The Samuele Tini Show - where business, innovation, and sustainability converge
The Samuele Tini Show explores how business, innovation, and sustainability converge to shape the future. Host Samuele Tini talks with global changemakers about bold ideas, inspiring stories, and practical solutions. Episodes dig into the challenges and opportunities of building a more sustainable economy and society. Listeners are invited to join the quest for progress through actionable insights and real-world examples.
Episodi
Inside M-Pesa: The Story Before the Success | Catherine Karimi Gichunge
Before M-Pesa was M-Pesa, it was a pilot in Thika with a handful of women's groups and a piece of code written to disburse microfinance loans. Catherine Karimi Gichunge was pulled out of the Safaricom call centre in 2005 to sit next to Vodafone's project manager, and she has never told this part of the story on the show before.
There was no API: electronic value was created by carrying cash to a
A Post-Growth World Is Coming, by Disaster or by Design | Matt Orsagh
Matt Orsagh spent 25 years inside mainstream finance, including as Senior Director of Capital Markets at the CFA Institute. Then he concluded that ESG was painting the house while it was on fire. Now, as co-founder of the Arketa Institute for Post-Growth Finance, he makes the case that a post-growth world is coming, by disaster or by design.
We discuss why degrowth is a diet, not austerity; why gr
Stop Selling to Africa. Start Building With It | Robert Bach Casanovas
A European trade director who sends his own clients back home. Robert Bach Casanovas has run the Nairobi office of Catalonia Trade & Investment (ACCIÓ) since 2017, and he is blunt: the traditional model of European companies exporting one-size-fits-all solutions to Africa is languishing.
What works now is demand-driven partnership, co-manufacturing and localizing solutions for the mass market,
Winning at All Costs Is How You Lose Everything | Reina
Reina-Flor Okori competed in four Olympic Games. Three for France, then one final Games for Equatorial Guinea, where she carried the flag her parents fled under. In this episode, the hurdler turned leadership coach explains why the "win at all costs" mindset that took her to the top nearly destroyed her, and what she built instead.
We explore her three levels of leadership: survival mode, the hype
Does Africa Need to Industrialise Before It Decarbonises? | Soha Benchekroun
What if Africa's biggest climate problem is the climate agenda itself?
Soha Benchekroun argues that for Africa, sustainability and industrialisation are the same project, and that thirty years of climate negotiations have delivered almost nothing for the continent. A climate and development policy researcher, she builds the case from inside the rooms she critiques.
We get into why adaptation keeps
The B Corp Movement at 20: Reinvention or Retreat? | Christopher Marquis
Six years ago, Christopher Marquis wrote that the B Corp movement was remaking capitalism. Today the movement is twenty years old, ten thousand companies strong, and in the middle of a reckoning.
Marquis, Sinyi Professor at Cambridge Judge Business School and author of Better Business, Mao and Markets and The Profiteers, joins the show to talk straight. Why the Dr. Bronner's exit and the Nespresso
Merchants of Peace: Can Trade Still Prevent War? | Sebastian Ferrari
In 1919, a group of business people gave themselves a strange name: the Merchants of Peace. Their bet was that trading nations fight less. They had just watched Central Europe destroy itself, and they believed commerce could be a brake on war. A century later, with the Strait of Hormuz blocked and tariffs rising, that idea is being tested in real time.
Sebastian Ferrari leads strategic initiatives
Stop Calling It Charity. Kenyan Coffee Is an Economy | Henry Kinyua
For years, men gathered in Kenyan trading centres, read the Nairobi Coffee Exchange price in the newspaper, did some quick math, and concluded their cooperative leaders had stolen their money. Most of the time, nobody had stolen anything. They were using the wrong number.
Henry Kinyua, the Coffee Man of Kenya, is a trained agronomist and value chain specialist who has worked the Kenyan coffee sect
The Maze, Not the Mouse: A Smarter Theory of Change
What if everything you do to "live green" makes almost no difference, and quietly makes things worse? Michael Maniates, author of The Living Green Myth and co-author of Confronting Consumption and Consumption Corridors, argues that buying eco products and living lean is a comforting story that commodifies our anxieties and parks conscientious people in dead ends of despair. He explains why technol
Stop Funding Apps. Fund Warehouses. | Claire van Enk
Up to 50% of Kenya's fruits and vegetables never reach a plate. Not because farmers can't grow. Because nobody can reliably move, sort, price and pay.
