Supercool

Marketing holds the key to many of today's climate challenges. Companies trying to break through and reach potential buyers with their world-changing, carbon-cutting solutions must separate from a "sea of same," says today's guest. That's true whether touting new software that helps businesses cut costs and carbon or introducing carbon-negative building materials into the residential and commercial building industries, like Plantd, the company Josh co-founded before starting Supercool.

Even the most innovative solutions companies face marketing challenges. As startups, they're often under-capitalized and under-resourced. To gain traction or raise capital, climate tech companies must generate brand awareness, educate the market, and build trust with prospective customers. It's challenging,  cut climate tech startups have an ace up their sleeve: a mission to help solve one of the greatest challenges confronting humanity: climate change.

Communicated effectively, mission and vision —together with all the other brand attributes—can pierce through risk-averse corporate cultures and entrenched business practices and gain the ear of decision-makers. Creativity and effective communication are how climate tech startups compete. Not all do it; many don't prioritize it, but those who are bold tend to win.

Adam Malik, co-founder of Bloxspring, a "B2B marketing agency for visionary brands radically changing the future of our buildings, cities and planet," is betting on bold. Adam started Bloxspring in 2020 after a career in the marketing and advertising industry. Though colleagues advised him against starting a firm targeting industries known for resisting change, Adam and his co-founder, PJ Appleton, saw an opportunity. They also saw that concerns about climate change would increasingly compel large companies to seek innovative solutions. So they set out to help those young companies get noticed and grow, to play bigger and stand out. Bloxspring is based in the UK with clients on both sides of the Atlantic, which gives Adam an interesting lens on how these markets are developing, their similarities and differences, and why now is the moment for bold marketing in the world of climate tech.

NOTES

Ned Tozun and Sam Goldman founded d.light in 2007 with a mission to provide safe, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions for all. For d.light, “all” has meant creating solar-powered products for over two billion people worldwide who lack reliable access to energy. It all began with an affordable, durable solar-powered lamp.

Seventeen years later, d.light has become a global phenomenon. Its solar products have improved the lives of over 180 million people across 72 countries, including India, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. The company now employs 1,200 people and tens of thousands of local sales agents to bring its innovative products to remote, rural communities.

d.light’s products have a tangible impact: children can study after dark with solar lights, midwives can safely deliver babies without struggling in darkness, and families no longer need to rely on hazardous kerosene, thanks to clean solar energy.

Now, d.light aims to reach one billion people by 2030, providing them with a grid-like energy lifestyle without having to connect to the grid. The objective: leapfrog over legacy fossil fuel infrastructure and enable one billion people to head directly into the low-carbon future.

Ned joins Supercool to share how the business has effectively scaled, entered new markets, and evolved to meet the needs of its customers without ever losing sight of its original mission.

Show Notes

How do cities become great places to walk? What moves people to ditch their cars and use their own feet? According to Jeff Speck, the key is that the walk itself has to be as good as a drive. Jeff wrote the book on walkability—literally. Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America One Step at a Time is the best-selling city-planning title of the 21st century and a classic on making cities pedestrian-friendly.

Jeff’s “General Theory of Walkability” spells out exactly what it takes: walking needs to be useful, safe, comfortable, and interesting—all at once. He’s transformed communities across America, proving that towns and cities everywhere can rewrite the rules and reshape their streets.

Creating walkable communities is essential for cutting carbon emissions and sustaining economic vitality. A 2023 Smart Growth America report reveals that merely 1.2% of land in the top 35 U.S. metros is walkable, yet these urban neighborhoods contribute 20% of the nation’s GDP.

On today’s show, Jeff breaks down what makes a place truly walkable, the maddening obstacles standing in the way, and how to clear the path—one thoughtful step at a time.

Show Notes

Are we better off today as a nation than we were four years ago in our efforts to decarbonize the economy and build a more equitable society?  With the election on the horizon, we’re taking stock of the strides made since the Biden-Harris Administration took office and prioritized the clean energy transition.

David Turk, Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy, joins the conversation. As the DOE’s second-in-command and Chief Operating Officer, he has played a key role in implementing President Biden’s landmark clean energy legislation, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

In just one Presidential term, the U.S. has shifted its trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions reductions from 20% to 40% by 2030, bringing us closer to our 2030 target of a 50% reduction on our path to full decarbonization by 2050.

Here’s the kicker: cutting carbon emissions isn’t dragging down the economy. Clean energy jobs are surging, expanding at twice the job growth rate of the broader U.S. economy. With over 900 projects funded nationwide, communities in every state are seeing tangible benefits from this transition.

As we prepare to cast our votes and shape the future of our nation and the world, this conversation is important to consider.

Show Notes

Bitcoin mining frequently faces criticism in climate circles for its voracious energy appetite. But what if that narrative is over-generalized or maybe even entirely misses the mark?

This week, we venture into the world of Bitcoin with Matthew Schultz, the founding CEO and now Executive Chairman of CleanSpark—the fourth largest publicly traded Bitcoin miner by market capitalization, valued at $3.2 billion. CleanSpark’s roots in renewable energy predate its entry into Bitcoin mining. A decade ago, Schultz and his team were pioneering advanced solar microgrids on U.S. military bases in California and partnering with the South African government and the World Bank to eradicate energy poverty through solar-plus-storage solutions.

CleanSpark began Bitcoin mining in 2020 and has been on a meteoric rise ever since. Operating in rural communities across America, the company primarily utilizes emissions-free nuclear energy and has cultivated a strong reputation as a community partner—boosting local tax revenue, strengthening grid resilience, and creating high-tech jobs far away from traditional tech and innovation hubs.

Today, CleanSpark mines between 3-4% of all new Bitcoin globally, making their strategic moves profoundly impactful. Ready for an eye-opening journey? Tune in to discover how CleanSpark seamlessly blends clean energy with cryptocurrency to forge a sustainable future.