by Paul Shapiro
Join host Paul Shapiro as he talks with some of the leading start-up entrepreneurs and titans of industry alike using their businesses to help solve the world’s most pressing problems. Whether it’s climate change, unsustainable agricultural practices, cyber threats, coral reef die-offs, nuclear waste storage, plastic pollution, or more, many of the world’s greatest challenges are also exciting business opportunities. On this show, we feature business leaders who are marrying profit and purpose by inventing solutions to both build a better world and offer investors a bang for their bucks.
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🇺🇲
Publishing Since
7/26/2018
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April 15, 2025
<p dir="ltr">Nick Cooney is one of the most prolific investors in food and ag tech. As the founder of <a href= "https://www.levervc.com/">Lever VC</a>, he’s helped deploy nearly $80 million from his first fund and has now <a href= "https://agfundernews.com/lever-vc-announces-50m-first-close-of-agrifoodtech-fund-ii"> closed more than $50 million</a> toward his second $100 million fund. He’s backed companies across the spectrum of sustainable protein—plant-based meat, cultivated meat, fermentation-derived proteins (including, in full disclosure, my own company, <a href= "https://www.bettermeat.co/">The Better Meat Co.</a>), and more.</p> <p dir="ltr">But despite his deep roots in venture capital, Nick’s latest project is about something very different: giving money away with no expectation of any financial return.</p> <p dir="ltr">In his new book, <a href= "https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/What-We-Dont-Do/Nick-Cooney/9798888455340"> What We Don’t Do: Inaction in the Face of Suffering and the Drive to Do More</a>, from Simon & Schuster and Regalo Press, Nick challenges the reader with a bold moral argument: it’s not enough to simply avoid doing harm—we have a responsibility to proactively reduce suffering where we can, including suffering we didn’t cause. That includes using our time, our talents, and yes, our money, to help others—especially those we’ll never meet.</p> <p dir="ltr">So how much should we be giving? While philosopher Peter Singer proposes 10% of your income as a moral benchmark, and Jesus went even further, telling his followers to sell everything and give to the poor, Nick stakes out a middle ground somewhere between Singer and Jesus of Nazareth: give until you feel it. Not until it hurts, necessarily—but enough that it makes a noticeable impact on your life. Because that impact could be life-changing—or even life-saving—for someone else.</p> <p dir="ltr">In this episode, Nick and I dive into the ideas behind What We Don’t Do, and why our inactions—what we don’t do—may be among the biggest sources of preventable suffering in the world. We explore the psychology behind why it feels easier to forgive inaction than harmful action, and how we can train ourselves to think differently.</p> <p dir="ltr">We also discuss the current state of the alt-protein industry, Nick's analysis of why venture capital has cooled off on the space in recent years, and what it’ll take to bring investors back to the table.</p> <p>It’s a rich and rewarding conversation with one of the most influential thinkers in the future of food. I found What We Don’t Do to be both thought-provoking and motivating, and I think you’ll feel the same. Whether you're a founder, a funder, or just someone who wants to do a little—or a lot—more good in the world, this episode is for you.</p>
April 1, 2025
<p dir="ltr">Palm oil is everywhere—from food to cosmetics to biofuels—but its production is a leading cause of deforestation, habitat destruction, and greenhouse gas emissions. What if we could have all the benefits of palm oil without the downsides?</p> <p dir="ltr">Enter <a href= "https://www.nopalm-ingredients.com/">NoPalm Ingredients</a>, a Dutch biotech startup using fermentation to produce a sustainable alternative to palm oil—without the need for palm trees. Instead of chopping down rainforests, they’re upcycling agricultural waste, feeding it to their specialty yeast, and brewing a fat with the same characteristics as high-end palm oil in the process. </p> <p dir="ltr">The company’s raised €6 million to date and has already done a trial run of its process in a massive 120,000-liter fermenter.</p> <p dir="ltr">In this episode, I’m joined by NoPalm’s CEO, Lars Langhout, to talk about how microbial oils can disrupt a $60 billion industry, whether fermentation is the future of fats, and the challenges of scaling a sustainable solution.</p> <p dir="ltr">Could NoPalm Ingredients make deforestation-free oils the new norm? If they have their way, perhaps so. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Discussed in this episode</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">The <a href= "https://edepot.wur.nl/536811">fateful short 2020 article</a> that inspired Lars to start NoPalm Ingredients. </p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Lars was also inspired by <a href= "https://bowery.co/">Bowery Farming</a> CEO <a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/irvingfain/">Irving Fain</a>.