Engineering Regenerative Systems for Scale and Carbon-Negative Cement ft. Dr. Wil Srubar

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In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Wil Srubar, Ph.D., Founder & CTO of Minus Materials, Inc., a seed-stage start-up commercializing a carbon-negative cement derived from microalgae. Dr. Srubar holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and BS and MS degrees from Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin, respectively. Along with his role at Minus Materials, he is an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder and Principal Investigator of the Living Materials Laboratory. He has raised >$15M in funding for his research and commercialization efforts and has authored over 100 technical journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings. Dr. Srubar’s work and vision are fueled by his deep-seated passion for leveraging what nature provides, and stem from his upbringing on his family's farm. 

Listen as they discuss the new frontier of construction biotech, and what inspired Minus Materials’ microalgae technology. Concrete is the second-most used material on earth after water, so creating a carbon-negative version is a priority. Dr. Srubar challenges us to think beyond the non-renewable resources used in construction and consider the possibilities that renewable materials can offer as high-performing building products. How can we find efficient ways to integrate them into the current supply chain?

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Episode Resource Links

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/green-tech/a40785162/microalgae-carbon-neutral-cement/

https://www.fastcompany.com/90777102/this-starup-is-using-microalgae-to-make-carbon-neutral-cement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LcAlFoepuw