LOOPED IN with Carl Warkentin
LOOPED IN with Carl Warkentin
Podcast Description
The podcast about understanding, building and managing circular business models - this is the place where we dive deep into the future of business, sustainability, and circular economy. After a decade of entrepreneurial experience as a founder and investor, Carl had countless, meaningful behind-the-scenes conversations about how we can reshape industries, close the loop, and create real impact. And now, we want to bring these conversations to you.On Looped In, Carl sits down with entrepreneurs, business owners, venture capitalists, and policymakers who are at the forefront of change. Together, we’ll explore innovative business models, breakthrough technologies, and the regulations shaping the circular economy.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast covers various aspects of circular business models, sustainability practices, and innovative technologies. Episodes include discussions such as textile recycling with industry leaders like Luke Henning, and explore the intersections of business practices with regulations shaping the circular economy, while emphasizing the importance of stakeholder collaboration and technology in achieving sustainability.
The podcast about understanding, building and managing circular business models – this is the place where we dive deep into the future of business, sustainability, and circular economy. After a decade of entrepreneurial experience as a founder and investor, Carl had countless, meaningful behind-the-scenes conversations about how we can reshape industries, close the loop, and create real impact. And now, we want to bring these conversations to you.
On Looped In, Carl sits down with entrepreneurs, business owners, venture capitalists, and policymakers who are at the forefront of change. Together, we’ll explore innovative business models, breakthrough technologies, and the regulations shaping the circular economy.
Lisa Morales-Hellebo takes us on a captivating journey from her DIY beginnings in the Bronx to becoming a pioneering force in reshaping global supply chains. Her story reveals how necessity and curiosity led her through roles in design, tech startups, and eventually to founding Refashion Ventures – a fund uniquely positioned to transform how we think about manufacturing and materials.
After experiencing firsthand the challenges of being a Latina woman raising capital in the male-dominated tech world, Lisa chose a different path. Rather than following traditional venture capital models, she built a community-first approach that now connects over 5,000 members across 148 countries. This network became the foundation for a distinctive investment strategy focused on localization, circularity, and distributed manufacturing.
What sets Lisa's approach apart is her hands-on involvement with portfolio companies. She shares a remarkable example of helping Mothership Materials – a company that can extract valuable biomolecules from waste – pivot from beauty ingredients to becoming ”the unlock for the bioeconomy.” By reframing their story and connecting them directly with major corporations, she helped generate a $100 million pipeline in just weeks, demonstrating how venture capital can create value beyond simply writing checks.
The conversation explores why national security concerns and resource constraints may ultimately drive supply chain transformation more effectively than sustainability goals alone. As global competition for raw materials intensifies, technologies that can extract value from waste streams or create bio-based alternatives to petroleum products become strategically essential, not just environmentally desirable.
For entrepreneurs working in industrial transformation, Lisa offers invaluable guidance: deeply understand your customers' challenges, embrace the messiness of working with small businesses, and design technologies that feel like ”magic” rather than homework. The future belongs not to those building one-size-fits-all AI solutions, but to those who can build trust with the businesses that collectively drive 70% of our economy.
Curious about transforming supply chains or the future of materials? Book office hours through Refashion Ventures' website and tap into Lisa's wealth of knowledge and connections.
Contact Us
This is interactive content – send us your questions to the guests and we record another session just focusing on your questions!
You have suggestions for new guests or want to sponsor the show?
- Contact Carl via LinkedIn
Thanks for listening and keep podcasting!
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