HAPPY PLANET

Send us a textHappy Planet Wednesday!This week we are hopping across the Atlantic to speak to serial Dutch innovator Wietse van der Werf.  Wietse's current venture, Sea Rangers, is a social enterprise that trains youth from underprivileged backgrounds in the maritime trades. Aspiring sea rangers learn while working on ocean conservation missions that are performed from carbon-footprint free sailing research vessels. Wietse is excited to bring back the maritime trades in the Netherlands and to democratize climate activism which he says is typically the domain of the privileged.  If this sounds like a pipe dream, you'd be mistaken. Wiete's Sea Rangers is becoming something of a pan-European phenomenon.  Listen on Apple , Spotify, our website, or pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts! I'd like to thank our sponsors: Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Bold Ocean Ventures have partnered to create a mission-driven venture capital fund, supporting the growth of innovative, sustainable ocean-related businesses. Startup Marin Skincare has rocketed thanks to products made with Maine-lobster-derived glycoprotein that work on eczema and dry skin. Former guest on our show and co-Founder Patrick Breeding is offering listeners a 20% discount on their skincare products. Type HAPPYPLANET into the coupon code field! Spark No. 9, ensures that companies - and startups - have successful product launches by testing their products online. Remove the guesswork before you launch! Promotional and program partners include Oceanovation, Investable Oceans and Bright Tide. Support the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappyPlanetSupport the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textHappy Planet Wednesday!I was tempted to call this week’s episode “Unhappy Planet” because in it we  grapple with what happens when your startup doesn’t go as planned. When I learned that Courtney Boyd Rey shuttered her seaweed startup AKUA, I reached out to see if she would come on the podcast. Given that over 90% of startups fail, and even 75% of those backed by venture capital do as well, I wanted to address the issue head on. By many measures AKUA was a great success. They wer, a pioneer in their field. They achieved 600K in annual revenue. And they raised over 5$M in investment. Courtney fell from a pretty high bar. I wasn’t sure what to expect from her on our call. What I found was a light and peaceful woman who is holding fast to her mission to help the planet. Listen on Apple , Spotify, our website, or pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts!Thank you to our sponsors.Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Bold Ocean Ventures have partnered to create a mission-driven venture capital fund, supporting the growth of innovative, sustainable ocean-related businesses.Startup Marin Skincare has rocketed thanks to products made with Maine-lobster-derived glycoprotein that work on eczema and dry skin. Former guest on our show and co-Founder Patrick Breeding is offering listeners a 20% discount on their skincare products. Type HAPPYPLANET into the coupon code field!Spark No. 9, ensures that companies - and startups - have successful product launches by testing their products online. Remove the guesswork before you launch!Support the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappyPlanetSupport the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textIn this episode of the Happy Planet Podcast, host Abigail Carroll interviews Slater McLean, co-founder of Oliver Charles, a sustainable sweater company. Slater discusses the significant environmental impact of the fashion industry and how Oliver Charles is addressing these issues using natural materials like yak wool and seaweed-based fibers. The company employs an innovative 3D knitting process to eliminate waste. Oliver Charles also relies on an on-demand manufacturing model to prevent excess inventory. The discussion touches upon the challenges and opportunities within the fashion industry, pointing towards a shift away from fast fashion towards quality and sustainability. Slater highlights the potential for localized garment production in the U.S. and provides advice for new entrepreneurs. This episode underscores the growing importance of sustainable practices in fashion and the innovation driving these changes.00:00 Introduction 01:00 The Environmental Impact of Fashion01:57 Oliver Charles: A Sustainable Fashion Brand03:22 Innovative Materials: Yak Wool and Seaweed Fiber09:28 On-Demand Manufacturing and Its Benefits15:29 Building a Brand and Finding Customers27:46 The Future of Fashion and Sustainability33:10 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs34:21 Conclusion Listen on Apple , Spotify, our website, or pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts!Thank you to our sponsors.Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Bold Ocean Ventures have partnered to create a mission-driven venture capital fund, supporting the growth of innovative, sustainable ocean-related businesses.Startup Marin Skincare has rocketed thanks to products made with Maine-lobster-derived glycoprotein that work on eczema and dry skin. Former guest on our show and co-Founder Patrick Breeding is offering listeners a 20% discount on their skincare products. Type HAPPYPLANET into the coupon code field!Spark No. 9, ensures that companies - and startups - have successful product launches by testing their products online. Remove the guesswork before you launch!Support the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappySupport the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textIn this podcast episode, I welcome Damien Demoor, a French engineer and ocean innovator based in France, who introduces his company, Greenov, and its groundbreaking product, the Subsea Quieter. Demoor discusses the significant threat of underwater noise pollution caused by maritime activities, detailing its detrimental effects on marine life, including mammals, fish, and ecosystems. He explains how their solution, developed in partnership with a leader in naval defense, leverages novel membrane technology to mitigate noise effectively. Demoor also shares his personal journey, motivations, and achievements, including winning the Sustainable Ocean Alliance Pitch Contest. He elaborates on future steps for the product, potential demonstrations, and the broader impact of regulatory measures on noise pollution in the oceans.00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:12 Damien Demoor's Background00:31 The Problem of Underwater Noise Pollution03:02 Impact of Noise on Marine Life05:09 Innovative Solutions for Noise Mitigation07:54 Technical Details of the Subsea Quieter10:55 Challenges and Competitors in Noise Mitigation14:06 Personal Motivation and Career Journey18:00 Recognition and Awards20:20 Current Development and Future Plans22:50 Legislation and Policy Discussion29:25 Global Environmental Concerns32:20 Advice for Entrepreneurs33:51 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsListen on Apple , Spotify, our website, or pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts!I'd like to thank our sponsors:Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Bold Ocean Ventures have partnered to create a mission-driven venture capital fund, supporting the growth of innovative, sustainable ocean-related businesses.Startup Marin Skincare has rocketed thanks to products made with Maine-lobster-derived glycoprotein that work on eczema and dry skin. Former guest on our show and co-Founder Patrick Breeding is offering listeners a 20% discount on their skincare products. Type HAPPYPLANET into the coupon code field!Spark No. 9, ensures that companies - and startups - have successful product launches by testing their products online. Remove the guesswork before you launch!Promotional and program partners include Support the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textInnovative Fish Feeds: Reducing Aquaculture's Environmental FootprintIn this episode of the Happy Planet podcast, I speak to Alessandra Romano, the entrepreneur behind Ittinsect.Allessandro discusses his novel aquaculture feed supplements derived from insect proteins, which aim to accelerate fish growth with lower environmental impacts. The conversation explores the inefficiencies in traditional fish feeds, the environmental benefits of insect-based alternatives, and the economic realities of transitioning to sustainable aquaculture practices. Alessandros also shares his personal journey and insights into Italy’s role in aquaculture innovation.00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Series Overview00:35 Meet Alessandra Romano Alessandros: Innovator in Aquaculture01:24 The Problem with Traditional Fish Feed02:11 Innovative Solutions: Insect-Based Fish Feed06:48 Consumer Perception and Market Testing10:48 Alessandra's Journey and Passion for the Ocean17:13 Business Model and Market Expansion22:22 Challenges and Opportunities in the Aquaculture Industry30:47 Environmental Impact and Future of Aquaculture37:53 Closing Remarks and Future Outlook39:55 Conclusion and Podcast Wrap-UpTune in at happyplanetpodcast.com or wherever you listen to podcasts, including:Apple: https://lnkd.in/e2Y5xntaSpotify: https://lnkd.in/dnQXTnutAnd thank you to our Sponors!Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Bold Ocean Ventures have partnered to create a mission-driven venture capital fund, supporting the growth of innovative, sustainable ocean-related businesses.Startup Marin Skincare has rocketed thanks to products made with Maine-lobster-derived glycoprotein that work on eczema and dry skin. Former guest on our show and co-Founder Patrick Breeding is offering listeners a 20% discount on their skincare products. Type HAPPYPLANET into the coupon code field!Spark No. 9 ensures that companies - and startups - have successful product launches by testing their products online. Remove the guesswork before you launch! Promotional and program partners include OCEANOVATION Investable Oceans and our good friends at Bright Tide.Support the Show.Support the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textIn this podcast episode, Abigail interviews Benjamin, founder of Azul Bio and participant in the Ocean Pitch Contest by the Sustainable Ocean Alliance. The discussion focuses on Benjamin's startup, which aims to save