Beyond The Raise is a podcast exploring what really happens after founders secure investment. From hiring the right team to scaling under pressure, each episode shares honest conversations and real stories from founders navigating the challenges of growth, leadership and building a business beyond the raise.
In this in-depth interview, Matthew Simmonds, co-founder of EntoCycle, shares the journey of building a pioneering insect-technology company that addresses food waste and sustainability challenges. From technical innovation to scaling challenges, funding hurdles, and strategic partnerships, discover key lessons for founders navigating growth and industry disruption.
Join us as we explore the innovative home automation company Tewke with co-founder Rowan Dixon. Discover how their advanced energy-saving devices are transforming smart homes, the journey from concept to award-winning product, and insights into startup growth, funding, and product design.
In this engaging interview, Rowan shares insights on startup challenges, sales strategies, hiring, and the UK tech scene, offering valuable lessons for founders and entrepreneurs.
In this episode of Beyond The Raise, we sit down with Nick Taylor, Co-Founder & CEO of Building Atlas, to explore how the company is helping organisations make buildings more energy efficient, lower costs, and reduce carbon emissions at scale. Nick shares lessons from leaving Google’s startup incubator, raising VC funding, finding product-market fit, building an early team, and navigating the realities of scaling in commercial real estate.
In this episode, Aakash Kapur, COO of Nossa Data, shares insights on ESG reporting, market evolution, strategic hiring, and navigating startup challenges. Discover how they carved a niche in non-financial data reporting and the lessons learned along the way.
In this in-depth interview, Stanley Wilson, co-founder of SOLR AI, shares his journey from ideation to building proprietary AI solutions for the renewable energy sector. Discover how strategic partnerships, technological innovation, and a relentless focus on solving real-world problems are shaping the future of sustainable energy deployment.
In this insightful interview, Nick Van Dyke, CEO of Oort Energy, shares his journey through the challenges of deep tech innovation, market shifts and strategic pivots. Discover how resilience, lean operations, and a clear vision drive success in the complex world of green hydrogen and chemicals.
In this insightful interview, Sarah Mackintosh, Director of CleanTech for UK, shares her expertise on the challenges and opportunities in scaling climate tech startups. Sarah discusses funding hurdles, operational complexities, the role of policy and what makes successful founders stand out, offering valuable advice for entrepreneurs and investors alike.
In this conversation, Tom Cox and Sally Sattery of Decent Energy discuss their journey building a startup focused on reducing energy costs and decarbonising the grid. They share insights into technical challenges, market strategy, team growth, and the lessons they've learned along the way.
What does it take to scale a company without losing the culture that made it successful? In this insightful interview, Faye Haddadi, Head of HR at Xampla, shares her expertise on building resilient teams, maintaining company culture and navigating the challenges of growth after funding. Discover practical strategies for staying agile, aligning teams around shared values, and supporting leaders through rapid expansion.
Andrew Holt, CEO of Kenoteq, shares his journey from engineering to leading a pioneering sustainable brick company. He explores the challenges of disrupting legacy industries, why trust is critical in climate tech and what it takes to scale manufacturing and technology on a global stage.
In this episode, Imad Ahmed, CEO of Nanolyse, shares insights on building innovation at speed, navigating regulation, managing complexity and scaling a tech-driven environmental business. Discover how to balance speed with quality and the importance of strategic decision-making in a highly regulated sector.
In this episode, Justin Hughes, chairman and co-founder of NetZeroNitrogen shares insights on founder decision-making, scaling challenges and the importance of role clarity and storytelling in building impactful climate tech startups.
Rob Gardner, CEO of Rebalance Earth, shares insights on investing in natural capital, creating a new asset class and leveraging AI for sustainable finance. Discover how nature-based solutions can be financially structured and scaled to combat climate change.
In this episode, Joyeeta Das, CEO and founder of Samudra Oceans, shares her journey into ocean tech, the importance of ocean monitoring and how proprietary data can revolutionise climate solutions. Discover how creating a new category from scratch and leveraging unique data sets can lead to impactful environmental innovations.
In this episode, Kelli Corney, a Brand Strategy Consultant, shares insights on how startups can build strong brands, the importance of positioning, and how to navigate the challenges of growth and storytelling in the context of scaling a business.
In this episode, James Millar, CEO of Entocycle, shares insights on the insect protein industry, its challenges, and future opportunities. Discover how the sector is evolving, the importance of de-risking projects, and the role of different funding types in scaling climate tech innovations.
In this episode, JP Cerda, founder of Renewabl, shares insights on the evolution of renewable energy, hourly matching, and the future of energy regulation. Discover how industry leaders are shaping sustainable energy practices and what it means for businesses and developers.
In this episode, Mike Teall shares his journey from financial services to climate tech, focusing on building Snugg, a platform that decarbonises homes and reduces bills. We explore the challenges of commercialising climate solutions, market shifts and leadership lessons for scaling impact.
In this episode, Noah Miller, COO of Gigaton, shares insights on scaling AI in heavy industry, focusing on decarbonizing cement production. Discover how innovative control systems and strategic focus are transforming one of the world's most emissions-intensive industries.
In this episode, Holly Foster, CEO of Heat Geek, shares her journey from climate impact projects to leading a revolutionary heat pump training and marketplace platform. Discover how Heat Geek is transforming the UK heat pump industry through high standards, community building, and innovative technology, and learn key lessons on scaling a mission-driven startup.
Electra Coutsoftides and Alexander Hall share their journey of building XWorks, navigating challenges, leveraging AI, and maintaining conviction in their mission to improve supply chain verification. This episode offers insights into resilience, innovation, and the evolving landscape of startup building.
In this episode, Georgia Ware, founder of HotGreen Solutions, shares her journey into climate tech, focusing on industrial heat decarbonisation, the challenges of building hard tech and lessons learned from fundraising and scaling a hardware startup.
In this episode, Michael Wise, founder and CEO of Cooled Motors, shares insights on building deep tech hardware startups, raising capital, and the importance of experience and vision in leadership
Malcolm Waugh, CEO of Frugalpac, shares insights on scaling a deep tech packaging business focused on sustainability, navigating market challenges and leveraging innovation like AI to future-proof operations.