
Hardware to Save a Planet
Our planet is warming at an unsustainable rate. This climate crisis is being caused by humans and it will take human ingenuity to stop or reverse it... Hardware to Save a Planet explores the technical innovations that are giving us hope in the fight against climate change. Each episode focuses on a specific climate challenge and explores an emerging physical technology solution, with the person bringing it into reality. Hosted by Dylan Garrett, Head of Climate Tech Business at Synapse.
Latest episodes

Mar 28, 2024 • 37min
Keeping Microplastics Out of Nature: A Discussion with Adam Root, Founder of Matter.
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Today, we’re looking at overcoming the environmental challenge of 1.7 million tons of microfibre pollution in our oceans that impacts human health and the ecosystem and biodiversity of the oceans. We do a root cause analysis of the problem, and Adam Root, Founder of Matter., presents a filtration solution that addresses the problem at its source. It captures and recycles microplastics in our washing machines. Join us as we discuss the detrimental effects of microplastics on the environment and human health while also exploring the importance of education, research, and legislation in tackling this issue. Discover how Matter.'s technology captures and recycles microplastics, and gain insights into the challenges and opportunities faced in scaling their business. This podcast is a must-listen for anyone passionate about protecting our planet.Adam is a skilled, passionate, thoughtful, and principled designer. His views on global issues, sustainability, and environmental activism are well-informed and nuanced. Combine that with his industrial experience and well-researched product development knowledge, and you have a formidable eco-friendly designer!As the founder of Matter., Adam is focused on delivering a scalable filtration solution to address the problem at its source in our washing machines. He is also the founder of Inheriting Earth, a company focused on sustainable design, which is also the holding company of Matter. Adam has also worked for over five years at Dyson as a Senior Design Engineer and was the recipient of the Young Innovator grant in 2018 and 2019. Adam is a Mechanical Engineer with a B.Eng degree from Kingston University. Episode resourceAdam Root on LinkedInMatter. WebsiteDylan Garrett on LinkedInSynapse WebsiteRate & Review Hardware to Save a Planet: Apple PodcastsSpotifyRSS Hardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soIf you are interested in sponsoring Hardware to Save a Planet, please see our sponsorship offer here.Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Going Big on Clean Energy with Small Fusion Reactors with Robin Langtry, Co-Founder and CEO of Avalanche EnergyThe Role of Energy Storage Systems in Combating Climate Change with Mike Wietecki of Powin and John Thomas of ESSMarine Electrification to Reduce Costs and Environmental Damage: A Conversation with Marcelino Alvarez, CEO of Photon MarineIf you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

Mar 14, 2024 • 37min
Driving Towards Sustainability with Electric RVs: Insights from Ben Parker, Co-Founder at Lightship
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Today, we’re looking at sustainability and CO2 emissions from the lens of electric RVs and their impact on reducing gas usage. Joining Dylan today is Ben Parker, Co-Founder and CPO of Lightship, America’s first electric recreational vehicle company. Join them as they discuss the development of Lightship, an electric and aerodynamic solar-powered recreational vehicle (RV). They also delve into the impact of RVs on gas usage, the potential for EV adoption, and the challenges of building an electric vehicle from scratch. Discover how Lightship aims to revolutionize the RV industry and make sustainable lifestyles more accessible.Ben describes himself as an entrepreneur, engineer, car junkie, and an evangelist for the electric vehicle movement. His professional career began with engineering design and automation development for the Tesla Model 3 battery. As the co-founder and CPO of Lightship, he is working on electrification in RV travel and camping. He is focused on slowing climate change by leading teams and efforts that make transportation cleaner and more joyful.Episode resourceBen Parker on LinkedInLightship WebsiteDylan Garrett on LinkedInSynapse Website Rate & Review Hardware to Save a Planet: Apple PodcastsSpotifyRSSHardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soIf you are interested in sponsoring Hardware to Save a Planet, please see our sponsorship offer here.Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Going Big on Clean Energy with Small Fusion Reactors with Robin Langtry, Co-Founder and CEO of Avalanche EnergyThe Role of Energy Storage Systems in Combating Climate Change with Mike Wietecki of Powin and John Thomas of ESSMarine Electrification to Reduce Costs and Environmental Damage: A Conversation with Marcelino Alvarez, CEO of Photon MarineIf you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