coral reefs from extinction caused by ocean warming. Benjamin explains the importance of coral reefs for ocean life and human livelihoods and describes Azul Bio's innovative solution: coral microbiome boosters. These boosters enhance the heat tolerance of coral reefs, helping them survive and recover from bleaching events. Benjamin highlights the technical aspects of their solution, the potential impact on global coral conservation, and the importance of collaboration with other coral restoration organizations. The conversation also covers the business aspects of Azul Bio, their funding journey, and the future prospects of their technology.00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:22 The Problem: Coral Reef Extinction00:55 Understanding Coral Bleaching01:35 Human Impact and Coastal Protection03:34 Azul Bio's Innovative Solution04:13 Microbiome Boosters in Detail09:21 Field Application and Testing13:06 Business Model and Partnerships16:59 Challenges and Future Plans26:08 Funding and Competitions30:52 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Support the Show.Facebook InstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitter Listen on: APPLE YouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.comSupport the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textWelcome to Happy Planet! Our guest this week is William Calvert, co-Founder and CEO of the NYC based startup, Return to Vendor. William is a fashion designer and entrepreneur who has lived in Paris, and Italy and designed for the likes of Balenciaga before getting the fashion-tech bug about 10 years ago. His first foray into the field led him to create fabric out of down for an Italian company and now he's 100% focused on 100% circularity. He and his partner are recycling abandoned nylon fishing nets (and thereby helping to clean up the ocean) and turning it into primary material that can be turned into fabric, buttons, zippers and more. The idea is to make 100% nylon garments (or suitcases or shoes) so they at the end of their life span they can be fully recycled and turned back into new products. William shares his business ideas but also his thoughts on how we can be better consumers and what the fashion industry might look like a decade from now. When I contacted William, I was looking to sidestep from the ocean for a moment to check in with other industries. But when I discovered William was procuring nylon from fishing nets I realized that, in the end, everything comes back to the ocean. Including every other breath.We are going to take a break for the summer and will be back after Labor Day with interviews with the top three winners of Sustainable Ocean Alliance's 2024 Ocean Pitch Challenge. I am so grateful for all of your support. We have a growing awareness footprint and now we are regularly solicited by people hoping to be a guest on Happy Planet. Thank you for your part.Support the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textHappy Planet Wednesday! The weather has been so beautiful in Maine lately that I am going to bring you all here to my home state. Today we’re going to speak to Marianne Naess, a Norwegian native living in Maine who, with her husband, has co-founded Katahdin Salmon, a soon-to-be scaled salmon aquaculture farm that intends on bringing Norwegian quality salmon to the Northeast corridor, without the carbon footprint. As Maine is known for its seafood, Marianne and her husband assumed setting up their fish farm along the coast would be a breeze. Reality proved different and after quite a bit of well publicized pushback from wealthy coastal residents, their proposals were denied.Fortunately salmon are anadromous, meaning they can thrive in fresh or salt water, and so Marianne and her husband were able to look for alternative locations « up country ». They eventually found a happy home in Millinocket where they have received a warm welcome from the community and the green light to finally build their operations. Along the way they have signed a joint venture with members of the Penobscot  tribe to manage their brood stock facility.  Listen on Apple , Spotify, YouTube, our website, or pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts!I'd like to thank our sponsors:Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Bold Ocean Ventures have partnered to create a mission-driven venture capital fund, supporting the growth of innovative, sustainable ocean-related businesses.Startup Marin Skincare has rocketed thanks to products made with Maine-lobster-derived glycoprotein that work on eczema and dry skin. Former guest on our show and co-Founder Patrick Breeding is offering listeners a 20% discount on their skincare products. Type HAPPYPLANET into the coupon code field!Spark No. 9, ensures that companies - and startups - have successful product launches by testing their products online. Remove the guesswork before you launch! Promotional and program partners include Oceanovation, Investable Oceans and Bright Tide. Support the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textHappy Planet Wednesday! Could eating farmed redfish be the answer to building coastal resilience in Florida? Founder Megan Sorby would like to think