The NatureBacked Podcast

Tarmo Virki

At NatureBacked, we talk with investors and entrepreneurs worldwide about climate change, covering everything from CO2 emissions to floods to guests’ personal choices for turning the world greener. In this podcast, we bring you inspiring stories and insights from experts, innovators, and changemakers who are working to protect and restore our planet. Whether you are interested in wildlife, ecology, conservation, climate change, or green living, this podcast is for you. NatureBacked is hosted by Tarmo Virki, a passionate nature lover and environmentalist who believes that nature has the solutions to many of the challenges we face today. In each episode, Tarmo Virki interviews a guest who shares their knowledge, experience, and vision on a specific topic related to nature and sustainability. You will learn about the latest research, innovations, and trends in the field, as well as practical tips on how to build and grow greentech startups. NatureBacked is more than just a podcast. It is a community of like-minded people who care about the environment and want to make a positive impact. By listening to this podcast, you will not only gain valuable information and inspiration but also join a movement of nature lovers 💚 who are committed to creating a better future for ourselves and the generations to come. If you are ready to dive into the amazing world of nature and sustainability, subscribe to NatureBacked and tune in to our episodes. You can also follow us on Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram, where we share more content and updates. We would love to hear from you, so feel free to email us at tarmo@naturebacked.com with your feedback, questions, or suggestions. Thank you for listening, and we hope you enjoy the show! Stay curious and stay green 💚 read less
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Season 5

Looking Into Promising Year With Practica's Helery Pops
Feb 5 2024
Looking Into Promising Year With Practica's Helery Pops
The year 2024 looks promising for both, startups and investors, says investor Helery Pops from Practica Capital, a pan-Baltic investment firm which has backed several green tech startups in the region. "It's going to need a lot of work, it's going to need a lot of effort because money isn't that easy to come by at the moment, investors are doing much more due diligence: it might take up to six months or a year to raise a round. But if all the chips fall into places, then you have less competition," says investor Helery Pops. Practica Capital launched a new 80-million-euro fund in January 2024. Helery shares her insights on the startup landscape in the Baltics, her passion for nature, and some of the challenges and opportunities for green tech investors and founders in 2024. You'll learn about topics such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, circular economy, and more. You'll also hear about some of the successful and promising green tech startups in Practica's portfolio, such as PVcase, a grading software for wind turbines, and Heavy Finance, a platform that helps farmers switch to no-till farming with zero-interest loans. Whether you're a green tech enthusiast, a startup founder, or a curious listener, this episode will inspire you with fresh insights and practical tips on how to make a positive impact with green tech. Don't forget to subscribe to NatureBacked and leave us a review. You can also follow us on social media and visit our website for more content and resources. Thanks for listening and stay tuned for the next episode of NatureBacked.
How to Use AI and Programming Language to Heal Yourself (and the World)
Feb 19 2024
How to Use AI and Programming Language to Heal Yourself (and the World)
Leo Treadwell, a visionary who has developed an organic intelligence language model, shares his story, his insights, and his tips on how to use AI and programming language to heal yourself and the world. Treadwell is the founder of the Organic Intelligence Language Model, a system that uses artificial intelligence and natural language to understand and reprogram the human mind. He describes how used this system to heal himself from a life-threatening illness and to create a successful business and a happy family. In this episode, we cover topics such as: • How the human mind works like a computer program, with pre-cognitive commitments and emotional responses encoded in syntax. • How to use numbers for creativity and problem-solving, by focusing on what you want to create or solve, asking the right questions, making agreements, and taking action. • How to be aware of the manipulation of thoughts and beliefs, and how to reclaim your sovereignty and freedom. • How to use language to program your thoughts and emotions, and how to rewrite your life story using human nature and computer language. • How to act on climate change and other global issues, by bypassing the limbic system and operating from choice, pleasure, and potential. • How to balance your masculine and feminine energies in the digital age, and how to connect with the natural law and values that govern the universe. • How to discover the hidden connections and patterns that exist in nature, mathematics, and philosophy, and how they relate to your perception and reality. If you want to learn more about Leo Treadwell and his organic intelligence language model, visit his website or follow him on social media.
Saving Pandas (and the Planet) with Jana Budkovskaja from Beamline
Mar 4 2024
Saving Pandas (and the Planet) with Jana Budkovskaja from Beamline
With international actions on halting climate change showing no signs of progress, the mission to save the planet and the environment has been left to startups, said Jana Budkovskaja, the head of Beamline Accelerator. "That's why I'm here — because I truly believe that these are the only ones who can save, only startups. All the, in a good way, crazy guys who don't believe that something is impossible. They have passion. They have ideas. These are the scientists, these crazy scientists, the ones who argue with obvious things, the ones who argue with corporations who say, but we have done like this," Budkovskaja said in the episode. Beamline is a Tallinn-headquartered accelerator working with pre-seed and seed-stage cleantech startups across Europe. We covered a wide range of topics ranging from pandas and climate change to greenwashing. What is cleantech? How does it differ from greentech? Beamline invests in teams and provides them with a 3-6 month program and an alumni club. Beamline's current batch is focused on deep tech and material science and uses non-equity money from Estonia's Ministry of Climate. Jana shared her personal journey into the cleantech sector, starting from her love for nature and animals as a child. In Kiikla, Mäetaguse abandoned mines are used as a renewable energy source for heating a village. Beamline aims to be a bridge between the startups and the policymakers, governance, and corporates, who have a high level of inertia and resistance to change. The future challenges with growing the fund, accelerator and the alumni club of Beamline.
Revolutionizing Spaces: Gregory Dewerpe Aims To Change The Future of Construction and Real Estate with A/O
3d ago
Revolutionizing Spaces: Gregory Dewerpe Aims To Change The Future of Construction and Real Estate with A/O
Gregory Dewerpe, the founder of A/O, a venture capital firm, talks about his company's focus on "positively transforming" the built world, which includes real estate and construction. A/O, launched in 2020, is the largest VC firm in Europe and globally in this sector. The company invests in various solutions, including satellite companies and AI, to address the industry's challenges, such as its significant contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. Dewerpe emphasized the urgency of sustainable transformation in real estate and the current market conditions that create opportunities for innovation and change. "40% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from real estate. So when you compare that to cars, everyone's so excited about electric cars, cars are high single-digit emissions. So when you think about aviation, it's 2%. So the order of magnitude is so staggering that it has to be a wake-up call for people," Dewerpe said. "Okay, we're running out of time. Supposedly, by 2030, we'll need to be in a much better place than we are today. Where are we going to spend our time and our money?" However, he noticed that the climate sector has become overheated lately, as many investors have raised climate funds over the last few years and startups have been unable to keep up with the investors. "There's too much money for the amount of bankable opportunities right now," he said.

