Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey

Episode 11: 'Size Matters'

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:01:00 GMT

Oh, hello there! Bet you thought you’d seen the back of Tom and his biochar… But this story’s far from over. Yes, the machine runs, the credits have sold, and the char is piling up. But if this pilot is ever going to be a real, profitable business - and if it’s ever going to have a scalable climate impact - it’s going to need to be bigger. A lot bigger. Cue: industrial-level kit, eye-watering funding gaps, and the creeping suspicion that saving the planet may require even more admin than previously feared.

Grounded is the award-winning story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:

Alex Hume – Senior Associate, Finance Earth
Adam Samuel – Co-Founder, CapChar
Richard Barker – Partner, Counteract
Team members at Corserv and Cormac

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

assistant produced by Sydney Davies,

with marketing by Oluwaseun Sanni

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 10: 'Wrapping It Up'

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 01:24:06 GMT

As he nears the end of the year, Tom starts thinking about what lies beyond his biochar pilot. He reflects on everything he’s learned, talks to some others who’ve walked this path before, and dares to imagine a life less smoky. But is he finally ready to start answering some of the big questions he grappled with in his first days? And has his time in the country changed him – for better or worse - forever?

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:

Alex Hume – Senior Associate, Finance Earth
Adam Samuel – Co-Founder, CapChar
Richard Barker – Partner, Counteract
Jakob Andersen – CEO and Co-Founder, MASH Makes
Freddie Catlow – CEO and Co-Founder, Planboo

More information about CapChar's Biochar Carbon Code is here.

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with marketing by Oluwaseun Sanni,

graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and promotional support by Paola Sáenz, Jack Turnham and Lizzy Read

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 9: 'Getting It Out'

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 00:03:23 GMT

Tom’s been making biochar for a few weeks now, and while he’s got the basics down, he’s also learning some hard lessons. Lessons like: Fresh wood isn’t very dry. Six weeks isn’t very long. And one pair of hands isn’t very many hands. But making biochar is only half the battle – he also needs to figure out how to use it. So, can he make up any lost time and get this production process back on track? Can he tell his apples from his cow dung? And is his startup journey about to find a whole new (global) audience?

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:

Adam Samuel – Co-Founder, CapChar
Ben Hopkins – Associate, Bennetts Associates
Genevieve Hodgins – Climate Scientist, Supercritical
Tess Dickinson - Gillyflower Farm
Richard Bilton – Reporter, BBC Panorama

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with marketing by Oluwaseun Sanni,

graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and promotional support by Paola Sáenz, Jack Turnham and Lizzy Read

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 8: 'The Big One'

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 00:03:04 GMT

‘Twas the night before machine delivery, and Tom’s about to discover what running a biochar business really involves. If the last seven episodes were the world’s longest preamble, this is where the real story begins: and it involves elbow grease, experimentation, and a healthy dose of good humour. But how will he fare against the highest highs and lowest lows of his startup journey so far? Will he ever get the smell of smoke out of his farmers gilet? And, at the end of the day, is the biochar life the life for him?

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with marketing by Oluwaseun Sanni,

graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and promotional support by Paola Sáenz, Jack Turnham and Lizzy Read

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 7: 'Got Wood?'

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:03:17 GMT

After months of physical and emotional labour, the stars are beginning to align and the prospect of actually making biochar is now tantalisingly close. But Tom’s recipe is still missing one crucial ingredient: wood, and lots of it. So, while he pores over his cashflow projections and awaits delivery of his machine, he sets about trying to find some. And as he soon discovers, this wood business is a little trickier than it first appears. For instance, how many Toms does it take to guide an 8-wheeler down a country road? If a tree falls in a forest, does it necessarily make good biochar? And what does this all have to do with elephants?

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:

Dr Bojana Bajzelj – VP Carbon Removal, BeZero Carbon
Chintan Mahida – Co-Founder, CapChar
Adam Samuel – Co-Founder, CapChar
Team members at Corserv and Cormac

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with marketing by Oluwaseun Sanni,

graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and promotional support by Paola Sáenz, Jack Turnham and Lizzy Read

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 6: 'Going Cornwall'

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 23:03:00 GMT

Tom’s baaack! That’s right – after basking briefly in the glow of his new-found ‘fame’, Tom’s returning to your ears for the next chapter of his biochar journey. And he’s ready to leave the city behind and move full-time to the farm. But with funding still uncertain, he’s doing everything he can to keep things on track: from honing his pitch and making contingency plans, to laying concrete and learning to operate dangerous machinery. But when all’s said and done, is he any closer to making his project a reality? Or is he on a south-westerly road to nowhere?

Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

This episode features excerpts from:

Mel Osborne on BBC Radio Cornwall

Reversing Climate Change

Wicked Problems – Climate Tech Conversations

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with marketing by Oluwaseun Sanni,

graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and promotional support by Paola Sáenz, Jack Turnham and Lizzy Read

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 5: 'The End of the Beginning'

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 23:01:43 GMT

It’s the fifth and (for now) final episode, and Tom finds himself facing the challenge that all founders will face: how to make the numbers work. So he whips out his calculator, picks up the phone, and starts sending off those grant applications. Amidst it all, he’s dealing with a cold workspace, grappling with contracts, and taking his first foray into filmmaking. Sure, he’s picked up a few new skills lately. But the question is: can he find a buyer for his credits? And, ultimately, will he get the funds he needs to make this all happen?

Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:

Peter Fisher – Director, Bennetts Associates
Ben Hopkins – Associate, Bennetts Associates
Peter Mayer – Partner, Stairs Dillenbeck Finley Mayer PLLC
Councillor Martyn Alvey – Portfolio Holder for Environment and Climate Change, Cornwall Council (Councillor Alvey recorded this conversation in April 2024, prior to the UK pre-election period.)

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and marketing and promotional support by Paola Sáenz and Jack Turnham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 4: 'Putting A Label On It'

Tue, 28 May 2024 23:01:18 GMT

Tom is four episodes into his biochar journey, but he’s still facing one big challenge: will the machine he wants allow him to turn his climate dreams into business reality? Meanwhile, he has other things to tick off his to-do list: to incorporate a business, to keep his electric car charged… oh, and to start making a podcast. Amongst it all, he takes the train to Oxford, gets an unexpected proposal, and asks himself some big questions about the future. Is there a path through the weeds? And if there is, how is he going to start paying for it all?

Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:

Chintan Mahida – Co-Founder, CapChar
Adam Samuel – Co-Founder, CapChar
Nikolaus Wohlgemuth – Carbon Markets Expert & Head of Supply, Carbonfuture
Francesca Battersby – Chair, Executive Committee, GGR Future Leaders Network

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and marketing and promotional support by Paola Sáenz and Jack Turnham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 3: 'Lean, Mean, Charring Machine'

Tue, 21 May 2024 23:01:23 GMT

It’s episode three, and Tom has begun his search for a machine to make his biochar. But he soon learns that this particular shopping trip is going to be a lot more complicated (and potentially expensive) than he expected. Along the way, he meets a founder who’s been down this road before, encounters the messy world of ‘standards’, and gets lost in an extended baking metaphor that leaves him slightly peckish. Will he find a machine that will work for his pilot and allow him to mint credits? Or is it time to get out of the kitchen?

Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey over the following weeks, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:

Rob Palmer – Director of Innovation, UNDO
Chintan Mahida – Co-Founder, CapChar
Adam Samuel – Co-Founder, CapChar
Garrett Guard – Carbon Removal Methodology Specialist, C-Capsule
Emily Swaddle – Co-host, The Carbon Removal Show
Alex Hume – Senior Associate, Finance Earth

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and marketing and promotional support by Paola Sáenz and Jack Turnham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 2: 'Location, Location, Location'

Tue, 14 May 2024 23:01:46 GMT

In our second episode, Tom starts to grapple with the realities of his startup mission and addresses the first big hurdle: where to build his business. He learns what he’ll need nearby to support a sustainable and impactful biochar company, revisits his family roots in Cornwall, and attempts to answer the eternal question: how much is a tonne of wood? But is the UK the right place to make biochar? And will he get the support of local farmers he needs to make this happen?

Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey over the following weeks, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:

Genevieve Hodgins – Project Manager, The Biochar Demonstrator
Mick and Darren Jones – Woodtek Biochar
Alex Hume – Senior Associate, Finance Earth
Richard Tamblin - Farmer

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and Marketing and promotional support by Paola Sáenz and Jack Turnham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 1: 'Scr*w It, Let's Do It'

Tue, 07 May 2024 23:01:28 GMT

Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.

In this, our first episode, Tom catches the carbon removal bug, makes a bold promise to himself, and receives some work news that nudges him towards a big decision. Along the way, he learns all about biochar, takes a walk in a field, and gets some honest advice from friends and family. So: is he really ready to set up a biochar business?

Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey over the following weeks, or visit restord.earth to learn more about the project.

Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:

Genevieve Hodgins – Project Manager, The Biochar Demonstrator
Mick and Darren Jones – Woodtek Biochar
Emily Swaddle – Co-host, The Carbon Removal Show
Alex Hume – Senior Associate, Finance Earth

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:

hosted by Tom Previte,

produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks,

with graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,

and Marketing and promotional support by Paola Sáenz and Jack Turnham

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing... Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey

Wed, 01 May 2024 19:44:00 GMT

Tackling climate change is a serious business.

This is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.

It was a good few years back when Tom Previte stumbled across biochar. That was during the first season of a podcast he co-hosts - ‘The Carbon Removal Show’. And it turns out that this biochar stuff… it's not just an ancient technology but also a cutting-edge solution for today’s climate problems.

Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey captures the highs and lows of a green startup - from sharp learning curves to unlikely breakthroughs. Listen in as Tom digs deep into the realities and complexities of setting up a carbon removal project, and gets to grips with the science, the money, and everything it takes to build an environmentally (and financially) sustainable business.

Because if we’re going to save the planet, we’re going to need a lot more businesses like this one.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.