Claire van Enk is the founder and CEO of Farm to Feed, a Nairobi-based agritech platform that today connects 6,000 smallholder farmers with hotels, restaurants, schools and food processors across Kenya through bespoke logistics, traceability and a 2
GDP Became Our God: The Religion of Economic Growth | Tim Jackson
What if the obsession driving the global economy is not a strategy, but a religion?
In this episode, Professor Tim Jackson (University of Surrey, author of Prosperity Without Growth, Post Growth, and The Care Economy) argues that GDP has filled "the God-shaped hole" left in the 20th century, becoming a creed we recite without questioning. Sam and Tim explore where this obsession came from, why tec
There Is No Funding Gap in Africa. Here's What's Actually Missing
"There is no funding gap in Africa."
That is the provocation from Burak Buyuksaraç, CEO of Afri Capital and a 16-year business veteran in Tanzania. He arrived in Dar es Salaam in 2010 as a mining executive, stayed to build a diversified portfolio across tourism, security, insurance, consultancy and trading, and now runs one of East Africa's newer investment firms.
In this episode we unpack why the
Space-Based Solar: The $10 Megawatt Hour That Can Save Us | Martin Soltau
Oil above 100 USD. The Strait of Hormuz under pressure.The world scambling for energy. Again. and Again...
Every energy crisis sends us looking for the same answers: another pipeline, another terminal, another sanctions package. But what if the real way out is not on Earth at all?
Martin Soltau, Co-CEO of Space Solar, returns to the show with a roadmap that has hardened into something impossible t
Fish Don't Vote: Why the Ocean Crisis Keeps Getting Ignored | Antoinette Vermilye
73,000 sharks are killed every day. 16,000 chemicals are added to plastics, and only 1% are regulated globally. The ocean is in crisis, but almost nobody sees it.
Antoinette Vermilye (Co-Founder, Gallifrey Foundation & SHE Changes Climate) has spent over a decade connecting the dots between ocean destruction, human health, climate finance, and gender in global negotiations. In this episode, sh
AI and Ubuntu: Can Ancient African Wisdom Fix Modern Technology? with Wakanyi Macharia-Hoffman
What if the ethical framework AI needs was coined thousands of years ago in Africa?
Wakanyi Macharia-Hoffman is co-director of the Inclusive AI Lab at Utrecht University and founder of the African Folktales Project. She grew up near Ngong Forest in Kenya, where her primary school was literally inside the forest. Today she's on a mission to recover African indigenous knowledge and bring it into the
Own the Road: Lessons for African Entrepreneurs
When Tonderai Njowera's father came home and asked, "Did you know you can own a highway?" it changed everything. That one question sent a young boy in Zimbabwe on a journey from civil engineering to investment management to venture building in Cape Town.
In this episode, Tonderai breaks down why Africa's biggest challenge isn't lack of capital or resources but a leadership gap. He argues tha
Stop Disrupting, Start Building with Costas Papaikonomou
What if the most profitable climate investments aren't sexy at all? Costas Papayconomou, co-founder of Una Terra, spent a career in innovation consulting (including building and selling an agency to Accenture) before turning to circular economy investing. His thesis is simple and counterintuitive: don't disrupt old industries, clean them up. In this episode, Costas walks us through investments tha
Africa Doesn't Need the West. The West Needs Africa
What if the most powerful innovations don't come from billion-dollar labs, but from people who have almost nothing?
Navi Radjou left Silicon Valley after 13 years because he realized most innovation there serves the top 1%. Now based in Bangalore, he's spent two decades proving that resource scarcity breeds the most radical creativity. In this episode, Navi breaks down why Africa is set to become
Women Don’t Own Their Time: The Hidden Constraint on Entrepreneurship
In this episode, I’m joined by Alisa Sydow (Professor of Entrepreneurship at ESCP Business School) to unpack what women founders are really navigating in Africa’s entrepreneurship ecosystem beyond the usual “barriers list.”
We discuss:
Why purpose is powerful—but can also limit growth if it makes founders neglect commercial fundamentals.