so. Megan and her husband co-founded Pine Island Redfish. True to its name, they grow growing the much-loved but highly protected redfish for the commercial market on Pine Island, a Florida Island with an agricultural tradition. And they are using the waste water to grow hydroponic mangroves to restore the Florida coastline.Listen on Apple , Spotify, YouTube, our website, or pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts! I'd  like to thank our sponsors:Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Bold Ocean Ventures have partnered to create a mission-driven venture capital fund, supporting the growth of innovative, sustainable ocean-related businesses. Startup Marin Skincare has rocketed thanks to products made with Maine-lobster-derived glycoprotein that work on eczema and dry skin. Former guest on our show and co-Founder Patrick Breeding is offering listeners a 20% discount on their skincare products. Type HAPPYPLANET into the coupon code field! Spark No. 9, ensures that companies - and startups - have successful product launches by testing their products online. Remove the guesswork before you launch!  Promotional and program partners include Oceanovation, Investable Oceans and Bright Tide.Megan SorbyPine Island RedfishSupport the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textHappy Planet Wednesday! Pack your bags, we're headed to Kenya! This week we'll be speaking to Anga Mbeyiya, a South African seaweed entrepreneur whose company, Ole Blu, is transforming seaweed into biostimulants to help rural farmers adapt to climate change.While her company is still young, it's also already having a big impact both socially and economically. They're buying seaweed from a woman run cooperative seaweed farm, running demo farms themselves, and working with well over 400 small farmers to help improve their crop yields. Anga has big plans and shares her insights into the blue economy in Africa, as well as what it's like to be a female entrepreneur there. Listen on Apple , Spotify, YouTube, our website, or pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts!I'd like to thank our sponsors: Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Bold Ocean Ventures have partnered to create a mission-driven venture capital fund, supporting the growth of innovative, sustainable ocean-related businesses. Startup Marin Skincare has rocketed thanks to products made with Maine-lobster-derived glycoprotein that work on eczema and dry skin. Former guest on our show and co-Founder Patrick Breeding is offering listeners a 20% discount on their skincare products. Type HAPPYPLANET into the coupon code field! Spark No. 9, ensures that companies - and startups - have successful product launches by testing their products online. Remove the guesswork before you launch! Promotional and program partners include Oceanovation, Investable Oceans and Bright Tide.Support the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textHappy Planet Wednesday! If you live on the coast, this is a podcast you might want to pay special attention to. Matt Campbell, President of NatrX, is joining us today to talk about his nature-based solutions for building coastal resilience.  Thinking you need to protect your community from rising sea levels? Rather than building a wall along the coastline, Matt thinks you might have better results looking to solutions off-shore where you can harness the power of nature to build coastal resiliency. Matt's philosophy spoke to me because as an oyster farmer, my motto was "nature works well when you let it." Tune into this podcast and Matt will change your perspective, and maybe your plans, for saving your coastal community.  Listen on Apple , Spotify, YouTube, our website, or pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts! I'd like to thank our sponsors: Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Bold Ocean Ventures have partnered to create a mission-driven venture capital fund, supporting the growth of innovative, sustainable ocean-related businesses. Startup Marin Skincare has rocketed thanks to products made with Maine-lobster-derived glycoprotein that work on eczema and dry skin. Former guest on our show and co-Founder Patrick Breeding is offering listeners a 20% discount on their skincare products. Type HAPPYPLANET into the coupon code field! Spark No. 9, ensures that companies - and startups - have successful product launches by testing their products online. Remove the guesswork before you launch! Promotional and program partners include Oceanovation, Investable Oceans and Bright Tide.Support the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textHappy Planet Wednesday! This week's guest, Elizabeth (Liz) Muller is Co-Founder of Deep Isolation. While living in France, was impressed by France's nuclear power program, which provides nearly 70% of the country's power, with zero carbon emissions. The problem was, and it still is, the waste.  Today, over 490,000 metric tons of nuclear waste is located in above ground temporary storage. And no spent nuclear fuel anywhere in the world has yet been placed in a permanent repository. We just keep producing more nuclear waste without an agreed upon long term storage solution.When Liz returned to the United States, she wanted to see the US grow its nuclear power footprint, but not before solving the increasingly critical nuclear waste problem. So, with the help of her physicist father, that is what she set out to do.  