This Might Just Work - Ideas for a Tired Planet
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© Rob Wreglesworth
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We are all tired of environmental doom, guilt, and greenwash. But tired is not the end. It is the moment to wake up and build something better.
Hosted by Rob Wreglesworth, This Might Just Work explores bold, practical ideas for fixing a tired planet. Each episode shares honest conversations with founders, innovators, scientists, and creators who are turning environmental concern into real-world action.
If you care about climate innovation, sustainability, regenerative business, or nature-based solutions, this podcast will give you hope, energy, and ideas you can use.
Hosted by Rob Wreglesworth, This Might Just Work explores bold, practical ideas for fixing a tired planet. Each episode shares honest conversations with founders, innovators, scientists, and creators who are turning environmental concern into real-world action.
If you care about climate innovation, sustainability, regenerative business, or nature-based solutions, this podcast will give you hope, energy, and ideas you can use.
49 Episodes
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In this episode, I sit down with Sylvain, co-founder of Mosaic Earth, to unpack his journey from the world of energy strategy to creating a nature tech company tackling one of the hardest problems out there: making ecological data collection accessible, affordable, and trustworthy.We talk about:🌱 The parallels between raising a newborn and raising a startup.📊 Why site-level ecological data is the missing piece for scaling nature-positive action.🤝 How to bridge the gap between ecologists, corporates, and big tech.🚀 What it means to “build the plane while flying it” in a fast-moving Nature Tech space.💡 Practical advice for conservationists and ecologists who want to start companies of their own.Sylvain also shares Mosaic Earth’s long-term vision: empowering communities worldwide to become custodians of local biodiversity with the help of AI and smart data tools.Whether you’re an aspiring founder, an ecologist curious about tech, or just someone excited about the future of nature-positive business, this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.👉 Learn more about Mosaic Earth at mosaic.earth👉 Join the Ecopreneur Collective newsletter for more founder stories: ecopreneurcollective.substack.com/
This week I’m joined by Jon Conradi, founder of Wild Mosaic, a nature startup on a mission to make rewilding something everyone can be part of, not just landowners or ecologists.Jon’s journey into entrepreneurship is one I think a lot of aspiring ecopreneurs will relate to. He didn’t start out in conservation or business. In fact, for a long time he completely switched off from environmental news. But through a mix of rediscovering wonder, a career shake-up, and a push from the Year Here programme, he slowly built an idea that turned into a real business and a hopeful vision of what rewilding can be.In this conversation, we talk about:What made Jon feel like an outsider in the nature world (and why that became his strength)How he turned redundancy + new parenthood into a startup launchpadWhat rewilding has taught him about building businesses differentlyThe hard truths about funding, identity shifts, and learning to sell your missionWhether you're working on your own planet-positive idea or still figuring out where to start, Jon's honest, thoughtful reflections will give you something to hold onto and hopefully, a nudge to take your next step.🔗 Learn more or get involved:🌱 wildmosaic.eco📬 Contact Jon directly: jon@wildmosaic.eco📚 Book mentioned: How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell🎧 Bonus reading: Jon’s blog on the 3 Horizons model📷 Also worth following his journey on LinkedInAnd if you enjoy this episode, don't forget to share it with someone else trying to build something meaningful. This one’s all about starting small, thinking big, and staying human.Do head to www.nolongerknown.com to find out what I am building too.