Feb 29, 2024 • 39min
A Mission to Decarbonize the Construction Industry with Keegan Kirkpatrick, Founder and CEO of RedWorks
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Today, Dylan is joined by Keegan Kirkpatrick, Founder and CEO of RedWorks Construction Technologies, a company with a mission to decarbonize the construction industry. Join them as they discuss how RedWorks manufactures bricks on-site using dirt sourced from the construction site, a solution which can replace concrete and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They also touch on the challenges of introducing new technology to the conservative construction industry and the lack of regulatory standards for structural materials.Keegan is an entrepreneur, public speaker, consultant, and engineer all rolled into one. He was passionate about being an astronaut when he grew up and has worked on rockets and satellites in his career. As the founder of RedWorks, he brings technology made for Mars back to Earth. RedWorks uses patented technology to make masonry using the dirt at the construction site, thereby reducing greenhouse emissions. Keegan is also a strategic advisor at Spira and a partner at Space Advisors. Episode resourcesKeegan Kirkpatrick on LinkedInKeegan Kirkpatrick on TwitterRedWorks Construction Technologies WebsiteRedWorks Machine Dylan Garrett on LinkedInSynapse WebsiteRate & Review Hardware to Save a Planet: Apple PodcastsSpotifyRSSHardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soIf you are interested in sponsoring Hardware to Save a Planet, please see our sponsorship offer here.Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Going Big on Clean Energy with Small Fusion Reactors with Robin Langtry, Co-Founder and CEO of Avalanche EnergyThe Role of Energy Storage Systems in Combating Climate Change with Mike Wietecki of Powin and John Thomas of ESSMarine Electrification to Reduce Costs and Environmental Damage: A Conversation with Marcelino Alvarez, CEO of Photon MarineIf you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

Feb 15, 2024 • 55min
Going Big on Clean Energy with Small Fusion Reactors with Robin Langtry, Co-Founder and CEO of Avalanche Energy
Join Dylan and guest Robin Langtry, Co-founder and CEO of Avalanche Energy, as they discuss fusion technology, its potential in decarbonizing industries, and the significance of fusion energy in creating a carbon-free future. Robin shares insights on designing fusion batteries, applications in various industries, and the safety aspects of fusion reactors. Dive into the conversation on clean energy innovation and career advice in the climate tech sector.

Feb 1, 2024 • 42min
Addressing Climate Change in Agriculture with Plasma Technology with Daniel White, Co-Founder and CEO at Clean Crop Technologies
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Today, Dylan is joined by Daniel White, Co-Founder and CEO of Clean Crop Technologies, a company on a mission to get more food onto people's plates with fewer resources. Join the discussion as Daniel unpacks Clean Crop Technologies’ innovative plasma technology to improve crop yields and reduce food waste. We also discuss the challenges of contamination in the food supply chain and the importance of addressing climate change in agriculture. If you're interested in learning about cutting-edge solutions to food waste and climate change in agriculture, this podcast is a must-listen.Daniel is an Agtech Entrepreneur with 16+ years of experience across horticulture, nut, and grain value chains in the US, Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. As the first commercial plasma seed treatment company in the US, they combine food-grade gases and electricity to create preservative-free food. Their novel, highly customizable technology treats seeds and food surfaces in minutes, does not compromise food and seed quality, and leaves no residue behind.Episode resourceDaniel White on LinkedInClean Crop Technologies WebsiteDylan Garrett on LinkedInSynapse WebsiteRate & Review Hardware to Save a Planet: Apple PodcastsSpotifyRSSHardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soIf you are interested in sponsoring Hardware to Save a Planet, please see our sponsorship offer here.Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Going Big on Clean Energy with Small Fusion Reactors with Robin Langtry, Co-Founder and CEO of Avalanche EnergyThe Role of Energy Storage Systems in Combating Climate Change with Mike Wietecki of Powin and John Thomas of ESSMarine Electrification to Reduce Costs and Environmental Damage: A Conversation with Marcelino Alvarez, CEO of Photon MarineIf you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

5 snips
Jan 18, 2024 • 48min
Revolutionizing Electric Motors: The Sustainable Solution with Rory Brogan of Torev Motors
Rory Brogan, Founder and CEO of Torev Motors, revolutionizes electric motors to be more sustainable. He discusses how Torev Motors reduces the consumption of harmful rare earth metals and shares insights on innovation, customer validation, and startup ecosystems. Discover the advantages of their electric motor, the impact of electric motors on global power consumption, and explore the potential of hydrogen as an alternative to batteries in vehicles.

Jan 4, 2024 • 17min
Year-End-Episode 2023: 10 Climate Change Leaders on How You Can Play a Part in Combating Climate Change
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Today, we have something special for you. 2023 has been an amazing year of growth for the Climate Tech industry, with a ton of new companies being founded, new funding rounds, purchase agreements, and technology breakthroughs. Amidst all of that, there are more and more people who are not working in Climate today but want to move their careers in that direction. So, for today’s episode, we'll revisit ten guests who shared advice on that topic. These clips are all responses to the question I ask everyone, which is, “What advice do you have for someone not working in climate today who wants to do something to help?” Let’s start by meeting our ten guests. Links to each guest episode are also provided in case you want to come back and listen to the full episode later.Paul Lambert, Founder and CEO of Quilt [Link]Tom Gurski, Founder and CEO of Blue Dot Motorworks [Link]Kim Baker, Senior Director of Innovation at Elemental Excelerator, [Link]Mike Kelland, CEO of Planetary [Link]Nirav Patel, CEO and Founder of Framework [Link]Silvain Toromanoff, Co-Founder and CTO of NeoCarbon [Link]John O’Donnell, CEO of Rondo Energy [Link]Doug Woodring, Founder and MD of Ocean Recovery Alliance [Link]Devon Wright, Co-Founder and CEO of Lumo [Link] Shely Aronov, Founder and CEO of InnerPlant [Link]Hardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soIf you are interested in sponsoring Hardware to Save a Planet, please see our sponsorship offer here.Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Going Big on Clean Energy with Small Fusion Reactors with Robin Langtry, Co-Founder and CEO of Avalanche EnergyThe Role of Energy Storage Systems in Combating Climate Change with Mike Wietecki of Powin and John Thomas of ESSMarine Electrification to Reduce Costs and Environmental Damage: A Conversation with Marcelino Alvarez, CEO of Photon MarineIf you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