The overlooked role of founder identity (and why some women
The Business Case for Syntropic Farming: 2.5 Hectares, 115k in Revenue (Forest Foods Kenya)
Syntropy isn’t about the tropics—it’s about the physics of life. In this episode, Samuele sits down with Sven Verwiel, CEO & Co‑Founder of Forest Foods (Kenya), to unpack syntropic agroforestry: a regenerative farming approach designed to compound productivity over time through stratification (vertical layers) and succession (time).
We go from field reality to unit economics: what it takes to
The 80/20 of Dairy Profitability: Nutrition + Reproduction
In this episode, Samuele speaks with Apollo Gabazira—Country Director at CARE International (Uganda) and an award‑winning regenerative farmer—about what it takes to make farming profitable, scalable, and youth‑attractive in East Africa.
Apollo shares the Asaba Farm System and its “quad model”:
dairy as a foundation
agronomy and circularity (turning waste into value)
skilling youth through ha
Can we really put a price on nature? This nature‑finance expert says we must.
When you clear a forest to plant maize and make charcoal, you’ve already put a price on nature—the future cash flows from the maize and the wood. The problem is that price is far too low.
In this episode of The Samuele Tini Show, I speak with Josep Oriol, Managing Partner at Okavango Capital Partners and a leading nature‑finance expert working across Sub‑Saharan Africa.
A Catalan who fell in love
The Most Underrated Climate Tool You’ve Never Heard Of: Biochar Explained
We talk a lot about tree planting, but far less about what happens to all the agricultural and organic waste we burn or dump. That’s where biochar comes in.
In this episode of The Samuele Tini Show, I’m joined by Luisa Marin, Executive Director of the International Biochar Initiative (IBI). After 25+ years in conservation with organisations like Conservation International and The Nature Conservanc
Will Your Business Survive When Customers Start Asking for Proof?
In most emerging markets, “sustainability” has been designed for big exporters, banks and multinationals. Everyone else – the micro, small and medium businesses that actually employ people and move the economy – is basically left out but more and more customers are asking for proofs.
In this episode, Luke Hayman, Executive Director of Sustainable Kenya, explains how his team is trying to flip that
Contested Conservation: What People Really Think | Special Episode 7 ORC 2025
Special Episode — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025.
The global conservation debate is loud — but often poorly informed about what people who live with wildlife actually think. In this revealing episode, researchers Dr. Darragh Hare (Oxford) and Dr. Lovemore Sibanda share evidence from multi-country surveys exploring views on militarised conservation, ranger powers, trophy
Human-Centred Conservation: Redefining Our Relationship with Nature | Special Episode 6 ORC 2025
pecial Episode — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025.
How do we build conservation models that work for both people and nature?
In this eye-opening conversation, Lessah Mandoloma (Oxford) and Katie Mackenzie (Jamma Conservation & Communities) unpack the principles of human-centred conservation—a framework that challenges siloed thinking, brings communities into decision-m
Stop Chasing Sexy Startups: Why Boring Businesses Win in Africa
Stop Chasing Sexy Startups: Why Boring Businesses Win in Africa
Fifteen years ago, Kyle Schutter had a choice: get a PhD in biofuels or move to Africa and start a biofuel company. He chose the second option — and landed in Kenya after what he calls the “blue cheese test”: if a country could produce local blue cheese, it probably had enough cold chain, middle class and basic infrastructure to build
Evidence Over Emotion: How Dehorning Reduces Rhino Poaching | Special ORC 2025 Episode 5
Special Episode — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025.
In South Africa’s fight against rhino poaching, data—not emotion—drives progress.
Conservation researchers Dr. Timothy Kuiper and Lucy Chimes share the results of their multi-reserve study on what actually reduces poaching. From aerial patrols, drones, and canine units to the controversial dehorning strategy, they discuss
The Business of the Wild: Evidence That Conservation Can Pay ! Special ORC 2025 Episode 4
Special Episode — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025.
What does it really take to make wildlife land use financially sustainable?
Veterinarian and impact-investing specialist Dr. Susan De Witt explores the economics behind conservation, from private conservancies to community lands. She explains how revenue models (photographic tourism, hunting, live sales, and wildlife meat
A Talent Safari: How Startups Hire
Join Samuele tini as he walks listeners into the heart of the Silicon Savannah, tracing a personal journey from London to Nairobi with Ben Hyman, CEO of Talent Safari. Through candid storytelling, Ben reveals the messy, human side of hiring in fast-moving startups — the missed connections, the rare self-starters, and the small bets that turn interns into founders.