Season 4

Establishing ClimateTech in South East Asia with Djoann Fal
Jul 18 2023
Establishing ClimateTech in South East Asia with Djoann Fal
Djoann Fal, the founder of Atlas Capital, believes that Southeast Asia is a region with enormous potential for innovation and implementation in ClimateTech. In this episode, our host Tarmo Virki speaks with Fal, a passionate advocate for climate tech, about the challenges and opportunities in Southeast Asia, we hear about some of the companies that his investment firm Atlas Capital is backing, and how Fal got into climate investments after his exit from an e-commerce technology firm. "I almost drowned doing spearfishing, because of a plastic bag, and that plastic bag, I think was from e-commerce delivery. So it was kind of, you know, God sent me a sign that you got your small exit, now you got a little bit of money, you're going to just spend it on stupid stuff, or you're going to actually do something with your time and with that money to do a bit more meaningful," Fal said in the episode. "That was the trigger for me to decide to look and spend the next 10 years in this space. So so far, it's been two years, eight years to go. That's my commitment. But let's see, I think there's a lot that's going to happen in the next few years," Fal said. We also talk about how the importance of building a strong ecosystem for climate tech in Southeast Asia, and we discuss how investors, governments, and businesses can all play a role in making this happen. The region has already started to be hit by climate change and rising sea levels. "How do we continue living? How do we protect health? How do we protect arbitrations? How do we protect cities too, but also how do we protect nature? Our agricultural assets, food production, etc. It is a lot of money to be lost. But also, I believe, and I think with Atlas Capital, and my partners, we all believe together, that there's a lot of money to be made, helping all this infrastructure to adapt to climate change, as well." So if you're interested in learning more about climate tech opportunities, or if you're looking for inspiration to start your own climate tech venture, then be sure to listen to this episode. In this episode, we discuss: The challenges and opportunities of climate tech in Southeast Asia Why the local climate tech scene is still in its infancy The quick opportunity in technology transfer from Europe, U.S. The companies that Atlas Capital is backing The importance of building a strong ecosystem for climate tech in the region If you're interested in learning more about climate tech, or if you're looking for inspiration to start your own climate tech venture, then be sure to listen to this episode. And if you like what you hear, please subscribe to the podcast and share it with your friends. Subscribe to the NatureBacked newsletter on LinkedIn.  Follow NatureBacked across platforms: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts Twitter | Instagram
Pulling the Carbon Out of the Sky with CUR8's Marta Krupinska
Aug 28 2023
Pulling the Carbon Out of the Sky with CUR8's Marta Krupinska
CUR8 co-founder Marta Krupinska, a passionate advocate for carbon removal, believes that carbon removal is essential to addressing climate change, while it can also be a profitable business. CUR8 is building a marketplace for carbon removal credits. These projects can include planting trees, capturing carbon dioxide from the air, or storing carbon dioxide underground. In this episode, Marta and I will discuss the following topics: What is carbon removal? Why is carbon removal important? How does CUR8 work? The challenges and opportunities of the carbon removal market The cost of carbon removal and how it is expected to come down over time The role of governments and businesses in supporting the development of the carbon removal market “When I first heard of carbon removals in 2020, it genuinely rocked my world, for the reason that for the first time, I thought, Okay, hang on a second, well, we have to continue radically decarbonizing, we're doing everything we can, and we should do more. But also, we have a way of aiding that process with something that actively also pulls carbon out of the sky," Krupinska said. "We have to mobilise everything that we've got. But we also know that the science is clear, there is no staying below 1.5 without carbon removals, and I put all of my work, and effort, and hope into that," she said. In the NatureBacked podcast, Tarmo Virki talks with investors and entrepreneurs about their vision of the new green world. Subscribe to the NatureBacked newsletter on LinkedIn.