Meet the microbe converting CO2 into leggings and jet fuel
Small Steps Vol. 43: The incredible science behind carbon-hungry microbes 🦠 health tech is running a capital raise fever👩⚕️ and what do women want in a workplace?🤸♀️
“Indigenous knowledge is applied in areas of biomimicry, agriculture, natural resource management, herbal medicines and astronomy… If we were to harness all of this knowledge and give it a spark, think of how we could untap and contribute to human advancement. Now is the time to bring indigenous knowledge from the margins to the mainstream”
- Dr. Terri Janke, Commercial Lawyer and thought leader on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (watch her speak at Indigenous Business Month on 21st October)
Kick start
🌱 From little things, big things grow. At least that’s what we’re hoping from microscopic microbes, which have incredible power to unlock a circular economy for CO2 and sustainable, healthy food production amongst other things.
🦠 Take Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, who is working with microbes that feed on atmospheric CO2 and convert it into useful products like aviation fuel or Lululemon leggings. She calculates that a whopping 7% of all emissions could be captured by her company, LanzaTech, and their technology.
🧀 Microbes are also being taught to convert feedstocks like sugar and yeast into animal-free proteins in a process called “precision fermentation”. This means we can make real, contaminant-free milk and cheese without the cow, a game-changer for both health and sustainability when current cheese production makes up 3% of global emissions. FoodHack+ mapped 22 companies in the space since just 2015, and it’s picking up speed - precision fermentation attracted ⅓ of funding for alternative proteins in 2020.
What we’re thinking about
👩⚕️ It could be a pandemic side-effect, but funding for health tech is insanely hot right now. Health tech start sector have already raised US$30b, a near 2x increase on the last record last year with a few months still to go.
🍄 While US-based VCs are broadly driving the flow, investing into Aussie startups like Mindset and Eucalyptus, the groundswell looks like it’s lifting all boats. We’re seeing more experimental (and potentially groundbreaking) startups like Psylo, a startup treating mental illness with psychedelic psilocybin, get the early stage funding that would probably have been tougher to find a few years ago.
🤸♀️ WORK180 surveyed over 200 women to answer the question: “what do women want in the workplace?”. The report found it isn’t all about pay - while competitive remuneration was important for many women, it ranked third behind career development opportunities and genuine flexible working practices. (PS: Giant Leap’s open Analyst role is WORK180 endorsed)
New paths
💪 Join us! Giant Leap is on the lookout for an Analyst to join our team. All applications encouraged and we won’t be reviewing any until we’ve received at least 20 from women.
💡 Amber is hiring a People Operations Manager
💸Future Super is seeking a Senior Portfolio Manager
🧠Mindset is on the searching for an Audio Engineer
🐛Goterra is seeking an Executive Assistant
🔥 There’s now 100+ more jobs on the Giant Leap Fund jobs board and more jobs at ethical companies on the global B-Work job board.
Giant Leaps
☝ Impact Pitch Night is just a few weeks away! We’re still taking applications to pitch to a panel of impact founders and investors until 17th October and you can apply here.
👩🏫 Congratulations to Academy Xi for raising a combined total of $14 million to fuel the creation of more courses to combat the need to reskill as a result of automation and technological change.
🚽 Who Gives A Crap pretty much wrote the book on mission-driven business and it seems the AFR agrees.
For the road
📈 It’s Indigenous Business Month! The event is in its 7th year, and celebrates entrepreneurialism and business in Indigenous Australia - check out the events here.
😍 We’re thrilled for the launch of Glow Capital, the purpose-led VC firm run by Kate Morris and Justin Ryan. Check out the backstory here.
😎 The Snow Foundation launched Snow Entrepreneurs, looking for 3-5 founders with social impact startups to receive grant funding of up to $100K and extensive wrap-around support.
💰 Investible announced their $100 million climate tech fund and plans to launch a co-working space called The Greenhouse to help support its portfolio companies.
🌳 Talking climate tech, Holoniq released its top 100 climate tech companies list.
♻ Recent PwC modelling reports adopting a circular economy model for Australia could generate $1.8 trillion in direct economic benefits over 20 years -- as well as saving 165 million tonnes of CO₂ a year by 2040.
😮 The first four episodes of the StartUp Vic’s Duct Tape podcast are out, featuring discussions with Mindset Health, Cynch Security, Milkdrop and QSIC.
❄️ At this stage, any holiday will do. Better than the freezer, I guess?
