Scaling Green-Tech – Details, episodes & analysis

In episode 1 of the Scaling Green-Tech podcast, Adopter co-founders Matt Jaworski and Katherine Keddie dive into why websites matter, especially for early-stage climate founders. Even if you’re still at the idea stage, having a simple, functional, and up-to-date site can make all the difference when it comes to credibility, traction, and first impressions with investors or partners.

They unpack five common mistakes they see all the time: leaving your website to gather dust, using vague or overly technical language, getting locked into expensive suppliers, choosing platforms that don’t grow with you, and skipping real-world images or examples that show your solution actually exists.

Throughout the episode, Matt and Katherine share tips on how to avoid these traps and explain why your website isn’t just a box to tick, it’s a key part of how your business shows up in the world. If you’re wondering where to start with your green-tech website, this one’s for you.

To find out more about Adopter, visit our website.

Theresa Hoffmann, CEO and Co-founder of Nanoplume, discusses bio-based aerogel insulation, deep tech commercialisation, and the realities of early-stage founding on Episode 21 of Scaling Green Tech, a podcast by Adopter.

Hoffmann explains how 80% of the insulation market remains dependent on petrochemical materials, despite the thermal insulation industry growing toward a $100 billion market by 2030. Nanoplume's answer is a bio-based nano-porous material that is three times as insulating, 60% lighter and thinner, and 100% biocompatible - and around 75% cheaper than silica aerogels and other super-insulating materials. Rather than targeting the built environment first, Hoffmann describes a deliberate beachhead strategy in pharmaceutical cold chain logistics, chosen for clearer economics and lower mechanical requirements, with a roadmap toward truck insulation, warehousing, and eventually buildings. The episode also covers co-founder dynamics, founder identity, and how to validate market assumptions through early customer case studies.

This episode is relevant for deep tech founders at pre-seed and seed stage, materials science entrepreneurs, cold chain and pharmaceutical logistics investors, built environment innovators, and anyone navigating co-founder relationships, accelerator programmes, or early-stage commercialisation strategy.

Find out more about Adopter here: https://www.adopter.net/

Explore Nanoplume here: https://www.nanoplume.com/

Connect with Theresa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresa-hoffmann/

Martin SFP Bryant, Founder of PreSeed Now, discusses what investors and journalists look for from early-stage startups on Episode 20 of Scaling Green Tech, a podcast by Adopter.

Bryant draws on nearly 17 years as a technology journalist - including covering ElevenLabs before the launch of ChatGPT - to explain what separates pre-seed startups that attract backing from those that stall. He argues that the strongest founders compress their value proposition into a one-to-two sentence "micro-pitch," citing Stripe's early line ("take payments on your website with a single line of code") as an example of a pitch that immediately communicates both the product and its scale potential. The conversation covers why climate tech companies lose traction when they lead with environmental impact rather than economic value, how the contraction of the tech media landscape has changed founder media strategy, and what Bryant looks for when selecting startups to profile on PreSeed Now from a pipeline of hundreds.

This episode is relevant for pre-seed and seed-stage founders preparing to raise investment. It is also useful for climate technology companies refining how they communicate value to investors, customers, and the media. Matt Jaworski hosts.

Find out more about Adopter here: https://www.adopter.net/

Explore PreSeed Now here: https://preseednow.com/

In episode 11 of the Scaling Green-Tech podcast, Katherine Keddie sits down with Anne Snelson and Becky Lane to explore how we can accelerate decarbonisation in the domestic built environment. Anne Snelson is a carbon literacy training specialist who works with major corporates to embed climate awareness and drive organisational change. With a background spanning transport, telecoms, and construction, she now focuses on equipping leaders and teams with the knowledge and urgency needed to transition towards net zero. Becky Lane is the CEO and co-founder of Furbnow, a fast-growing startup helping homeowners navigate the complexity of energy efficiency upgrades. Furbnow leverages data, technology, and supply chain expertise to deliver tailored home energy plans, with ambitions to scale across the UK and beyond.

Together, they unpack the barriers slowing down progress in housing and construction, the consumer behaviours driving adoption, and why success depends on meeting people where they are. From policymaking gaps to “boiler funerals” and renovation trigger points, this conversation sheds light on the real-world complexities and opportunities in decarbonising our homes. If you’re interested in making retrofit mainstream, the consumer transition to net zero, or how startups can help transform one of the hardest-to-decarbonise sectors, this one’s for you.

Find out more about Adopter ⁠here⁠. 

Explore Anne’s work here: Leadwithsustainability.co.uk.

Discover Furbnow here: https://furbnow.com/ 

In this episode of Scaling Green-Tech, Katherine Keddie is joined by Tim Rault-Smith, a seasoned scale-up leader turned startup advisor, who now helps founders navigate growth in the EV technology space. Tim was one of the early employees at ForgeRock, the Identity and Access Management software company that rapidly scaled from a small European team to IPO on the New York Stock Exchange before its acquisition in 2023. Tim reflects on his journey through the birth of the Internet and a variety of roles at Sun Microsystems, to co-building ForgeRock’s support services and helping shape the technologies still underpinning today’s digital world.

