After months of physical and emotional labour, the stars are beginning to align and the prospect of actually making biochar is now tantalisingly close. But Tom’s recipe is still missing one crucial ingredient: wood, and lots of it. So, while he pores over his cashflow projections and awaits delivery of his machine, he sets about trying to find some. And as he soon discovers, this wood business is a little trickier than it first appears. For instance, how many Toms does it take to guide an 8-wheeler down a country road? If a tree falls in a forest, does it necessarily make good biochar? And what does this all have to do with elephants?

Grounded is the award-winning story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:

• Dr Bojana Bajzelj – VP Carbon Removal, BeZero Carbon
• Chintan Mahida – Co-Founder, CapChar
• Adam Samuel – Co-Founder, CapChar
• Team members at Corserv and Cormac

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with marketing by Oluwaseun Sanni,

graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and promotional support by Paola Sáenz, Jack Turnham and Lizzy Read

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom’s baaack! That’s right – after basking briefly in the glow of his new-found ‘fame’, Tom’s returning to your ears for the next chapter of his biochar journey. And he’s ready to leave the city behind and move full-time to the farm. But with funding still uncertain, he’s doing everything he can to keep things on track: from honing his pitch and making contingency plans, to laying concrete and learning to operate dangerous machinery. But when all’s said and done, is he any closer to making his project a reality? Or is he on a south-westerly road to nowhere?

Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

This episode features excerpts from:

Mel Osborne on BBC Radio Cornwall

Reversing Climate Change

Wicked Problems – Climate Tech Conversations

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with marketing by Oluwaseun Sanni,

graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and promotional support by Paola Sáenz, Jack Turnham and Lizzy Read

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the fifth and (for now) final episode, and Tom finds himself facing the challenge that all founders will face: how to make the numbers work. So he whips out his calculator, picks up the phone, and starts sending off those grant applications. Amidst it all, he’s dealing with a cold workspace, grappling with contracts, and taking his first foray into filmmaking. Sure, he’s picked up a few new skills lately. But the question is: can he find a buyer for his credits? And, ultimately, will he get the funds he needs to make this all happen?

Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:

• Peter Fisher – Director, Bennetts Associates
• Ben Hopkins – Associate, Bennetts Associates
• Peter Mayer – Partner, Stairs Dillenbeck Finley Mayer PLLC
• Councillor Martyn Alvey – Portfolio Holder for Environment and Climate Change, Cornwall Council (Councillor Alvey recorded this conversation in April 2024, prior to the UK pre-election period.)

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and marketing and promotional support by Paola Sáenz and Jack Turnham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.