Whether you're for or against nuclear power - or somewhere in between - I think you will find this story compelling. It certainly challenged some of my assumptions and gave me a lot to think about. And, if Deep Isolation works, they will be a Unicorn many, many times over. Listen on Apple , Spotify, YouTube, our website, or pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts! I'd like to thank our sponsors:Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Bold Ocean Ventures have partnered to create a mission-driven venture capital fund, supporting the growth of innovative, sustainable ocean-related businesses.Startup Marin Skincare has rocketed thanks to products made with Maine-lobster-derived glycoprotein that work on eczema and dry skin. Former guest on our show and co-Founder Patrick Breeding is offering listeners a 20% discount on their skincare products. Type HAPPYPLANET into the coupon code field!Spark No. 9, ensures that companies - and startups - have successful product launches by testing their products online. Remove the guesswork before you launch!Promotional and program partners include Oceanovation, Investable Oceans and Bright Tide.Elizabeth MullerSupport the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textHappy Planet Wednesday!  With all of the good work that oysters can do for the planet, filtering water, preventing erosion, reducing acidification, mitigating storm surge and more, entrepreneur George Birch wanted to see if an oyster living in the water doing all of those good deeds could be more valuable in terms of dollars or euros than an oyster on your plate.  George's business is called Oyster Heaven and with the help of European credit programs, he is proving his thesis. The euros are starting to roll in from corporations. Oyster farmers everywhere might want to take a close look or even team up. His story is a good one. I'd like to thank our sponsors: Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Bold Ocean Ventures have partnered to create a mission-driven venture capital fund, supporting the growth of innovative, sustainable ocean-related businesses. Startup Marin Skincare has rocketed thanks to products made with Maine-lobster-derived glycoprotein that work on eczema and dry skin. Former guest on our show and co-Founder Patrick Breeding is offering listeners a 20% discount on their skincare products. Type HAPPY PLANET into the coupon code field! Spark No. 9, ensures that companies - and startups - have successful product launches by testing their products online. Remove the guesswork before you launch! Promotional and program partners include Oceanovation, Investable Oceans and Bright Tide.Listen on Apple , Spotify, YouTube, our website, or pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts!Support the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textWe are kicking off the season with the unstoppable Brian Skerry.  Brian is a world renown photojournalist and film producer specializing in marine wildlife and underwater environments. He has won the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition no less than ELEVEN TIMES. He is a National Geographic Society Storytelling Fellow and author of a dozen books.Brian’s 2021 book, Secrets of the Whales, was released by National Geographic as part of a multi-platform project that included an Emmy Award winning 4-part documentary film series directed by none other than James Cameron. In this episode we discuss:Why were you drawn to the ocean as a subject?Tell me about your entrepreneurial journey frpm entepreneurial journey from kid wiht a camera to getting his first photo published in his 30s to the meteoric rise to become National Geographic phtographer.  When did you pivot to focus from showing us the cool animals - to showing us the changes in their environment and becoming a voice for them. Why is telling the story of the sea such an important mission - and why now?How has the ocean environment changed since you started? Are these changes statistics or are they palpable and if so in what ways.Tell me one of the most beautiful underwater creatures you’ve seen - and how is it affected by changes.Have you ever had a scary underwater experience? How do the sea creatures react to you? - There are increasing numbers of people in the ocean as well as on it. How do we balance the desire for people to explore and become champions of the ocean through experience with the desire to protect the ocean?How has technology impacted way you work?There are so many issues facing the ocean right now. We talk about pollution, overfishing, carbon emissions, biodiversity, warming water etc. What do you think is the most vital issue facing the ocean? What should entrepreneurs be focusing on?There is growing attention on the water - do you think we are focused on the right issues? How do you hope to shape that conversation?If you weren’t a photographer of the sea, what would you be taking photos of?What are you working on now