Dec 21, 2023 • 43min
Nurturing Deep Tech Startups to Address Climate Change: A Conversation with Andrew Gollach of HAX
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Today, Dylan is joined by Andrew Gollach, Principal at HAX, a pre-seed and hands-on venture capital company for Hard Tech startups focused on climate change, sustainability, industrial automation, and human health. Join them as they discuss the challenges of hardware innovation, the importance of mining industry innovation, and the need for renewable energy scaling. They also touch on other innovation areas and investors' role in supporting climate tech. Listen in for an insightful conversation on solving climate change through hardware innovation and investing.Andrew has over ten years of technical and operational experience in renewable fuels and traditional oil and gas industries, and he has worked as an engineer in nine different countries. He has led a team in deploying a first-of-its-kind low-carbon fuels facility and contributed to the operations of many more large CAPEX projects. He leverages his engineering background and business acumen to help founders de-risk their technology, develop scalable go-to-market strategies, and secure additional funding.As a Principal at HAX, he is passionate about supporting and investing in Deep Tech startups that are tackling the most pressing challenges in climate and sustainability. HAX is the physical sciences-focused vertical of SOSV, a global venture capital fund with over $1 billion in assets under management..Episode resources:Andrew Gollach on LinkedIn HAX WebsiteDylan Garrett on LinkedInSynapse WebsiteRate & Review Hardware to Save a Planet: Apple PodcastsSpotifyRSSHardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soIf you are interested in sponsoring Hardware to Save a Planet, please see our sponsorship offer here.Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Going Big on Clean Energy with Small Fusion Reactors with Robin Langtry, Co-Founder and CEO of Avalanche EnergyThe Role of Energy Storage Systems in Combating Climate Change with Mike Wietecki of Powin and John Thomas of ESSMarine Electrification to Reduce Costs and Environmental Damage: A Conversation with Marcelino Alvarez, CEO of Photon MarineIf you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

8 snips
Dec 7, 2023 • 48min
Using Methane-Eating Bacteria to Combat Climate Change: A Discussion with Josh Silverman, CEO at Windfall Bio
Josh Silverman, CEO of Windfall Bio, discusses using methane-eating bacteria to combat climate change. Topics include sustainable solutions for farmers, optimizing methane capture in cattle farming, and scaling up bacteria production. The importance of collective action and industry responsibility in addressing climate change is also emphasized.

Nov 22, 2023 • 43min
Sustainable Solutions for Energy-Efficient and Affordable Housing: Insights from Chris Anderson, CEO of Vantem
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Today, Dylan is joined by Chris Anderson, CEO of Vantem, a company that delivers cost-effective, climate-resilient, energy-efficient homes at scale. Chris is based in Greensboro, North Carolina, in America. Join them as they discuss how Vantem's proprietary panel technology simplifies construction and improves energy efficiency. They delve into the importance of affordable housing and how Vantem’s approach reduces costs. The conversation also touches on the magnitude of the housing shortage and the role of innovative companies in addressing climate change.If there’s anyone who knows the ins and outs of sustainable construction, it’s Chris Anderson. He is the Founder and CEO of Vantem and heads the team that developed the Vantem System and pioneered its implementation. Before Vantem, Chris was the Founder and CEO of Simex, a company focused on sustainable timber harvesting, which he grew to 1,600 employees operating in six countries.Episode resources:Chris Anderson on LinkedInVantem WebsiteDylan Garrett on LinkedInSynapse WebsiteRate & Review Hardware to Save a Planet: Apple PodcastsSpotifyRSSHardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soIf you are interested in sponsoring Hardware to Save a Planet, please see our sponsorship offer here.Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Going Big on Clean Energy with Small Fusion Reactors with Robin Langtry, Co-Founder and CEO of Avalanche EnergyThe Role of Energy Storage Systems in Combating Climate Change with Mike Wietecki of Powin and John Thomas of ESSMarine Electrification to Reduce Costs and Environmental Damage: A Conversation with Marcelino Alvarez, CEO of Photon MarineIf you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn