agricultural pests stats
A short history of pest management
Potato farming input costs
Fungal pathogen crop damage

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

Not many people produce category-defining companies twice. But then again, not many people are John Foraker. The comforting taste of Annie’s mac and cheese or their cheddar bunnies masks their revolutionary origins when organic products were relegated to the back corners of grocery stores. As the former longtime leader of Annies, John is partially to thank for bringing natural foods to the fore. Today, as the CEO of Once Upon a Farm, he is changing how customers buy baby and kid foods while meeting the growing demand for nutrient-filled, responsibly sourced, delicious products. This episode is as full of insights into starting a mission-driven CPG company as a Once Upon a Farm Smart Blend is with organic fruits and veggies. 

Key Takeaways:

1. The Power of Brand Positioning: Under John’s leadership, both Annie’s and Once Upon a Farm have successfully positioned their brands in the mainstream market, proving that natural and healthy food brands can thrive among conventional competitors. 
2. Understanding the Consumer: With both companies, John was able to recognize the momentum moving toward more natural nutritious foods. A critical pivot moment for Once Upon a Farm occurred when they did more digging into their core customer. 
3. Building a Strong Brand Identity: John's strategy emphasizes the importance of a strong mission-driven brand identity that resonates with consumers' values and justifies different price points or purchasing behaviors. 
4. Sustainable scaling: John shares his thinking on balancing growth in product line and distribution with the need to hone your core offerings.
5. Working with Celebrity Cofounders: Jennifer Garner is one of the co-founders of Once Upon a Farm and John speaks about how she has been foundational to the company’s ethos and success. 
6. Leading with transparency and humility: John explains why he sends out an email every week recapping the company’s successes and challenges and how he ensures he is not the smartest person in the room. 

Resources:

John's LinkedIn

Ramping Your Brand

Consumer research on unplanned purchases

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

To celebrate International Women's Day we're shining the spotlight on our special ops team. For the past two years, our all-female Special Ops team has been deploying flexible non-dilutive financing to companies trying to reach that next stage of scale. S2G's Andrea Woodside and Marisa Sweeney break down what a special opportunity is, the role this type of funding plays in today's funding environment, and who should reach out to them (any asset-oriented climate company) and when (as soon as possible).  If you are seeking funding for an infrastructure-oriented company this episode is for you!

Key Takeaways:

1. The state of climate funding today: Billions of dollars have gone into climate tech, much of it to clean energy technologies, enabling them to transition from early-stage venture to later-stage capital. There is currently a funding gap for capital-intensive climate companies that are at a point where VC is too expensive, but banks or other institutional investors may not have enough creativity or flexibility to structure solutions.
2. The mission of Special Ops: The team is working to deploy non-dilutive capital to scale developers and other asset-oriented businesses efficiently. 
3. What the team is looking for: credit and infrastructure-oriented investment opportunities. The team is focused on downside protection, so opportunities with cash flows, collateral, and contracts that offer confidence around cashflow visibility are a good fit.
4. How this funding pairs with venture and growth equity funding: It’s not a replacement, but it can help reduce the amount of corporate equity a company needs.
5. The team’s perspective on FOAKS: While they are not the focus of Special Ops, Marisa, and Andrea have some insights for companies looking to fund FOAK projects.
6. Who should reach out: If you think this type of funding might be applicable, Marisa and Andrea are happy to chat!

Resources:

• Andrea’s Bio
• Marisa’s Bio
• Women in Climate Investing & Finance
• Financing Pathways for Climate Tech: Looking Beyond Corporate Equity
• Financing Pathways for Climate Tech: The Role of Alternative Financing
• Spring Lane Developer U

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

Last year, we put out a report entitled, "trends shaping the future of food in 2023." A year later, we wanted to check in with some of our team members who weighed in on the report to get their take on how these trends are evolving into 2024. In the last episode, we dove into our agtech trends, and in this episode, we'll look at some of the supply chain and foodtech trends. We talk to Dan Ripma about food as health, Kate Danaher about supply chain resilience, and Larsen Mettler about cultivated protein. 