Along the way, they untangle prac
The Green Dilemma: Energy Transition and Wildlife in South Africa | Special ORC 2025 Episode 3
Special Episode 3 — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025.
South Africa needs more clean energy and raptors need safe skies. Raptor biologist Merlyn Nomusa Nkomo lays out practical ways to make wind farms wildlife‑smart without stalling the transition. We cover how risk mapping keeps turbines out of migration corridors, why blade painting and shutdown‑on‑demand (triggered by ra
Parks Beyond Parks : Why Amboseli Works for People & Wildlife | Special ORC 2025 Episode 2
Special Episode 2 — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025.
In Kenya’s Amboseli ecosystem, people and wildlife have shared space for millennia. Conservation leader Dr. David Western explains how that coexistence works today: mirrored migrations between herds and wildlife, community scouts complementing state rangers, and “parks beyond parks” where tourism outside gates pays land
Walking with Gorillas: A One Health Story | Special ORC 2025 Conference Episode 1
Special Episode 1 — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025.
A scabies outbreak among mountain gorillas sparked a new way of working. Dr. Gladys Kalema‑Zikusoka tells the origin of Conservation Through Public Health and how a One Health approach links gorilla protection, community healthcare, and livelihoods. We discussed Village Health & Conservation Teams, why tourist ma
Queuing for Clean Air: Inside Basigo's Electric Bus Revolution
Electric buses are not a pilot anymore. As Dorcus Wanjiru Kamotho explains, BasiGo already has ~100 e‑buses on the road across Kenya and Rwanda, with hundreds more reserved. The unlock: a Pay‑As‑You‑Drive model—lower deposit plus per‑km fee that covers charging and service—paired with night‑time charging on Kenya’s largely renewable grid. We dive into local assembly with KVM (Thika), the new King
Compliance, Profit or Purpose. What really moves sustainability where you work?
Dr Anyse Pereira grew up in Cabo Verde, trained as a scientist in Europe, built programmes with the UN and Mercy Corps, and the corporate world—bringing a data‑driven, project‑management lens to sustainability. In this candid conversation, she explains the compliance–value–values triad, how to speak numbers to numbers people, and why purpose can beat budget (including the €5 “Science Parliament” t
EUDR From Plot to Plate: Traceability That Actually Works
What does it take to comply with the EU’s deforestation rule and create value for farmers and brands? Alessandro Chelli from Trusty explains how his team built a mobile‑first, offline data stack that gets plot‑level evidence from smallholders, validates claims with certifiers , and writes the results to an audited blockchain—so it is proof, not promises. We cover the EUDR baseline (plot mapping +
From comics to community: youth power at scale
How far can a story travel — and how much can it change? In this episode, Bridget Deacon, Managing Director of Shujaaz, Emmy Winner and leading B Corp, explains how youth‑first storytelling moves beyond entertainment to shape behaviour, unlock livelihoods, and shift social norms across Kenya. From radio, print and TV to social media and an AI‑enabled chatbot, Shujaaz meets young people where they
Why Africa’s Businesses Are the Future (Not Just Emerging)
Too often we hear Africa described as “emerging.” But as my guest Tom Fels, CEO of Animarem, explains — Africa is already shaping the future of global business.
In this new episode of The Samuele Tini Show, Tom shares:
✅ Why African enterprises are future markets, not just emerging ones
✅ How B Corp certification is helping businesses prove purpose + profit
✅ The real opportunities (and hurdles) i
Roam’s Revolution: Inside Africa’s Green Mobility Movement
Africa is driving an EV revolution—and Roam is leading the charge. ⚡
This week, Hans van Toor Strategy & Innovation Lead at Roam, explains how locally manufactured electric vehicles can transform communities, economies, and the environment.
✅ Roam’s vision for green mobility in Africa
✅ Tackling range anxiety and infrastructure hurdles
✅ Economic benefits of home-grown electric transport
Lear
Can Business Really Save Wildlife? This CEO Thinks So
Can businesses genuinely help save wildlife and biodiversity?
Join us this weekend with former Ferrari and Omega executive Michele Sofisti, now CEO of Nzatu, who believes they can.
