Unbottled: A Startup Podcast by Kadeya

Manuela Zoninsein | Kadeya
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Building the Future of Beverage — one sip, one story at a time. Hosted by Manuela Zoninsein, founder & CEO of Kadeya, Unbottled takes you behind the scenes of building the world’s first closed-loop beverage system—a reusable, refillable, zero-waste alternative to single-use bottles. In this limited first season, you’ll hear raw, unfiltered conversations with the people rethinking everything we know about water, plastic, and sustainability: • Founders rewriting the rules of reuse • Experts exposing myths about recycling and microplastics • Investors betting on climate hardware • Workers and operators fueling change from the ground up From fighting plastic pollution to re-engineering the beverage supply chain, each episode dives into the problems, people, and possibilities behind the bottle. Because the future of beverage isn’t bottled — It’s built. New episodes every Monday.

  1. MAR 23

    Inside a Double Alpha Household: Building Startups and a Marriage

    What happens when two founders build companies—and a family—under one roof? In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Andy Dunn — a founder of Bonobos, Monica + Andy, and Pie, venture investor, and author of Burn Rate — for a candid conversation on entrepreneurship, partnership, and the reality of a “double alpha household.” But this isn’t a typical founder interview. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to build ambitious companies while building a life together—navigating mental health, parenting, competing priorities, and the constant tension between ambition and presence. Together, they unpack how to support each other without collapsing into each other’s work, what venture capital often gets wrong about long-term bets like hardware and infrastructure, and why betting on your partner may be one of the boldest (and riskiest) investments you can make. In this episode, you’ll see: What a “double alpha household” really looks like (and why winning isn’t the goal)How to balance being a partner, investor, and operator at the same timeWhy startups can feel like a “mind virus”The role of sleep, exercise, and routine in protecting mental health while buildingHow parenting reshapes ambition, time, and identityWhy venture capital struggles with non-consensus, long-term investments like hardwareAndy also shares how his relationship with ambition has evolved—from chasing outcomes to finding meaning in the process itself. Because when you zoom out, building a company is just one part of the equation—the harder challenge is building a life that can sustain it. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya — building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  Follow Andy Dunn Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyrdunn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dunn/ Substack: https://dunn.substack.com/  ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club  Website: https://www.kadeya.com/  ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/  Substack: https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/ ______  💌 Go deeper with The Drip newsletter — Kadeya’s inside look at how we’re re-engineering the $2 trillion beverage industry. Get founder insights, progress updates, and ideas shaping the circular economy.   Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/4opCVW2 ______  Building the future of beverage—one sip, one story at a time.   Unbottled shares raw conversations with the people rethinking everything we know about water, plastic, and sustainability. Because the future of beverage isn’t bottled—it’s built. New episodes every Monday. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  If you like what you hear, rate, review, and subscribe to Unbottled

    56 min

  2. FEB 16

    Building Better Products: Why Materials Science Matters More Than Ever

    We can’t design better products if we don’t understand the materials they’re made from. In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Dr. Carolyn Carta — materials scientist, educator, and founder of CArtLab Solutions — to bring a scientific lens to one of the most emotional conversations in sustainability: what our products are actually made of. With a career spanning conservation science, animation preservation at Disney, medical device 3D printing, and next-gen hardware systems, Dr. CC has built her reputation on asking better questions, and demanding better data. She’s on a mission to bring more scientific method (and a lot less greenwashing) to how we evaluate materials, risk, and real-world performance. Together, they unpack why so many material debates miss the mark — and how consumer fears like “all plastic is toxic” can distract from what really matters: testing, precision, and responsible system design. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the scientific method is essential to building responsible, effective hardwareWhat’s missing from most public conversations about plastic, polymers, and toxicityWhy early, rigorous R&D determines whether a product succeeds or fails at scaleHow additives, trace chemistry, and real-world use conditions change the material safety conversationWhy “natural” doesn’t automatically mean saferWhat better questions founders, consumers, and policymakers should be asking about materials like plasticHow to evaluate sustainability through performance, durability, and system design — not headlinesDr. CC also challenges popular narratives around microplastics and material risk, sharing how precision testing leads to better products. Because when you look closely, the issue isn’t just plastic — it’s whether we’re measuring, testing, and designing systems responsibly in the first place. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya — building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  If this episode got you thinking about plastic systems change, product innovation, or how we build a better future - don’t just listen. Be an owner. Kadeya is raising a community round on Wefunder. You can invest with as little as $100 and help bring closed-loop hydration to more people, in more places. 👉 Learn more and join our investor community at: https://www.wefunder.com/kadeya ______  Follow Dr. Carolyn Carta Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ccarta/ ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club  Website: https://www.kadeya.com/  ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/  Substack: https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/ ______  💌 Go deeper with The Drip newsletter — Kadeya’s inside look at how we’re re-engineering the $2 trillion beverage industry. Get founder insights, progress updates, and ideas shaping the circular economy.   Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/4opCVW2 ______  Building the future of beverage—one sip, one story at a time.

