Fossil carbon is not just burnt for energy. It’s also used as an ingredient for millions of everyday products. But what if, rather than extracting new fossil carbon from the ground, the carbon could be sourced from waste and kept in circulation. 

That’s exactly what a company called LanzaTech is doing. For almost two decades LanzaTech has been using a synthetic biology process to recycle carbon waste and create new products. They went public earlier this year and provide a fascinating example of a climate tech company with a bold vision for transforming how our material world is built. Perhaps that’s why they were recently recognized by the prestigious Earthshot Prize. 

In this episode, I’m joined by LanzaTech’s Chief Sustainability Officer Freya Burton and Chief Science Officer Zara Summers. We talk about the growth and evolution of LanzaTech, their effort to create a circular economy of carbon, their technology, partners, and much more. This episode will push your thinking in some interesting ways. Enjoy.

In today’s episode, we cover:

• [3:36] Freya’s background & what she was doing before LanzaTech
• [4:52] Zara’s background & what she was doing before LanzaTech
• [6:23] LanzaTech & the problem that it’s aiming to solve
• [8:13] Finding stuff to do with emissions vs. eliminating them
• [11:13] The overall scale of environmental impact that LanzaTech is targeting
• [13:20] How LanzaTech’s technology works
• [16:47] Partnerships for removing carbon emissions 
• [19:29] How has the technology evolved over the years
• [21:16] How AI is involved in the approach
• [23:11] Who are current customers & what kind of partners is LanzaTech seeking
• [26:25] The pulse of the marketplace
• [28:44] Who is it for & why is it critical
• [30:21] How LanzaJet is going
• [32:41] Benefits & expectations of climate policies 
• [35:24] How EarthShot was helpful to LanzaTech
• [36:31] What has changed since LanzaTech went public
• [37:40] The industry in 5-10 years
• [41:43] Call to action for listeners

Resources Mentioned

• LanzaTech

Connect with Freya Burton & Zara Summers

• Connect with Freya on LinkedIn
• Connect with Zara on LinkedIn

Connect with Jason Rissman

• On LinkedIn
• On Twitter

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