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Lars recommends reading <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building-ebook/dp/B00DQ845EA/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2993E6FNVTDTD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Snx2X8YEz4-sHKIrPe6XNiejKzhSkm5lWZNUP3Ju5q08uTEA__itPb6qmLEYlfHEM1Vbrh6pJk5zG9Z2UityUA3Of0JTMIh9wBvE6hM6XR7oNJ_0zzPfxEKfN8syUyq4JQ3hjt8VT4skHje2S6LMcRtlnr1jHZgSm3QNl11u2k6SBZkebLpqyopMTjMu93c_zAboGldmobCP7ktEY-K0VuByHNGvUpbqJyt42lD0y2Y.eDaGXmqZwBo0Ku063lu7h_4QffV22dfLzPIwuuCgRmA&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+hard+thing&qid=1742158802&sprefix=the+hard+thing%2Caps%2C211&sr=8-1"> The Hard Thing about Hard Things</a> and <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Candor-Revised-Kick-Ass-Humanity-ebook/dp/B07P9LPXPT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1HVRA1VE5ROKZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8DrydtCHQwQBMu5Qcn-MzSeqx_0OGM6yxcX3vEfpnWepdv8jarQ6mxfQchWFheWxS-ZWNqkL6Y9y_6k8O7uxI76TxKOrc2vDWNkgUSh7bXj4wKYcqINp1gUd1HaUy6fKh-gs0eoLPTreDxh79CjWvGnC2cXERdUSoqAfVZzeU2gytije00IMeXGvCuCNrlGJ71mNxHx8tN5CXWC5L7eF41KvKt2k4bhaZhKI6RBXXrs.OrwVWb3gTgPctpBnfu071t4XjhE6soSYYc_mdhAqy7c&dib_tag=se&keywords=radical+candor&qid=1742158896&sprefix=radical+cand%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-1"> Radical Candor</a></p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Our past episodes with <a href= "https://www.businessforgoodpodcast.com/joe-luttwak">Lingrove</a> (tree-free wood) and <a href= "https://www.businessforgoodpodcast.com/woodfed-meat-marc-chevrel-and-arbiom-say-bring-it-on"> Abiom</a> (wood-fed meat).</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Get to know Lars Langhout</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Lars Langhout is the co-founder and CEO of NoPalm Ingredients, a biotech pioneer company he established in 2021 alongside Prof. Dr. Jeroen Hugenholtz. Leveraging his background in strategy consulting and an MBA (CBS '16), Lars leads the team in developing sustainable, locally produced alternatives to palm oil. Under his leadership, NoPalm Ingredients has achieved significant milestones, including scaling their fermentation process from benchtop experiments to industrial-scale production of 120m3 within three years. This innovative approach transforms agri-food side streams into high-quality, food-grade palm-oil alternatives. </p>
March 20, 2025
<p dir="ltr">What if the fat in your butter, cheese, or even burger could be made without animals, without plants, without fermentation, and without agriculture at all? That’s exactly what <a href="https://www.savor.it/">Savor</a> is doing. Using a groundbreaking process that transforms compounds like CO₂ and elements like hydrogen into rich, animal-free fats that can mimic what animal fat does, this California-based startup is rethinking how we produce and consume one of the most essential ingredients in food.</p> <p dir="ltr">In this episode, I sit down with Kathleen Alexander, cofounder and CEO of Savor, to dive into the science behind their innovative fat production, why alternative fats could be the next big breakthrough in food tech, and how their approach could help fight climate change while making all types of foods, including plant-based meats and dairy, taste even better.</p> <p dir="ltr">So far the company has raised more than $30 million in venture capital, including from Bill Gates, and is now gearing up to start selling its new fat in restaurants and bakeries within 2025.</p> <p dir="ltr">Will humanity be able to divorce food production from agriculture? If Savor succeeds, that just might be the case. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Discussed in this episode</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Katheeen co-authored the paper <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-023-01241-2">Food Without Agriculture</a>.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Savor was incubated by <a href= "https://www.orcasciences.com/">Orca Sciences</a>.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href= "https://www.businessforgoodpodcast.com/microbes-to-the-rescue-lisa-nunez-safarian-and-pivot-bio"> Our past episode</a> with Pivot Bio president Lisa Nunez Safarian.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Kathleen and Paul both recommend <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/Alchemy-Air-Jewish-Scientific-Discovery-ebook/dp/B001EUGCTS/"> Alchemy of Air</a> and <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/dp/031653675X/">Not the End of the World</a>.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Kathleen recommends Long Life, <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Long-Life-Honey-Heart/dp/B09NWGX73Z/"> Honey in the Heart</a>.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href= "https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-butter-made-from-carbon-dioxide-tastes-like-the-real-dairy-product-startup-says-180984717/"> Smitsonian story</a> on Savor’s technology.</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>More about Kathleen Alexander</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><a href= "https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-c-alexander-a38051204/">Kathleen Alexander</a> has a strong background in materials science and engineering. She has worked in various roles, including as a CTO and CEO at Savor, a Project Director at Orca Sciences, and a Climate Solutions Consultant at KCA Research, Inc. Kathleen has a proven track record of designing and implementing innovative projects for climate solutions, with a focus on greenhouse gas reduction technologies. She has also conducted extensive research and modeling in the field of materials science, particularly in areas related to electrochemistry and battery performance. Kathleen's academic background includes a PhD in Materials Science & Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, further showcasing her expertise in the field.</p>
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New York Magazine
Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
Toni Okamoto and Michelle Cehn
New York Times Opinion
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The New York Times
Nick & Jack Studios
NPR
The New York Times
Glennon Doyle and Audacy
Vox Media Podcast Network
Tara Brach
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