In this episode of the An Hour of Innovation podcast, host Vit Lyoshin delves into climate-tech entrepreneurship and sustainable innovation with Josh Dorfman, co-founder of Plantd, a company that builds carbon-negative building materials from fast-growing grass.
Josh shares the origin story of Plantd, how his time in China shaped his perspective on sustainability, and how a chance encounter with a former SpaceX engineer led to a vertically integrated company tackling climate change through construction. The conversation also explores breakthrough innovations in home energy, AI-powered school transportation, circular trade models, and even electric Formula E racing, all through Josh’s lens as host of Supercool, a podcast spotlighting scalable climate solutions.
Josh Dorfman is a seasoned sustainability leader, entrepreneur, and media host. In addition to Plantd, he previously founded The Lazy Environmentalist brand and has spent decades driving forward practical, profitable solutions to environmental challenges.
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Takeaways
* The founding of Planted was driven by a need for better materials.
* Planted focuses on creating carbon-negative building materials.
* The company aims to build a vertically integrated business model.
* Collaboration with farmers is crucial for sourcing sustainable materials.
* A diverse team, including engineers and agronomists, drives innovation at Planted.
* Building relationships with builders is key to market entry.
* Major partnerships, like with D.R. Horton, are essential for scaling up.
* Innovations in transportation, like Zum, are transforming school bus systems.
* Home energy solutions are evolving with technologies like virtual power plants.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
02:06 Josh's Journey to Sustainability
06:49 The Birth of Plantit
12:04 Finding the Right Alternative to Trees
16:44 Building a Vertical Business Model
20:42 Collaborating with Farmers for Sustainable Growth
22:56 Assembling a Diverse Team for Innovation
24:29 Market Entry and Building Trust with Builders
29:36 Team Size
30:31 Innovations in Transportation: The Future of School Buses
35:45 Revolutionizing Home Energy with Solar and Storage
39:57 The Impact of Formula E Racing on Climate Awareness
45:55 Underestimated Solutions for Climate Change
52:41 The Future of Clean Energy and Technological Innovations
Connect with Josh
* Website: https://www.plantdmaterials.com/
* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorfmanjosh/
* X: https://x.com/Josh_Dorfman
* Other: https://getsuper.cool/
Connect with Vit
* Website: https://vitlyoshin.com/contact/
* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vit-lyoshin/
* X: https://x.com/vitlyoshin
* Buy things on Amazon that Vit recommends: https://www.amazon.com/shop/anhourofinnovationwithvitlyoshin
Podcast Website
* https://www.anhourofinnovation.com/