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.Support This Podcast* This episode is brought to you by: https://pheedback.co/ * Pheedback is an AI-powered platform that transforms traditional surveys into dynamic conversations, delivering deeper insights and higher response ratesTakeaways* 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.Timestamps00:00 Introduction02:06 Josh's Journey to Sustainability06:49 The Birth of Plantit12:04 Finding the Right Alternative to Trees16:44 Building a Vertical Business Model20:42 Collaborating with Farmers for Sustainable Growth22:56 Assembling a Diverse Team for Innovation24:29 Market Entry and Building Trust with Builders29:36 Team Size30:31 Innovations in Transportation: The Future of School Buses35:45 Revolutionizing Home Energy with Solar and Storage39:57 The Impact of Formula E Racing on Climate Awareness45:55 Underestimated Solutions for Climate Change52:41 The Future of Clean Energy and Technological InnovationsConnect 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/

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