In this episode, Emily Power shares her honest, inspiring journey from a corporate career at Microsoft to founding Oceanmade, a regenerative business with global ambitions. We explore how seaweed could be the most underrated material in the climate fight - not just for oceans, but for land too.We also cover:Why the first version of Oceanmade (the "green Amazon") failed and what Emily learnedThe gardening eureka moment that changed everythingWhy plastic plant pots are a hidden environmental problemHow to build a product without being an expert and why that can be an advantageThe challenge of marketing to real customers, not just eco-enthusiastsThe land and sea benefits of seaweed from soil health to carbon sequestrationWhy building in public with imperfect products might be your startup's secret weaponThis episode is packed with lessons for aspiring founders, regenerative thinkers, and anyone ready to turn anxiety into action.🔗 Learn more:🌿 Oceanmade → https://oceanmade.co🌊 Follow Emily → https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybpower/📬 Planet-positive founder's newsletter: The Ecopreneur Collective → https://robwreg.substack.com/subscribe🧵 Follow the startup journey at → https://www.nolongerknown.com
What if the key to restoring nature lies in uncovering the past?In this episode, I’m joined by Iris Kramer, founder of ArchAI and Forbes 30 Under 30 scientist-turned-startup-CEO, who’s pioneering the use of AI and LiDAR to rediscover lost landscapes, from medieval furrows to ancient orchards and turn them into assets for nature recovery.We talk about:How Iris went from archaeology to AI entrepreneurshipWhy historic maps and burial mounds matter for modern biodiversityWhat it's like bootstrapping a deeptech startup without VCHer vision for a national (and global) “map of the past” to guide future regenerationIt’s a fascinating story of tech, nature, and startup grit — and a must-listen for anyone building at the intersection of climate, data, and land use.To learn more about ArchAI head to www.archai.io🌱 Subscribe to my newsletter for more founder stories + tools for building planet-positive businesses: The Ecopreneur Collective🧵 Follow my own journey building a regenerative clothing brand at: www.nolongerknown.com
In this episode, I speak with Alex Kornelsen — a former startup and innovation strategist who left the corporate world to co-found Mission to Marsh, a storytelling-led non-profit restoring wetlands and rebranding peatlands as climate heroes.We talk about how it all started with a Tinder date and a one-sentence peatland pitch, and go deep into what it takes to launch a mission-driven organisation from scratch — from faking a film to raise €50K, to securing Patagonia support, to building a community using marketing, humour, and open storytelling.Whether you’re looking to launch something planet-positive or just curious about how skills from marketing and innovation can be redirected for nature — this episode is packed with insights, honesty, and energy.00:00 Intro01:00 From Tinder to Peatlands — how it all began04:00 The one-sentence pitch that changed everything06:45 Why a documentary came before the non-profit09:30 How they raised €1M and got Patagonia’s support13:00 Behind the scenes of making the film16:40 The power of storytelling in conservation20:10 “Fake it till you make it” — lessons from launching25:30 From GoFundMe to corporate partnerships30:00 AI + grant writing: how they raised €20K in 30 minutes32:00 Why LinkedIn beat Instagram for traction36:45 Personal branding in nature restoration40:15 Disrupting the non-profit model44:00 Co-founding with your life partner — the real talk50:00 Starting a for-profit arm with peatland tech57:00 Final thoughts on optimism, failure, and what nature teaches us01:00:45 The billboard quote, book recommendation & business idea👉 Connect with Alex Kornelsen on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/k0rnelsen/👉 Explore Mission to Marsh and watch the filmhttps://missiontomarsh.org/📷 Follow the Mission on Instagram and LinkedIn to see where the film is touring next.🛠️ Interested in building your own planet-positive venture?Check out The Startup Diaries episodes — where I document the behind-the-scenes journey of building No Longer Known, a new nature-led brand from scratch.Subscribe on your favourite platform and come along for the ride.
In this episode, I sit down with Benedict Macdonald, award winning author turned ecopreneur, to explore his fascinating journey from wildlife television producer to founder of nature restoration company Restore. Benedict shares how his childhood fascination with butterflies led him to a career in conservation, eventually leaving a successful career in wildlife television to tackle the challenge of transforming land use in the UK through innovative business models.
We dive deep into Britain's complex history with nature, discussing how centuries of wildlife removal have shaped our landscapes, and explore the emerging opportunities for restoration through new financing approaches. Benedict offers fascinating insights into his current projects, including an ambitious plan to restore Atlantic rainforest in the Hebrides, while also sharing practical advice for urban rewilding and garden biodiversity.
Our conversation covers everything from the role of wild boar in ecosystem restoration to the potential for nature recovery in cities like Berlin. Whether you're interested in conservation, sustainable business, or simply want to understand how nature and economics can work together, this episode hopefully offers valuable insights into how we can build businesses that help nature thrive. We wrap up with book recommendations and Benedict's optimistic vision for the future of British wildlife.
Elena Doms, is the visionary co-founder of Earth Plus, a startup with an audacious goal: to create the largest soil and CO2 cleanup in history, working hand-in-hand with nature.
Elena's journey is a fascinating one which we dive into in detail in this episode. Born and raised in the Arctic, she spent 18 years witnessing the effects of climate change firsthand
From there Elena's impressive career has spanned from being a Director at Mastercard, where she merged digital and sustainable transformations, to becoming a LinkedIn influencer and top voice
Now, with Earth Plus, she's working with her team to develop innovative solutions that not only clean soils from chemical pollution but also capture CO2 using plants. Not only that, but these plants are then transformed into local, circular construction materials, contributing to the decarbonisation of our cities.
Find out more about Earth Plus at https://www.earthplus.eu/
Useful Links:
Pollution Map of Europe
PFAS Map
PFAS Map 2
A guide to safer products
An app to help find safe foods
Book Choices:
Connect - Simon Lancaster
Connecting the dots - Christian Busch
Please connect and message me on LinkedIn
In this episode, I chat to Mikael Hietala the sustainability officer at Croatian startup Earthbound Sneakers. Earthbound (Croatia's first B-Corp) is tackling the many issues caused by fast fashion by creating truly stylish and comfortable shoes.