✅ From luxury brands to conservation-focused business
✅ How regenerative agriculture helps wildlife and communities
✅ The potential of ethical commodities to transform Africa
Discover how business can be a powerful forc
Why Traditional Aid is Failing—and Partnerships are Winning
Traditional aid isn’t delivering. So, what’s next?
In this week’s podcast, Todd Kirkbride, an expert in private-sector partnerships with extensive experience at USAID and TechnoServe, reveals why public-private partnerships hold the key to lasting impact in emerging markets.
✅ Why traditional aid models are struggling
✅ How partnerships can drive climate resilience and food security
✅ Essential l
Bug Business: The Startup Turning Waste into Wealth
In this fascinating episode of The Samuele Tini Show, meet Tommie Hooft, CEO and co-founder of Proteen, an innovative startup transforming waste management and agriculture in East Africa using Black Soldier Flies (BSF).
Key Points:
Discover how tiny insects can revolutionize waste management by turning organic waste into high-quality fertilizer.
How Proteen's unique approach using BSF tackles
The Untold Story of Investing in African Startups
Is Africa’s investment model broken?
On this thought-provoking episode of The Samuele Tini Show, we meet Nick Mwai, Founder and CEO of Pumapa Capital, who is challenging traditional investment models in Africa’s startup ecosystem. Nick shares his inspiring journey from corporate finance to pioneering a more inclusive and impactful approach to private equity.
Key Points:
Why billions earmarked fo
Zero Is the New Hero: Inside the Global Network for Zero | S. 2 E 14
Zero Is the New Hero: Inside the Global Network for Zero
Can businesses truly achieve net zero emissions by 2030—or even sooner? On this episode of The Samuele Tini Show, host Samuele Tini welcomes sustainability powerhouse Mahesh Ramanujam, former president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and founder of the Global Network for Zero.
From his early life in India, where sustainabi
Leapfrogging Ahead: How African Businesses Are Redefining Success | S.2 E 13
Building Better Businesses: Lucy Muigai on Africa’s B Corp Movement"
Join host Samuele Tini in an inspiring conversation with Lucy Muigai, CEO of B Lab Africa, as they delve into why Africa is uniquely positioned to lead a global movement of sustainable, purpose-driven business.
Lucy shares her journey from finance to leading the African B Corp movement, highlighting how businesses across the cont
Why Your Diversity Efforts Are Failing (And How to Actually Fix Them) | S.2 E. 12
On the latest episode of The Samuele Tini Show, I'm joined by powerful DEI advocate Ebony Adams, leader at Pariveda and author of History vs Women. We explore tough, uncomfortable questions about inclusion that most organisations avoid:
🔥 Why does DEI face so much backlash—and how can businesses push back?
🔥 Are your diversity efforts genuinely impactful or just performative?
🔥 What hidden biases
Beyond Capital: Why the Smartest Investors are Funding Sustainable Innovation | S. 2 E.11
In our latest episode, we welcome Isabelle Toledano-Koutsouris , Managing Partner at Ithaca Capital Partners and former CFO of the innovative startup Ÿnsect. Isabelle shares powerful insights on how strategic investments can accelerate groundbreaking innovations—like transforming waste into valuable insect protein through companies such as Better Origin and Ÿnsect.
Isabelle reveals the challenges
What the Arctic Taught an Ultra-Runner about Saving the Planet | S.2 E.10
Can we learn sustainability by running through the Arctic? Pavel Cenkl says yes.
In our latest episode, we talk with Pavel Cenkl, Dean at Prescott College, endurance athlete, and founder of the Regenerative Learning Network. Pavel passionately shares how experiential and regenerative education is reshaping our approach to the climate crisis.
From transformative learning models at Prescott College
The Hidden Danger in Your Laundry: How Your Clothes Pollute Oceans | S.2 E. 9
The Hidden Danger in Your Laundry: How Your Clothes Pollute Oceans"
Did you know your washing machine might be a major contributor to ocean pollution? Each wash releases millions of microplastic fibres, invisible to the naked eye but devastating to marine ecosystems and human health.
Join us as we welcome Rachael Miller, founder of the Rosalia Project and inventor of the innovative Cora Ball, desi
A Love Letter to Earth: Why Laudato Si Matters to Everyone| S.2 E.8
Can Faith Truly Drive Global Sustainability?