that we should be looking out for.Are you optimistic about the future and our ability to stay ahead of climate pressures?Any advice for nature focused entrepreneurs or artists today?THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS and PROMOTIONAL PARTNERS:Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Bold Ocean Ventures have partnered to create a mission-driven venture capital fund, supporting the growth of innovative, sustainable ocean-related businesses.Startup Marin Skincare has rocketed thanks to products made with Maine-lobster-derived glycoprotein thatSupport the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textHappy Planet Wednesday ! Before I introduce our guest today I want to thank you for your support over the past year. Because, yes, today’s podcast concludes our first year of programming! To celebrate we venture into Africa. We will be speaking with Klaartje (Klara) Scarde the Co-Founder of Mwani Zanzibar, a seaweed based cosmetics company based in Zanzibar, Tanzania. I would have loved to do this podcast on site!Klaartje left her banking job in London to fully embrace the seaweed revolution. Her company seeks to have economic, environmental and social  impacts in Zanzibar. Their high end product line is sourced from local seaweed and formulated by Zanzibaris - and it will soon be available online in the US and Europe.Just a reminder, you can listen to Happy Planet pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts, or by following one of these links:  Apple , Spotify, Google, or our website.And a note to listeners, we are going to take a couple weeks off to regroup and prepare for Season 2!SPONSORS & PARTNERSMany thanks to Maine Technology Institute and Spark No.9.I’d also like to thank our promotional partners:Investable Oceans is a US-based angel platform specializing in ocean-related startups. Oceanovation is a fast-growing hub for entrepreneurs and investors in blue-tech innovation. As always, thank you for your support! https://mwanizanzibar.com/Support the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textHappy Planet Wednesday! This week we are joined by Vincent Doumeizel, a French native from Burgundy who is Director of the Food Program for Lloyd's Register Foundation as well as an expert on everything seaweed. Vincent has spearheaded the Global Seaweed Coalition, which "is a global partnership established to support the safety and sustainability of the seaweed industry as it scales up and to unite a fragmented market through a unified vision and goals."Most recently Vincent published the book, The Seaweed Revolution.Vincent called in from Climate Week in New York City to chat with Happy Planet,  and provide a foundation for understanding the potential impact of this sustainable sea-plant on our planet’s future.Just a reminder, you can listen to Happy Planet pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts, or by following one of these links:  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-planet/id1652024063Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xwXGCGhtWkcUNVU5y8BCI?si=ca4ad1bdbcae4ad9Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xOTg5MDAyLnJzcw?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwic8o3AwZ38AhVGJGIAHXF9CXAQ9sEGegQIARACSPONSORS & PARTNERSMany thanks to Maine Technology Institute and Spark No. 9.I’d also like to thank our promotional partners. Investable Oceans is a US-based angel platform specializing in ocean-related startups. OCEANOVATION is a fast-growing hub for entrepreneurs and investors in blue-tech innovation.  Vincent DoumeizelThe Seaweed RevolutionSafe Seaweed CoalitionSupport the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textHappy Planet Wednesday ! We are headed to Iceland today to meet Thor Sigfusson the Founder of Iceland Ocean Cluster, an innovation hub he founded in 2011 to focus on marine startups. Since then Ocean Clusters have been popping up around the world, including the New England Ocean Cluster right here in Portland, Maine. It’s a real delight to have Thor on the show as he has been at the forefront of what is now a quite sizeable ocean innovation movement. Thor is also the author of several books including one that is hot off the press: 100% Fish.  His aim is to render fishing more sustainable by making sure we use every part of it. Just a reminder, you can listen to Happy Planet pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts, or by following one of these links:  Apple , Spotify, Google, or our website.SPONSORS & PARTNERSMany thanks to Maine Technology Institute, Spark No.9, and NONESUCH a made-to-order luxury apparel brand that offers a curated array of fish leathers, wool, and other noble and sustainable fabrics for clients to select from.I’d also like to thank our promotional partners. Investable Oceans is a US-based angel platform specializing in ocean-related startups. Oceanovation is a fast-growing hub for entrepreneurs and investors in blue-tech innovation. 