Activation Energy Selma Duhovic

I speak with Ginger Rothrock of HG Ventures about investing in industrial technologies.


(0:00) Introduction
(0:43) Industrial tech defined
(1:33) Examples of current innovations with industrial use cases
(3:07) How novel industrial tech will impact existing value chain/ecosystem
(4:49) The promise and potential of industrial tech in averting the climate crisis and achieving sustainability
(7:26) Regulatory environment (EPA, SEC)
(9:28) Investing in industrial tech, flow and allocation of capital
(11:44) Investment landscape
(13:24) How VCs make money by investing in industrial tech
(15:44) Risks and challenges when investing in industrial tech
(17:58) Current state of economy and impact on early-stage investment activities
(18:59) What investors look for
(20:50) HG Ventures – mission, investment thesis, value-add
(23:50) Advice for entrepreneurs when pitching to investors and building companies

I speak with Mitch Krauss about sustainability, circularity, environmental and health safety in textiles, semiconductor, and beverage industries.

(0:00) Introduction
(0:39) Apparel and textile industry
(1:32) UN Project
(2:42) Apparel industry value chain
(4:29) Perfluorochemicals
(7:45) Sustainability in apparel industry
(9:47) Apparel production’s impact on environment
(14:24) Semiconductor industry
(15:42) RoHS Directive
(18:53) How semiconductors are made
(21:43) Use of water in semiconductor manufacturing
(27:05) Beer industry and brewing beer
(29:41) Norfork Brewing

I speak with Gabriel Thoumi of Responsible Alpha, a consultancy whose mission is to support businesses and communities in securing a low-carbon, sustainable, and equitable future.


(1:24) Production and consumption of plastic
(2:53) Plastic industry’s carbon budget
(3:59) Reconciling fact that plastic is useful in our society and economy with the fact that it is damaging to the environment
(8:35) What the plastic industry is doing to mitigate the plastic problem and the pressure companies feel to change their behavior
(11:58) The role of investors
(15:40) The role of governments
(20:25) Ramification of projected increase in demand for plastic
(25:43) New technologies
(31:11) Circularity and points of intervention
(36:51) Barriers to transitioning from linear to circular economy
(40:28) How transitioning to circular economy creates opportunities
(42:03) Short-term vs. long-term thinking

I speak with Tina Tosukhowong of TDK Ventures about investing in deep tech startups.


(0:00) Introduction
(0:49) Defining deep tech
(1:21) Distinction from clean tech
(3:00) What drives investment in deep tech
(5:35) Risks in deep tech ventures and their investors
(9:07) Challenges faced by startups and investors
(12:36) Characteristics of successful deep tech startups
(15:53) Deep tech ecosystem
(18:27) Traditional vs. Corporate venture capital
(21:32) TDK Ventures

I speak with Rajiv Banavali, the senior vice president of science and innovation at WestRock, the second largest American packaging company.


(0:00) Introduction
(0:44) Definition of innovation
(1:28) Distinction between breakthrough and incremental innovation
(3:53) Identifying opportunities for innovation
(5:32) Figuring out what customers and their customer want
(8:10) Predicting which products will be successful and which ones will fail
(10:27) Setting an innovation strategy
(12:42) Role of science at WestRock and drivers of new ideas
(17:51) Designing products for sustainability
(20:25) Resources needed for innovation
(23:37) Creating a culture of innovation
(26:23) Innovation killers
(28:38) Sustainability as a value driver
(30:29) What drivers sustainability
(34:56) Circular economy in packaging industry
(37:03) Innovation in packaging industry
(38:37) Exciting development in packaging
(41:14) Innovation at WestRock
(44:21) Regulation
(46:18) Government’s role in creating and supporting innovation

I speak with Dr. John Warner of Zymergen and Beyond Benign about sustainability in the chemical industry.


(0:00) Introduction
(1:03) Chemical industry as an actor in society and economy
(4:31) Green chemistry
(5:54) Teaching chemistry skills
(10:50) Beyond Benign
(20:11) Marketing and public relations in the chemical industry
(22:24) Communication
(24:03) Financing sustainability efforts
(30:59) Numbers and narratives in startups