Ten years ago, Pope Francis issued a revolutionary encyclical, Laudato Si, urging humanity to care deeply for our common home. But has it truly made a difference?
Today on The Sustainability Journey Podcast, I had the profound honour of speaking with Dr. Lorna Gold, Executive Director of the Laudato Si Movement. Lorna shared how Laudato Si is more than
AI’s Hidden Carbon Footprint and How to Fix It | S.2 E.7
Is Hydrogen the Future of Sustainable Data Centers?
The rise of AI has dramatically increased the energy demand on our ageing power grids. But what if data centers could be fully sustainable, operating entirely off-grid with zero emissions?
In my latest podcast episode, I had an insightful conversation with Yuval Bachar, CEO and Founder of ECL, who is making this vision a reality. Yuval’s innovati
Why Your Climate Anxiety Is the Next Billion-Dollar Idea | S. 2 E. 6
Feeling overwhelmed by climate change? What if your anxiety could spark revolutionary solutions—and a thriving business? In this eye-opening episode, sustainability entrepreneur Josh Dorfman, known famously as "The Lazy Environmentalist," shares his extraordinary journey from anxious activist to transformative innovator.
From scaling groundbreaking startups Plantd- lwhich builds homes with rapidly
Stop Saving the Planet—Start Reinventing It: Gunter Pauli’s Blue Economy Revolution
In this episode, we speak with Gunter Pauli, the visionary behind the Blue Economy, who challenges conventional sustainability wisdom. Pauli argues passionately against the negative narratives dominating the climate discourse and showcases how innovative thinking and actionable, scalable solutions can radically transform our world. From coffee waste turned into mushrooms, to mangrove restoration c
Mining with Dignity – Reframing Artisanal Mining for Sustainability| S.2 E.4
In this insightful episode, Rob Karpati, sustainability and mining expert at Blended Capital Group, delves deep into the world of artisanal mining, revealing its critical role in global sustainability and local economic empowerment. Rob discusses the fundamental challenges artisanal miners face, such as predatory finance and informal structures, and highlights innovative solutions like digital mar
The Profit of Purpose: Unlocking Impact in the Non-Profit Sector in Africa | S.2 E.3
In this compelling episode of The Samuele Tini Show, we welcome Bukonla Adebakin, a renowned expert dedicated to advancing the non-profit sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. Join us as we dive deep into Bukonla’s journey, from leading impactful projects to authoring "The Profit of Purpose," a groundbreaking book designed to empower social entrepreneurs and non-profit leaders with essential financial man
Designing Sustainability: Innovation You Didn't Know You Needed | S.2 E.2
Join host Samuele Tini in this fascinating conversation with Todd Bracher, renowned designer and innovator, exploring how design is not just about beauty but about solving real-world problems sustainably. From creating the world’s most sustainable office chair to pioneering health innovations like UVC hand sanitizers and myopia-fighting glasses, Todd reveals how integrating design early into busin
Breaking Conservation Myths: Africa’s Innovative Approach | S. 2 E. 1
New Season! After 4 years it is time for a new season and for the first episode we travel to South Africa! I engaged in a profound conversation with Duncan MacFadyen, Head of Research and Conservation at Oppenheimer Generations. Duncan shares his inspiring journey from growing up in South Africa's conservation areas to leading transformative sustainability initiatives across Africa. Discover grou
AI, China, and Sustainability: Redefining Global Innovation | S.1 E. 142
Join the host Samuele Tini as we delve deep into China’s sustainability story with Lorne Michaels, Program Director for China at The Conference Board and founder of the groundbreaking Sustainability Directory. From his life-changing meeting with sustainability legend Ray Anderson to witnessing firsthand China’s paradoxical journey toward sustainability leadership, Lorne reveals insights from behin
Trillion-Dollar Climate Capital: Funding the Next Wave of Green Tech Innovation | S.1 E. 141
Is climate finance scaling fast enough to solve the crisis?
With $2.1 TRILLION invested in green tech last year, we’re seeing momentum—but is it enough? In this episode, Peter Fusaro, founder of the Wall Street Green Summit, breaks down the latest in sustainable finance, from AI-driven decarbonization to the startup funding gap.
