Want to support catalytic impact with your time? This 10-episode series profiles leaders accelerating our shift to a thriving, long-lasting society.
Background on Catalyzing Our Future?
Changes in our world come from a variety of areas: the limited liability company allowed free enterprise that underpins modern society. Civil rights came from political advocacy and increasing representation in companies. We still have a strong ozone layer thanks to political and industry collaboration in the 80s. Technology leaders brought us the iPhone, and scientific advancements have brought us the ability to turn sunlight into cheap energy, vaccines to save billions of lives, and chemicals like fertilizers that sustain billions of people.
More DRASTIC changes will come thanks to advancing science turning waste into valuable products, new alternatives to steel/plastics, shifts in the way we value long-term assets (like nature), how the economic system runs, local (more resilient and quality) ownership of assets, and creating chemicals from plants instead of oil.
Major shifts must occur, if we are to keep climate change within a manageable level, keep oceans full of life, and let us explore the beautiful world we have today.
This podcast interviews leaders directly directly shaping our future — entrepreneurs, philanthropists, science accelerators, and effective think tanks.
We learn how they think about a sustainable world, and opportunities for you.
- What problem their organization is tackling & how they see the future evolving
- How they have set up their program to be effective (if they needed to make tradeoffs, or start smaller to make it profitable)
- What opportunities they see, where they wish more talent was focused, and where they wish money/talent was flowing
- how your talent or investments could accelerate a sustainable future
Guests:
- Accelerators and incubators creating hard technology that shapes the materials society uses.
- Investors helping spark investments in sustainable products
- Think tanks predicting how society will shift amidst AI changing demand, a need for fast adaptation to climate change, and shifting energy sources
- Entrepreneurs building companies that improve upon existing industries
- Philanthropists changing their local and national focuses or innovation
- Other innovations, like new models of operating/ownership beyond simple limited liability companies
Will’s Personal Background
I’m passionate about creating a society operating so that we and our great grandkids can enjoy life. I initially left high school and New Zealander to learn from technology leaders, and I have worked with startups in New Zealand, SF, London, China. I am a waterskiier, Arsenal fan, and Kiwi.
I have been fortunate to work with climate investors for the last six years, where I have had a front row seat to scientists and business leaders innovating to reduce climate change. As a part of this work, I have diligenced new types of seaweed based plastic, various nuclear fusion attempts, novel machines that suck CO2 out of our atmosphere, and chemicals that come from plants instead of oil barrels. More details.