100% FISH by Thor SigfussonIceland Ocean ClusterCodlandSupport the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textHappy Planet Wednesday ! We've talked quite a bit about renewable energy on this podcast and we've also looked at old technologies that are coming back, often with a modern twist. Our guest today is starting a business that checks both of those boxes.Miles Keeney-Ritchie, founder of Aloft, aims to reduce ocean transportation carbon emissions by installing their automated fiberglass sails on ships and ferries to take some of the burden off the engine and reduce fuel consumption. Thanks to an event organized by Sea Ahead, our bluetech accelerator and investment friends in Boston, I have personally seen their demo size sail and I must say it does capture the imagination. Miles hopes it can capture market share!Just a reminder, you can listen to Happy Planet pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts, or by following one of these links:  Apple , Spotify, Google, or our website.SPONSORS & PARTNERSMany thanks to Maine Technology Institute, Maine Venture Fund and Spark No.9 for their sponsorship. I’d also like to thank our promotional partners. Investable Oceans is a US-based angel platform specializing in ocean-related startups. Oceanovation is a fast-growing hub for entrepreneurs and investors in blue-tech innovation. Miles Keeney-RitchieAloftSupport the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textToday, we are hopping over the Atlantic to speak with Louise Skajem and Aura Murillo, two young, UK-based women designers who are innovating in a marine area I never imagined I would discuss on this show: funerary services. These young women are full of life and will challenge everything you have ever come to believe about funeral directors.Their company, the aptly named Resting Reefs, proposes to use human ashes, mix them with oyster shell powder, which is very high in calcium carbonate and a wonderful ocean anti-acidification agent, and transform them into what they call underwater urns. These are beautiful sculptures used to create artificial living reefs installed along coastlines.Rather than simply spreading ashes in the ocean, as many people do, creating a resting reef gives family and friends a sense of permanence, a reef to visit where marine life will grow and prosper.In this podcast, you will hear a reference to aquamation. This is an alternative process to cremation that is preferred by Louise and Aura since it uses five times less energy than fire and reduces a funeral's emissions of greenhouse gases by about thirty-five percent.While neither Louise nor Aura are originally from the UK, they say it's a great place to start a business right now, and their type of business in particular may be well positioned to benefit from being in the United Kingdom as 75 percent of the UK population opts for cremation. And after two years of keeping ashes at home, people usually look for something special to do with them. These women might just be on to something....Just a reminder, you can listen to Happy Planet pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts, or by following one of these links:  Apple , Spotify, Google, or our website.SPONSORS & PARTNERSMany thanks to Maine Technology Institute, Maine Venture Fund and Spark No.9 for their sponsorship. I’d also like to thank our promotional partners. Investable Oceans is a US-based angel platform specializing in ocean-related startups. Oceanovation is a fast-growing hub for entrepreneurs and investors in blue-tech innovation. CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGNResting ReefAura MurilloLouise SkajemFacebookSupport the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com

Send us a textYou may recognize today’s guest from episode 5. We’re here with Bernard Hidier, the French expat living in Maine who co-founded Finsulate the non-toxic antifouling solution that looks like velvet and mimics a sea urchin. Bernard is back with us because somehow he has managed to co-found and co-manage more than one company at the same time. “Kids do not try this at home!” If you remember, Bernard is originally from Brittany France and that is where KarrGreen hails from. Karrgreen is a biofuel company transforming agricultural waste into fuel for cars. With a growing footprint of filling stations in France, KarrGreen’s success does make one wonder why we are digging up lithium for batteries when our abundant agricultural waste could be used instead. For Bernard, the corporate structure is as important - and innovative - as the fuel itself. KarrGreen focuses on building local communities, making both its clients and suppliers vested stakeholders. Just a reminder, you can listen to Happy Planet pretty much anywhere you listen to podcasts, or by following one of these links:  Apple , Spotify, Google, or our website.SPONSORS & PARTNERSMany thanks to Maine Technology Institute, Maine Venture Fund and Spark No.9 for their sponsorship. I’d also like to thank our promotional partners. Investable Oceans is a US-based angel platform specializing in ocean-related startups. Oceanovation is a fast-growing hub for entrepreneurs and investors in blue-tech innovation. KarrGreenFinsulateBernard HidierNew England Ocean ClustersFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterSupport the showFacebookInstagramAbigail Carroll LinkedINHappy Planet LinkedINTwitterListen on:APPLEYouTubeSPOTIFYwww.happyplanetpodcast.com