In this episode, we talk about the issues with fast fashion as well as a wide range of topics from growing a business in a de-growth world, why big brands find it hard to adapt, why its important to still create things people find cool and stylish (not just sustainable), carbon tunnel vision, the power of being an intrapreneur and innovating within a company and much more!
Mikael's book recommendation:
Capital in the Anthropocene - Kohei Saito
To learn more about Earthbound head to their website here.
In this weeks episode I speak to Cameron Dowd, co-founder and CTO of Inverto, a startup who are connecting businesses with local communities to plan, plant and monitor coastal ecosystems at scale.
We talk about all sorts in this episode from Cameron's background in robotics, his work flying drone medical suppliy deliveries in Tanzania, why we shouldn't get 'carbon tunnel vision', the amazing uses of mangroves and why they are so important and his ecopreneur journey so far.
To find out more about Inverto head to www.inverto.earth
In this week's episode, I speak to Lindy Damen founder and CEO of EVRgreen Studio. A gaming company designing bespoke games for sustainability.
We cover all sorts of topics including:
How an early connection with nature and MS Paint started the journey
The potential power of gaming for behaviour change
How different types of games can connect with different types of audience
How there is never a 'right time' to start a company
The decision to bootstrap rather than get investment
Links to things we talk about:
Among Trees
Pollinator Park VR
Post Growth Entrepeneurship
A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson
In this episode, I sit down with Jamie McCallum, the founder of Force For Nature. With experience in F1 marketing and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, Jamie combines this experience to bring a new perspective to driving private funding into nature projects.
Jamie is the founder of Force For Nature, which aims to empower Rangers, the unsung heroes who work as park wardens, foresters, community scouts, and indigenous guardians. Despite their critical role in delivering nature-based solutions aligned with the UN's 30x30 targets, many Rangers face challenges such as inadequate staff numbers, pay, equipment, and training.
Through strategic business partnerships, Force For Nature provides Rangers with the critical training, earned income, and improved status they need to excel as guardians of our planet's natural resources. In this episode, we explore Jamie's journey, Force For Nature's innovative approach, and the transformative impact their work is having on both Rangers and the natural world they protect.
Find out more about Force For Nature by going to
Their website
Instagram
LinkedIn
In this episode, I speak to Dan Watson, a multiple award-winning Product Design Engineer and the Global Winner of the 2012 James Dyson Award for design engineering. Dan's outstanding work earned him seed funding from Sir Richard Branson, leading him to establish SafetyNet Technologies, where he now serves as the CEO.
At SafetyNet, Dan and his team are working closely with the fishing industry to design accessible and effective precision fishing tools that are helping to keep our oceans healthy and thriving. By reducing bycatch and minimising the environmental impact of fishing, precision fishing plays a vital role in protecting marine biodiversity and ensuring a sustainable future for our planet.
We cover various topics from his award-winning product design to his tireless efforts in making technology accessible to anyone with a problem to solve or an idea to explore. Discover how his groundbreaking work is revolutionising the fishing industry and contributing to a more sustainable future.
To learn more about Dan Watson and SafetyNet Technologies, visit their website at https://sntech.co.uk/.
Book Recommendations:
Let my people go surfing - Yvon Chouinard
The three-body problem - Cixin Liu
In this episode I speak to Elise Van Middelem the founder and CEO of SUGi - a pioneering social enterprise dedicated to greening cities and reimagining urban life through nature-based solutions.
SUGi is at the forefront of creating green infrastructure and restoring the human connection to nature in urban areas. Their signature approach is based on the revolutionary Miyawaki Method of planting ultra-dense, biodiverse pocket forests comprised solely of native species.
In just four years since its launch in 2019, SUGi has conceived, planted and funded nearly 200 of these pocket forests across 42 cities on 6 continents worldwide. Their work has reconnected over 52,000 youth and community members to nature through hands-on forest-making.
What started as a grassroots movement has evolved into a leading global voice for civic rewilding and ecosystem restoration. SUGi has earned prestigious recognition from the World Economic Forum, inclusion in the 1t.org trillion trees initiative, and backing from the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
Along the way, they've forged powerful partnerships with iconic brands to execute high-visibility public projects that inspire environmental action. Elise's pioneering vision integrates her deep passions for contemporary art and global ecology into a unifying purpose - to empower, inspire and activate what SUGi calls "The Rewilding Generation."
