The Plucky Bamboo Podcast

Akhila Kosaraju of What If Design talks climate tech messaging, UX & selling to non-technical buyers

Climate tech has a communication problem. And it's slowing down the entire industry. Akhila Kosaraju, co-founder of What If Design, works with deep tech climate companies on design, messaging, and product experience. She's seen brilliant founders with world-changing technology lose deals, confuse buyers, and waste months of development - all because of how they present their work. In this episode, we dig into why technical founders struggle to talk to business buyers, how to build trust with stakeholders before your product is ready, and what great design actually means beyond logos and pretty websites. If you're building in the climate space and wondering why your message isn't landing, this episode will be helpful!

Gilad Regev of Kora talks real-time carbon tracking, CFO buy-in & making climate action commercial

Climate action without measurement is guesswork. In this episode, Gilad Regev explains how Kora is building real-time carbon tracking tools to turn employee behavior into measurable decarbonization. We explore the gap between intention and action - and why most companies still treat sustainability as a reporting function instead of a strategic lever. We discuss: * Why carbon data must be real-time to drive change * Why many CSOs lack the budget to execute * How CFOs respond when climate ties to cost savings * The limits of regulation and top-down policy * How to engage entire organizations on Scope 3 emissions Gilad’s perspective is clear: sustainability cannot sit in one department. It must create financial value and organizational engagement - or it won’t scale. If you’re operating in enterprise climate tech or building tools for corporate decarbonization, this episode offers both strategic and tactical insight.

Helen Zhang of Coffee Elf talks circular business models, commercialization & climate profitability

Sustainability isn’t sustainable without revenue. In this episode, Helen Zhang shares how she’s building Coffee Elf -a company transforming commercial coffee waste into bio-based materials and cosmetic ingredients. What started as a kitchen experiment is now evolving into a circular system spanning industrial sourcing, processing, and downstream partnerships. We discuss: * Why climate founders must commercialize early * How to navigate small buyers vs. enterprise procurement teams * The complexity of building physical infrastructure in climate tech * The overlooked strategic framework climate startups need * Why profit and purpose must coexist Helen’s perspective is clear: you’re not building a charity. You’re building a business and profitability is what allows impact to scale and last.

Mallika Reddy of Cancelled Plans talks scale, sustainability & selling without greenwashing

What does real scale look like in a sustainability business? For Mallika Reddy, founder of Cancelled Plans, it doesn’t mean producing more. It means producing differently. Mallika’s studio transforms industrial waste, from pharmaceutical packaging to billboard misprints, into high-value design pieces. But along the way, she’s had to confront some uncomfortable truths about growth, marketing, and what actually drives adoption. In this episode, we explore: * Why “saving the planet” isn’t a strong enough sales message * The tension between profitability and purpose * How to pivot without losing your core philosophy * Why performance marketing failed and what worked instead * How founder-led storytelling builds credibility in a world of greenwashing This is an honest conversation about redefining scale, resisting overproduction, and building a sustainability business that can stand commercially, not just morally.

Jane Melia of Harvest Thermal talks heat pumps, product-market fit & scaling climate tech

Clean heat is one of the biggest pieces of the climate puzzle - but it won’t scale unless it makes financial sense. In this episode of The Plucky Bamboo Podcast, I sat down with Jane Melia, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Harvest Thermal, to explore what it really takes to bring climate hardware into the mainstream. Harvest combines heat pumps with thermal storage to deliver low-carbon heating and hot water that cuts emissions by around 90% - while lowering bills and supporting grid flexibility. But this conversation goes far beyond the technology. Jane shares: * Why economics - not emissions - determine whether climate solutions scale * The reality of product-market fit in climate tech * Why go-to-market is often harder than building the product * What founders underestimate about selling into utilities and infrastructure * The mindset shift required when transitioning from CEO to CRO * Why hiring the right team is one of the most important decisions a founder makes This episode is a practical look at scaling sustainability in the real world - where incentives, timing, and trust matter just as much as innovation.