Key topics we explore:
The real cost of AI and why data centers coul
Innovating Beyond Plastic: The Future of Bio-Materials | S.1 E. 140
What if the future of design meant products that are functional, beautiful, and compostable? In this episode of The Sustainability Journey, we meet Lauryn Menard, founder of GOB, a design visionary using bio-materials like mycelium to tackle single-use plastics.
Lauryn shares her entrepreneurial story, her passion for education, and her commitment to creating sustainable products that do not compr
How Wellbeing Economies Can Transform Our Future | S.1 E. 139
How do we shift from an obsession with economic growth to a focus on human and planetary wellbeing? On this episode of The Sustainability Journey, we speak with Lorenzo Fioramonti, former Italian Minister of Education and Academic Director at Nativa Campus.
Lorenzo introduces the concept of a wellbeing economy, where development is measured by its impact on quality of life, not consumption. Drawin
Academia in Action: Biofuels, Freight, and Carbon Capture | S.1 E.138
“Universities aren’t just about research; they’re about finding holistic solutions that include policy, science, and people"
In this episode of The Sustainability Journey, host Samuele Tini welcomes Dr, Valerie Thomas, the Anderson-Interface Chair of Natural Systems and Professor in the H. Milton School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech, to discuss transformative solutions for
Farming in the Digital Age: Innovations for Sustainability | S1 E. 137
Digital transformation is the key to building resilience against climate unpredictability.
In this episode, we sit down with Peter Horsten, Chief Growth Officer at AgUnity, to discuss how digital technologies are revolutionising smallholder farming and tackling the challenges of climate change, market access, and compliance with EU deforestation regulations.
Peter shares his inspiring sustainabili
Entrepreneurship and Storytelling: A Message of Hope | S.1 E .136
“Amid challenges, it is our commonalities, not our conflicts, that define us.” A message of hope for this Christmas season!
In this episode of The Sustainability Journey, we explore the profound connection between entrepreneurship and storytelling with Miles Spencer—author, mentor, and serial entrepreneur. Drawing from his experiences retracing the legendary path of Lawrence of Arabia, Miles share
Innovation for Sustainability: Tackling Water Pollution with AI and Robotics | S. 1 E.135
I had the pleasure of speaking with Jacky Zhu, CEO of ORCAUBOAT, a trailblazer in autonomous technology. Jacky shares the incredible journey of developing cleaning robots that tackle both physical and chemical water pollution across lakes, rivers, and oceans.
From being the first Chinese robotics company to join the UN Global Partnership on Marine Litter to inspiring the next generation of young i
Biodiversity, Tequila, and B Corp: Building a Sustainable Spirits Brand | S. 1 E .134
In this enlightening episode of The Sustainability Journey, Elise Som, Co-Founder and Chief Sustainability Officer of Altos Planos, shares how she is revolutionising the spirits industry. From local production in Jalisco to supporting biodiversity and achieving B Corp certification, Elise explains how her team prioritises sustainability at every step of the process.
Key Takeaways:
Why biodiversit
Beyond Limits: Equity, Well-Being, and the Club of Rome's Path to a Sustainable Planet | S.1 E. 133
I sat down with Carlos Álvarez Pereira, Secretary General of the Club of Rome, to explore the roots and evolution of the global sustainability movement.
From the groundbreaking Limits to Growth report to the latest insights on equity, well-being, and cultural transformation, Carlos shares a compelling narrative about humanity's challenges and opportunities in creating a sustainable future. Discove
Rebellion, Activism, and Building Alternatives: A Conversation with Dr.Gail Bradbrook
"We must upgrade democracy, create citizens’ assemblies, and assert economic power to change the system"
In this episode we sit down with Dr. Gail Bradbrook, co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, to discuss her path from a coal miner's daughter to a leading activist challenging systemic structures. Gail shares her belief that "the current economic system is inherently anti-life" and calls for a deep
Africa’s Energy Future: Unlocking the Potential for a Low-Carbon Future | S.1 E . 131
In this episode of The Sustainability Journey, we explore Africa’s energy future and the key role hydrogen can play in driving a low-carbon transition. Oghosa Erhahon, an energy and sustainability expert, shares her insights on how the continent can address energy access challenges while promoting sustainable industrialisation. From renewable energy to hydrogen economics, this conversation dives d
Public-Private Partnerships: The Key to Green Innovation in the Middle East | S.1 E.130
In this episode of The Sustainability Journey, we explore the unique sustainability challenges and opportunities facing the Middle East with one of the region’s leading voices, Hassaan Ghazali. From water scarcity to the transition from an oil-based economy, we dive into the pivotal role of public-private partnerships and SMEs in driving the green revolution. Ghazali, who has worked extensively on
Climate Action and Green Value Chains: SMEs and the Global South’s Role in International Trade
In this episode of The Sustainability Journey, we dive into the transformative potential of SMEs in driving climate action and fostering green value chains. Vanessa Enogbogbo, a key leader at the International Trade Centre (ITC), shares her insights on how small businesses in the Global South can navigate international trade, overcome barriers, and lead the sustainability revolution.
