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Coffee with a Founder Podcast: Jason Aramburu of Applied Carbon

On today’s episode, Beck Bamberger sits down with Jason Aramburu, Co-Founder and CEO of Applied Carbon.

In this grounded and honest conversation, Jason shares the uphill climb of building physical climate tech, the hidden costs of going green, and why real solutions don’t come from cartoon villains or VC fantasies.

show notes:

00:52 – Discovering biochar in the rainforest

03:27 – Scaling ancient solutions for modern farms

05:45 – Building technology for large-scale impact

08:33 – Recruiting a mission-driven team

09:27 – The green premium and business model

16:18 – Shifting from activism to pragmatism

Read More About The Episode:

 

00:52 – Discovering biochar in the rainforest
Jason shares how his soil science journey began at Princeton and led him to Panama, where he learned how indigenous practices turn crop waste into biochar, enriching soil and capturing carbon.

03:27 – Scaling ancient solutions for modern farms
Jason explains the challenge of scaling biochar production from small plots in Central and South America to the large fields of Iowa and Nebraska, highlighting the complexities of commercial agriculture.

05:45 – Building technology for large-scale impact
He describes Applied Carbon’s fifth-generation biochar reactors, which run 24/7, and the challenges of deploying advanced equipment in real-world conditions.

08:33 – Recruiting a mission-driven team
Beck and Jason discuss the hiring process at Applied Carbon. They highlight how personal networks, referrals, and mission alignment have attracted talent from SpaceX and the oil and gas sector more effectively than traditional recruiters.

09:27 – The green premium and business model
Jason addresses the economics of climate tech, explaining how carbon removal credits help Applied Carbon make sustainability financially compelling for commercial farmers.

16:18 – Shifting from activism to pragmatism
He reflects on his evolving view of climate change, emphasizing that pragmatic, scalable solutions like biochar are more important than activism as energy demand and industrial growth increase.

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