To learn more about SUGI head to www.sugiprojects.com
Book Recommendation:
The Messy Middle - Scott Belsky
Email me with any comments or guest suggestions hello@innovate-eco.com and add me on Linked In - www.linkedin.com/in/robwreg
In this episode, I speak to Dan Sherrard Smith the founder and CEO of My Mother Tree.
Not every innovation needs to be shiny new technology or groundbreaking scientific advancements, sometimes it is creating something simple that can have a huge impact. That is what My Mother Tree are doing with tools such as the Money Carbon Calculator, which helps individuals and businesses find out where there money is invested and how they can have a big impact simply by switching banks.
In this episode we cover lots of topics from how Dan was involved in the biggest ever deal on Dragon's Den, how the calculator works, why it is so hard to change banks, why this is a powerful lever for change, advise for other ecopreneurs and much more!
Find out more about My Mother Tree
Follow Dan on LinkedIn
Dans Book Recommendations:
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Shoe Dog
Total Recall
In this week's episode I chat to Pooja Paul the founder of Habitable Earth. Habitable Earth plans to be the 'Duolingo of Climate Action' combining the best scientific insights about human behavior with the power of immersive gameplay to make planet-friendly lifestyle choices easy, fun and rewarding
Habitable Earth's mission is to empower the growing majority of climate-concerned consumers worldwide to meaningfully contribute to the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss, while improving health, saving money, and having a bit of fun.
Pooja is a fascinating person bringing a global perspective after spending parts of her life in India, the US and the UK. As you will hear in the episode she studied and researched in the field of cognitive science before making the leap into climate tech, which brings a fascinating perspective.
We cover a lot of topics including the importance of habits, the perception gap, the intention-action gap and much more besides.
Useful Links:
Rad Rabbit (the 5 a day app Pooja mentions)
Books:
Regeneration - Paul Hawken
Tiny Habits - BJ Fogg
Atomic Habits - James Clear
In this episode, I speak to Max Runzel the cofounder and CEO of the company HiveTracks.
HiveTracks creates technology to help beekeepers manage their hives. Started back in 2010 at the intersection of computer science and beekeeping and now supports over 40,000 beekeepers across more than 150 countries.
That is cool on its own but what they are working on now is even cooler (well to me it is anyway) and that is using environmental data collected by bees and beekeepers to monitor biodiversity.
To find out more about Hivetracks head to https://www.hivetracks.com/
Book Recommendations:
The Invention of Nature - The Adventures of Alexander Von Humboldt - Andrew Wulf
Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity - Peter Attia
Please do follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter for podcast updates and send any feedback you have or ideas for future guests
A short clip from episode 19 of the podcast where I spoke to Mart Drake-Knight founder of tshirt company Teemill.
We talk about how creating a circular company actually makes business sense whilst being much better for the planet.
If you enjoy it do check out the full episode and subscribe for more.
In this episode, I chat to Carlos Terol.
Carlos is a serial ecopreneur and around a year ago launched his latest venture Good Ripple which is a community platform for connecting passionate changemakers who are ready to make a difference in the world and take action.
We cover all sorts of topic including the plan for Good Ripple, thinking locally in an increasingly global society, our communication issue in climate, starting to act like an ecopreneur without quitting your job, the power of LinkedIn and how things change when you grow.
As Carlos mentions everyone out there who is a changemaker or wants to become one should join Good Ripple so head to https://nas.io/good-ripple to sign up.
You can connect with Carlos at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-terol/
Carlos book recommendation, a Gift For Conversation can be bought directly here:
https://www.agiftforconversation.com/shop/
How could we leverage blockchain technology in interesting ways to help nature?
That is what Pete Howson focuses his research on and he highlights some companies leading the way with some out-of-the-box thinking, like getting a forest to own itself!
The full episode was episode 13 from back in 2019 and you can listen to it here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Il0ztA4ITuyfB8eux7Vw9?si=0b51e79167d84876
In this episode I speak to Chris D’Agorne, the founder of How to Rewild – the UK’s most popular rewilding advice website, and is currently developing Life to Land – a nature recovery advisory service for smaller landowners. Chris is one of the most influential voices in the growing rewilding movement in the UK.
Chris took the bold step of re-mortgaging his house to purchase 3.5 acres of land that he has been managing for about two years now and sharing his story in the open, inspiring thousands of people with his direct action.
In this episode we talk about everything from filming polar bears in the Arctic, to how Chris decided to buy the land, putting a price on nature, how we deal with increasing polarisation and much more.
The best way to find out more about what Chris is working on is to head to the Life to Land website.
You can also follow Chris on LinkedIn to see updates from his project
The episode of The Wilder podcast can be found here
Chris’ book recommendations:
Rooted – Sarah Langford
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