"Small busine
Women in STEM, Regeneration, and the Future of Sustainability | S.1 E. 128
In this episode of The Sustainability Journey, host Samuele Tini interviews Giulia Marzetti, a young and dynamic sustainability expert, Top LinkedIn voice, who has collaborated with the European Commission, championed renewable energy, and decarbonised cities across the globe. Giulia’s journey is one of passion and purpose, stemming from her deep connection to the environment. As she explains, “C
Breaking Barriers in Finance: UNA’s Approach to Inclusive Banking | S. 1 E. 127
“The gender gap in finance is still 300 years away from closing, but we can start by advocating for inclusive financial systems that leave no one behind"
In this insightful episode of The Sustainability Journey, we sit down with Yasmina Vucina, a changemaker in finance, sustainability, and gender inclusion. Yasmina discusses how the financial sector can shift from traditional extractive models to
Financing the Green Transition and Democratizing Climate-Conscious Investing | S.1 E. 126
"If you bring the do good after the return, that's quite the differentiator."
Pyrpose, a sustainability-focused startup, is tackling the challenge of energy transition in Switzerland by democratizing access to financing for green infrastructure projects. Leveraging a crowdfunding-like platform, Pyrpose empowers climate-conscious investors to directly support local building retrofits and renewable
Solving Problems with Entrepreneurship: Insights from a Serial Changemaker | S.1 E 125
"The best way of fighting a system that you want to get rid of is not fighting it but coming up with a better solution"
In this episode the incredible career of Maurits Groen, a pioneering entrepreneur in sustainability. Maurits shares his lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship, from his early days recycling paper to founding transformative ventures like WakaWaka, Kipster, and many more
Harnessing Data for a sustainable value chain | S. 1 E. 124
Please note that the interviewee was an employee of Agritask at the time of this interview. He has since left the company. The opinions expressed in this interview are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company or any other entity.
In this insightful episode of The Sustainability Journey, host Samuele Tini engages in a compelling conversation with Dav
Gender Justice and Climate Action: Empowering Women in climate action | S. 1 E. 123
80% of people displaced by climate change are women. We must bring the voices of women leaders in all their diversity for a just and urgent climate action.
In this powerful episode of The Sustainability Journey, host Samuele Tini welcomes Mamta Borgoyary, Director of She Changes Climate, to discuss the intersection of gender justice and climate change. Mamta shares her extensive experience working
Regenerative Fashion: Building a Better Fashion Industry| S. 1 E 122
Our mission is to create systemic change in the fashion industry by providing plant-based, zero-waste products
In this episode of "The Sustainability Journey," we explore the dynamic intersection of fashion and sustainability with Eric Liedtke, CEO and co-founder of Unless Collective. Eric shares his inspiring journey from leading sustainability initiatives at Adidas to pioneering regenerative fas
Hydrogen and Ammonia: The Future of Clean Energy| S. 1 E. 121
"The biggest problem we face is that the pollution and negative externalities of using fossil fuels are not internalized; they are socialized"
Join us for an enlightening episode of "The Sustainability Journey" as we sit down with Alicia Eastman, co-founder and former president of Intercontinental Energy. Alicia, a global expert in renewable energy, takes us through her fascinating sustainability
Pioneering Sustainability in Mauritius: Green Building and Technology | S.1 E. 120
"In Africa, businesses are born out of social necessity, making them inherently geared towards sustainability"
In this episode we learn about green building, smart cities, and sustainable development with Tony Lee Luen Len , an influential sustainability expert from Mauritius. Tony shares his inspiring journey from a small village in Mauritius to becoming a leader in green building and sustainabi