    50 min

  3. FEB 2

    From Robotics to Reuse: How Kadeya’s CPO Is Rebuilding the Beverage Supply Chain

    How do you redesign an entire industry without asking people to change how they live? In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Kadeya’s cofounder and Chief Product Officer Denis Lussault to unpack his personal journey from Formula 1 dreams and warehouse robotics to building the world’s first closed-loop beverage system. Denis explains how decades of experience across industries shaped the way Kadeya is designing smarter, circular systems — and why solving climate problems starts with solving operational ones. In this conversation, you’ll learn: Why the real problem isn’t the bottle — it’s the system behind itHow robotics and automation make sustainability scalableHow AI helps optimize hardware, supply chains, and customer experienceDenis’s leadership philosophy and product visionLessons from Formula 1, startups, and team sports that now shape Kadeya’s cultureWhy climate impact requires systems thinking, not surface fixesYou’ll also hear about Denis’s path in startups and reimagining hydration infrastructure — plus basketball analogies, bikes-as-thinking tools, and what it takes to build something that people actually want to use. Because the future of beverages isn’t about better bottles. It’s about better systems. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya — building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  If this episode got you thinking about plastic systems change, product innovation, or how we build a better future - don’t just listen. Be an owner. Kadeya is raising a community round on Wefunder. You can invest with as little as $100 and help bring closed-loop hydration to more people, in more places. 👉 Learn more and join our investor community at: https://www.wefunder.com/kadeya ______  Follow Denis Lussault Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denis-lussault-40691946/ ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club  Website: https://www.kadeya.com/  ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/  Substack: https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/ ______  💌 Go deeper with The Drip newsletter — Kadeya’s inside look at how we’re re-engineering the $2 trillion beverage industry. Get founder insights, progress updates, and ideas shaping the circular economy.  Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/4opCVW2 ______  Building the future of beverage—one sip, one story at a time.   Unbottled shares raw conversations with the people rethinking everything we know about water, plastic, and sustainability. Because the future of beverage isn’t bottled—it’s built. New episodes every Monday. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  If you like what you hear, rate, review, and subscribe to Unbottled

    43 min

  4. JAN 19

    Forecasting Our Future: Why Climate Is Personal with Meteorologist Angie Lassman

    Everyone talks about the weather, few understand what’s really happening. In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Angie Lassman, certified broadcast meteorologist and environmental reporter at NBC News, to break down the science behind climate change — and why rising heat, extreme weather, and misinformation are reshaping everyday life across the U.S.  Angie shares why clear, credible communication may be one of our most powerful climate tools. In this conversation, you’ll learn: The real difference between weather and climate — and why confusing the two fuels misinformationWhy extreme heat is one of the deadliest and most overlooked climate threatsHow climate change is already impacting health, housing, insurance, and infrastructureWhy climate change feels so polarizing — and how trust in science has erodedWhat meteorologists and scientists need to do differently to communicate urgency without fearHow misinformation spreads — and how to spot credible climate sourcesAngie also shares her personal journey — from falling in love with science as a curious kid, to reporting from climate hotspots around the world — and why optimism, education, and action are essential in the face of accelerating change. Because climate change isn’t a future problem. It’s a systems problem — and it’s already shaping how we live. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya, building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  Follow Angie Lassman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angielassman/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@angielassman Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angielassman/ ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club  Website: https://www.kadeya.com/  Invest in Kadeya on Wefunder: https://wefunder.com/kadeya  ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/  Substack: https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/ ______  💌 Go deeper with The Drip newsletter — Kadeya’s inside look at how we’re re-engineering the $2 trillion beverage industry. Get founder insights, progress updates, and ideas shaping the circular economy.    Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/4opCVW2 ______  Building the future of beverage—one sip, one story at a time.   Unbottled shares raw conversations with the people rethinking everything we know about water, plastic, and sustainability. Because the future of beverage isn’t bottled—it’s built. New episodes every Monday. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  If you like what you hear, rate, review, and subscribe to Unbottled.