Key Takeaways:

1. Food as Health: A changing consumer mindset and scientific advances are fueling the food as health space. We are seeing greater convergence between the private and policy sectors while larger players are increasingly interested in using food to improve outcomes for government health insurance programs. Some exciting areas include perioperative nutrition and the pairing of physical products with digital platforms.
2. Supply Chains: Covid-era supply chain disruptions have led to a spike in technologies and innovations around port optimization, inventory management and tracking, and supply chain transparency. In the maritime industry, where decarbonization directly hits the bottom line, ocean intelligence technologies that can help companies make better business, climate, and regulatory decisions are seeing greater adoption. . 
3. Cellular Protein: While the sector has been impacted by the difficult fundraising environment of the past year, we have also seen specialized companies within the supply chain having success with smaller, longer-term CapEx plays. There is increasing scrutiny around costs and go-to-market strategies, but technologies such as AI and digital twins can help companies scale more effectively. For companies looking to fundraise, being able to communicate KPIs and key milestones is more important than ever. 

Resources:

• Dan's bio
• Kate's bio
• Larsen's bio
• Reflections on 2023 Agtech Trends
• Reflections on 2023 Food and Agriculture Supply Chain Trends
• Reflections on 2023 Food Tech Trends

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

In this episode, Chuck Templeton is joined by fellow Chicago entrepreneurs and old friends Chris Gladwin and Mike Evans for a captivating conversation about scaling their respective companies for exit.  Chris founded and sold CleverSafe and is currently the Founder and CEO of Ocient, a data analytics platform for the world's biggest data sets. Mike is the Founder of Grubhub and now the Founder of Fixer, a home maintenance membership company. Chris and Mike compare their customer acquisition experiences, discuss their hiring approaches, consider their mutual passion for endurance sports, and dig into their core business philosophies. It’s a conversation any entrepreneur will take valuable insights from.

Key Takeaways:

1. Customer acquisition for enterprise companies and small businesses: Mike shares how he thought about building a brand and providing customers with value early on. Chris speaks to the importance of understanding the buyer’s motivations.
2. Their “just start” and “stay in business” mentalities: According to Mike, the only way to know if customers will buy your product is to start selling it. According to Chris, the number one reason businesses fail is because they don’t last long enough. 
3. What endurance sports can offer entrepreneurs: Read: a learning mindset and a lot of pain.
4. Hiring for scale: Chris and Mike both share how they approached hiring and maintaining talent through different stages of growth.
5. Building companies for exit: Chris and Mike discuss their philosophies on designing a company for exit, from creating a growth template to maximizing the probability of an exit. 

Ocient Socials: 

• LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter) 

Ocient Resources

• Dun & Bradstreet Customer Case Study
• Beachfront Customer Case Study

Mike Evans Socials: 

• LinkedIn, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter)

Mike Evans Resources

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.

Last year, we published a report entitled, "Trends Shaping the Future of Food in 2023." It turns out 2023 was quite the year with many market, geopolitical, and policy twists and turns. In this episode, we check in with S2G team members who contributed to the report to get their take on how these trends evolved in 2023 and into 2024. We interview Arthur Chow about robotics, Cristina Rohr about digital agtech, and Matt Walker about alternative crop inputs. 

Key Takeaways:

1. Agricultural Robotics: Agriculture robotics companies are making substantial strides in delivering on promises and expanding their offerings. The shift towards platform solutions, as well as partnerships that enable robotics-as-a-service models, are reducing some of the barriers to adoption. 
2. Integrated Digital Ag Tech Solutions: The integration of digital agriculture solutions is enabling companies to quantify the cross-value chain benefits of climate-smart agriculture. Strategic partnerships and robust data infrastructure are pivotal in fostering adoption and optimizing environmental and economic outcomes.
3. Rising Demand for Alternative Input Solutions: The demand for alternative input solutions, such as biologicals, is on the rise, driven by market shifts away from traditional chemicals and consumer preferences for environmentally friendly options. Companies are focused on substantiating the efficacy of these solutions while integrating them seamlessly into existing farming systems.

Resources:

Arthur's Bio
Cristina's Bio
Matt's Bio

Reflections on 2023 Agtech Trends
Reflections on 2023 Food and Agriculture Supply Chain Trends
Reflections on 2023 Food Tech Trends

This content is for informational purposes only, should not be taken as legal, business, tax or investment advice, or be used to evaluate any investment or security, and is not directed at any investor or potential investor in any investment vehicle sponsored by S2G. Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. Specific companies mentioned in this podcast are for educational purposes and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind. S2G holds positions in the companies referenced, but this podcast is for information purposes only and is not intended to promote any such company. All views of the guests on this podcast are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of S2G. Any past performance discussed is not indicative of future results. The views expressed herein are opinions based on certain assumptions and subject to change.

For more important information, please see s2ginvestments.com/disclosures.