They dive into the realities of being part of an early-stage team - from working unpaid “idle time” and juggling multiple hats, to navigating crunch points, raising venture capital, and scaling sales globally. Tim also draws on his current role as a startup advisor in the EV and charging space, offering practical lessons on product-market fit, the importance of commercial partners, and the level of commitment it really takes to succeed. If you’re interested in startup scaling, climate tech entrepreneurship, or what it takes to grow from a founding team to a global player, this one’s for you.

Find out more about Adopter ⁠here⁠. 

Find out more about SALINE Ventures, 3ti and nodum.  

View the YouTube video from Everything Electric:

https://youtu.be/RGLvxGAE66I?si=ZUIpkeZ0GrOqsnj_

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Tim's Early Fascination with Computers and the Internet

(00:10:18) Career Planning and the Genesis of ForgeRock

In episode 9 of the Scaling Green-Tech podcast, Katherine Keddie and Matt Jaworski share a hands-on guide to auditing your online presence. They break down where to start, from mapping your digital touchpoints and pulling data, to analysing website speed, SEO performance, and social media engagement. Along the way, they share practical tips for getting more from tools like LinkedIn, Google Analytics, and Bing Webmaster, and explain how to turn numbers into meaningful insight.

We also explore the power of founder-led social media, how to benchmark against the right competitors, and why credibility frameworks like Stanford’s Web Credibility Guidelines can be just as important as metrics. If you’re a green-tech innovator or marketer looking to transform raw data into strategy and build a digital presence that scales, this episode is for you.

Find out more about Adopter⁠ ⁠here⁠⁠.

In episode 8 of the Scaling Green-Tech podcast, Katherine Keddie speaks with Mitesh Jagatia, founder of Eco Ventures Counsel, a pro bono initiative offering free legal support to early green-tech startups across the UK. 

Mitesh unpacks the most common legal challenges climate founders face, from commercial contracts and employment law, to corporate governance and intellectual property. We discuss how to talk about your product without jeopardising your IP, how to navigate complex fundraising agreements, and when to seek external advice.

Drawing on his experience as an in-house lawyer for global corporates, and his work with leading legal experts through Eco Ventures Counsel, Mitesh offers practical, actionable insights for anyone working to scale in the green tech space. If you’re an early-stage founder looking for expert guidance on protecting your company and avoiding legal missteps, this episode is for you.

Find out more about Adopter ⁠here⁠.

In episode 7 of the Scaling Green Tech podcast, Matt Jaworski speaks with Dr. Aled Roberts, founder of Dekiln, a startup cutting the carbon footprint of ceramic tiles by 94% through an innovative process that removes the need for kiln firing entirely. 

Aled shares how nature-inspired design, recycled materials, and bio-based coatings are unlocking new possibilities in tile manufacturing - from vibrant colours to embedded natural textures - while cutting emissions, waste, and costs. They discuss scaling challenges, lessons from moving from academia to entrepreneurship, and why transparency and avoiding greenwashing are essential in climate innovation. If you’re interested in sustainable materials, scaling new technologies, or transforming a legacy industry from the inside, this one’s for you.

Find out more about Adopter here. 

In episode 6 of Scaling Green-Tech, we’re joined by Beth and Leo, co-founders of Feasibly (formerly Local Energy Systems) - a startup using machine learning to speed up how solar projects get off the ground. After two years of deep R&D and grant-backed development, Feasibly is now helping renewable energy developers assess solar sites in minutes, not months.

We explore their startup journey from Durham Venture School to Innovate UK grants and angel backing and dig into the real-world barriers to scaling decentralised energy - including broken funding models, biased investor networks, and the hard decisions founders face when sticking to their mission.

If you're interested in decentralised energy, ethical AI, or the journey from r&d to scale in green-tech, this one’s for you.

Find out more about Adopter here.

In episode 5 of the Scaling Green Tech podcast, Katherine Keddie speaks with Rhea Dabriwala and Naveen Shivalingam, the co-founders of GroundUp, a pioneering startup transforming India’s agricultural residue into high-impact biochar. They unpack how GroundUp is building a new generation of industrial-scale biochar hubs that don’t just remove carbon from the atmosphere, but also regenerate soil, boost farmer livelihoods, and unlock circular supply chains.

They break down the science behind biochar, the future of carbon markets, and  the scale of what’s possible. They also explore what it takes to raise a $5M seed round, build trust in high-integrity carbon credits, and stay obsessed through the hardest parts of the founder journey.

If you’re interested in scalable carbon removal, climate tech in the Global South, or what it really takes to build a meaningful green business, this one’s for you.

To find out more about Adopter, ⁠⁠visit our website⁠⁠.