    43 min

  5. JAN 12

    Investing in Supply Chain Transformation, with Co-Founders of REFASHIOND Ventures

    The beverage supply chain wasn’t built for sustainability. It was built for scale, speed, and disposability. In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Brian Laung Aoaeh and Lisa Morales-Hellebo, early Kadeya investors and supply chain operators, to break down how today’s beverage infrastructure actually works — and why single-use bottles became the default. Together, they unpack what most consumers never see: the hidden logistics, costs, and inefficiencies behind bottled beverages — from extraction and manufacturing to long-haul transport, waste, and landfill. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Refashiond Ventures built a thesis around investing in early-stage companies that are refashioning global supply chains and transforming industries.How the traditional beverage supply chain was designed — and where it breaks downWhy recycling was never designed to handle beverage volumes at scaleHow on-site production at point-of-service changes the economics of beveragesWhy fixing waste requires disruption and rebuilding systems — not consumer guiltBrian and Lisa also share why they chose to invest in Kadeya — and why they believe the future of beverages will be decentralized, circular, and built closer to where people actually drink. Because when you understand the supply chain, you realize the problem was never the bottle — it was the system around it. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya, building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  Follow & Support Refashiond Ventures: Website: https://www.refashiond.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/refashiondvc/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refashiond/ ______  Follow Brian Laung Aoaeh  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/industrialsystemsengineeringandtransformationandsupplychaintechnology/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianlaungaoaeh/?hl=en  Follow Lisa Morales-Hellebo: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/supplychainlocalization/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisahellebo/?hl=en  ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club  Website: https://www.kadeya.com/  Invest in Kadeya on Wefunder: https://wefunder.com/kadeya  ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/  Substack: https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/

    1 hr

  6. 12/29/2025

    Water Is Infrastructure: Inside the Midwest’s Blue Economy with Alaina Harkness

    Water isn’t just essential, it’s infrastructure. It’s economic security. It’s power. And it’s shaping the future faster than most of us realize. In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Alaina Harkness, CEO of Current, a water innovation hub based in Chicago, and CEO of Great Lakes RENEW, the National Science Foundation–funded Great Lakes Water Innovation Engine. Together, they explore why the Midwest is quietly becoming a global leader in the blue economy — and what’s at stake as water scarcity, PFAS contamination, microplastics, and climate pressures collide with rapid technological growth. In this conversation, you’ll learn: - Why water security is emerging as a national economic priority - How the Great Lakes region holds 20% of the world’s fresh surface water — and why that matters - What the “blue economy” actually is (and why it’s not just about oceans) - The hidden water footprint of AI, data centers, and quantum computing - Why reuse, circular systems, and decentralized infrastructure are critical to the future - How innovation, policy, and workforce development intersect to reshape water systems - What it will take to build a circular, waste-to-wealth water economy Alaina also shares her personal journey — from growing up near Lake Michigan to leading one of the country’s most ambitious water innovation coalitions — and why solving water challenges requires long-term thinking, cross-sector collaboration, and relentless optimism. Because when it comes to water, what’s invisible today will define our future tomorrow. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya, building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  Follow & Support Current, Chicago’s Water Innovation Hub: Website: https://currentwater.org/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/greatlakescurrent/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/currentwater/ ______  Follow Alaina Harkness: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alaina-harkness/ ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club  Website: https://www.kadeya.com/  Invest in Kadeya on Wefunder: https://wefunder.com/kadeya  ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/  Substack: https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/ ______  💌 Go deeper with The Drip newsletter — Kadeya’s inside look at how we’re re-engineering the $2 trillion beverage industry. Get founder insights, progress updates, and ideas shaping the circular economy.    Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/4opCVW2 ______  Building the future of beverage—one sip, one story at a time.   Unbottled shares raw conversations with the people rethinking everything we know about water, plastic, and sustainability. Because the future of beverage isn’t bottled—it’s built. New episodes every Monday. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  If you like what you hear, rate, review, and subscribe to Unbottled​

    50 min

  7. 12/15/2025

    Why Our Drinking Water Isn’t As Safe As We Think: Joel Brammeier on Great Lakes, Plastic & Policy

    What if the water that sustains 40 million people is quietly becoming unsafe? In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Joel Brammeier, President & CEO of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, to explore what’s really happening beneath the surface of the most important freshwater ecosystem in North America. Joel breaks down:  • How the Great Lakes became a global freshwater powerhouse — and why they’re at risk  • What long-term Adopt-a-Beach data shows: plastic is the dominant source of shoreline pollution • Where microplastics actually come from (not just bottles—and not boats) • Why individual recycling isn’t enough without systems-level change • The truth about water quality, microplastics, and what ends up in our bodies • How Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) could shift accountability back to companies You’ll also hear how consumer behavior, public policy, and real community participation all intersect — and why protecting these waters means rethinking how everyday products are made, sold, and disposed of. If you live in the Midwest, drink drinking water, have kids, or care about environmental justice, this episode will make you see your tap differently — and give you clear ways to own your impact. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya, building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  🔗 Resources mentioned: Alliance for the Great Lakes & Adopt-a-Beach volunteer program – get involved locally: https://greatlakes.org/get-involved/adopt-a-beach/ Alliance Ambassadors – deeper training on Great Lakes issues & plastics advocacy: https://greatlakes.org/get-involved/alliance-ambassadors/______  Follow & Support Alliance for the Great Lakes: Website: https://greatlakes.org/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/alliance4greatlakes/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alliance-for-the-great-lakes/ ______  Follow Joel Brammeier: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-brammeier-80b3466/ ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club  Website: https://www.kadeya.com/  Invest in Kadeya on Wefunder: https://wefunder.com/kadeya  ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/ Substack: https://manuelazoninsein.substack.com/ ______  💌 Go deeper with The Drip newsletter — Kadeya’s inside look at how we’re re-engineering the $2 trillion beverage industry. Get founder insights, progress updates, and ideas shaping the circular economy.    Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/4opCVW2 ______  Building the future of beverage—one sip, one story at a time.   Unbottled sha

    1h 19m

  8. 12/08/2025

    From Pediatrician to Founder: Ahimsa’s Dr. Manasa Mantravadi on Fighting to Protect Kids from Plastic

    When it comes to protecting our kids, plastic shouldn’t be part of the story.  In this episode of Unbottled, Manuela sits down with Dr. Manasa Mantravadi — board-certified pediatrician, public health advocate, and founder/CEO of Ahimsa, the world’s first colorful stainless steel dinnerware company for kids. After the American Academy of Pediatrics released research linking plastic foodware to hormone disruption and health risks in children, Dr. Manasa didn’t just worry… she went to work. Today, Ahimsa is partnering with schools, districts, and the Clinton Global Initiative to replace plastic in cafeterias with safer, stainless steel — and proving that systems change can start with a plate. In this conversation, we get into: What the science actually says about microplastics, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and why kids are uniquely vulnerableWhy “BPA-free” doesn’t mean safe — and the difference between microplastics and plastic chemicals like bisphenols and phthalatesWhy stainless steel is considered “inert” (and why that matters for your child’s hormones, brain development, and long-term health)The Conscious Cafeteria Project: how switching from disposables to reusable steel in schools cut carbon emissions by 80%+, reduced waste, and saved moneyHow food, materials, and environment intersect — from school lunches and food deserts to ultraprocessed foods and rising rates of type 2 diabetes, early puberty, and cancerA pediatrician’s perspective on parenting guilt, small swaps, and why it’s never “too late” to start making changesWhat happens when a physician becomes a founder — the emotional toll, resilience, copycats, tariffs, and why keeping the business healthy is a form of public healthIf you’ve ever wondered whether switching your kid’s plates, cups, or lunch gear really matters — or felt overwhelmed by all the headlines about plastics, microplastics, and toxins — this episode will leave you informed and empowered, not terrified. 💧 Unbottled is brought to you by Kadeya, building closed-loop beverage systems for a world beyond single-use. ______  Follow & Shop Ahimsa: Website: https://ahimsahome.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/ahimsahomeusa/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ahimsahomeusa ______  Follow Dr. Manasa Mantravadi: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-manasa-mantravadi-593b901b6/ ______  Follow Kadeya:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kdy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kadeya.club/  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kadeya.club  Website: https://www.kadeya.com/  Invest in Kadeya on Wefunder: https://wefunder.com/kadeya  ______  Follow Manuela:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuelasweb/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manuelasweb/  ______  💌 Go deeper with The Drip — Kadeya’s inside look at how we’re re-engineering the $2 trillion beverage industry. Get founder insights, progress updates, and ideas shaping the circular economy.    Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/4opCVW2 ______  Building the future of beverage—one sip, one story at a time.   Unbottled shares raw conversations with the people rethinking everything we know about water, plastic, and sustainability. Because the future of beverage isn’t bottled—it’s built. New episodes every Monday. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  If you like what you hear, rate, review, and subscribe to Unbottled​

    56 min
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About

Building the Future of Beverage — one sip, one story at a time. Hosted by Manuela Zoninsein, founder & CEO of Kadeya, Unbottled takes you behind the scenes of building the world’s first closed-loop beverage system—a reusable, refillable, zero-waste alternative to single-use bottles. In this limited first season, you’ll hear raw, unfiltered conversations with the people rethinking everything we know about water, plastic, and sustainability: • Founders rewriting the rules of reuse • Experts exposing myths about recycling and microplastics • Investors betting on climate hardware • Workers and operators fueling change from the ground up From fighting plastic pollution to re-engineering the beverage supply chain, each episode dives into the problems, people, and possibilities behind the bottle. Because the future of beverage isn’t bottled — It’s built. New episodes every Monday.

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