💡 Advice for leaders & investors: Slowing down your decision-making might actually accelerate your success. In our latest episode of The Optimist Circuit Podcast, Joanna Kuang, SVP of Product & Impact at Illumen Capital, shares how their bias-reduction program is reshaping who gets access to capital and why reducing bias isn’t just ethical, it’s profitable. Highlights you’ll hear: 1. The simple changes (like standardized interview questions) that level the playing field for founders. 2. How Illumen’s portfolio achieved gender parity across teams. 3. A powerful story of a rural Texas founder nearly overlooked—until bias-aware processes brought the opportunity back to the table. If you care about building fairer systems, uncovering hidden opportunities, and combining human judgment with tech to fuel innovation, this episode is for you. Listen now on Spotify and Apple: https://lnkd.in/gdyhnDqA Learn more about Illumen Capital → https://lnkd.in/eQN2CVzN The Optimist Circuit — connecting AI, tech, nature, and people to spark optimism and power real solutions for society. This podcast was sponsored by EVCharge4u Inc.—your partner for fast, reliable EV charging solutions for homes, businesses, and fleets. Powering a cleaner tomorrow, today #TheOptimistCircuit #ImpactInvesting #BiasReduction #OptimistCircuit #Leadership #Sustainability #AI
The Optimist Circuit
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Building the Circuit Connecting AI, Tech, Nature, and People to Spark Optimism and Power Solutions for Society.
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Welcome to The Optimist Circuit podcast where we are Building the Circuit Connecting AI, Tech, Nature, and People to Spark Optimism and Power Solutions for Society. The Optimist Circuit podcast is your gateway to exploring how human ingenuity—combined with AI, technology, and nature—is solving society’s most pressing challenges. Through compelling interviews with AI, tech, and business leaders, real-world case studies, and stories of groundbreaking innovation, The Optimist Circuit delivers insights and inspiring narratives that highlight how technology and nature can work together to create a better future. Join hosts Ellen Spooner and Francesca Fernandez as they spotlight the pioneers behind businesses, startups, and research, revealing the human ingenuity driving transformative ideas that connect communities and amplify human potential. Ellen Spooner, co-founder and cohost of The Optimist Circuit, brings over eight years of strategic communication experience with organizations like NOAA, the Smithsonian, and the Waitt Institute. Her expertise in making complex science accessible to millions and her passion for AI and tech drive the podcast’s commitment to impactful storytelling. Francesca Fernandez, co-founder and cohost of The Optimist Circuit, is a circular economy and sustainability strategist with over a decade of experience in circularity, decarbonization, and nature & biodiversity. She specializes in maximizing value and minimizing waste—whether in material flows, emissions, habitat loss, or social inequity. Francesca’s expertise in strategy, innovation, and human-centered research informs her passion for building a healthier planet and more equitable communities. Our mission is to empower changemakers, innovators, and thought leaders with stories and strategies that prove optimism, collaboration, and innovation are the keys to solving global challenges. Subscribe now and be part of the conversation shaping the future of tech, AI, and sustainability.
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The Optimist Circuit reposted this
Chief Sustainability Officer @ Microsoft | Combining technology, business, and policy for change
AI in Action: A new study from the University of Washington and Microsoft Research reimagines concrete by bringing together nature and technology to innovate this essential material. By integrating seaweed into cement and using machine learning to accelerate testing, researchers created a high-performing, lower-carbon material that reduces cement’s climate impact by 21%. And this matters because concrete is responsible for up to 11% of global emissions-a heavy footprint for the world’s most-used building material. The secret? Ulva, a fast-growing green seaweed that captures carbon through photosynthesis. Paired with a machine learning model that predicts material strength and eliminates weaker mixes early, the team cut down 112 days of testing time—making the innovation process not just greener, but faster. I love seeing examples of AI innovation in action. This example offers us a glimpse of how we can rethink even the most fundamental systems in our built environment and design for a lower-carbon future. A powerful example of how climate science, AI, and biology can come together to make heavy industry lighter on the planet. Worth a read: https://msft.it/6047sORVF
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The Optimist Circuit reposted this
Chief Sustainability Officer @ Microsoft | Combining technology, business, and policy for change
Last week at Aspen Ideas Climate in Chicago, I joined LanzaJet’s Jimmy Samartzis for a conversation about one of the biggest opportunities in climate action: decarbonizing aviation. Commercial aviation consumes nearly 100 billion gallons of fossil fuel annually. But sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) offers a real, scalable solution, reducing lifecycle emissions by more than 70% and working with today’s aircraft engines. At Microsoft, we know that reaching our climate goals means investing early in solutions that can scale. Through our Climate Innovation Fund, we supported the launch of LanzaJet’s first-of-its-kind SAF facility in Georgia. By sending a strong signal to suppliers that there is real demand for low-carbon alternatives, we’re helping build the foundation for a more sustainable aviation industry. This isn’t just about flying with a lower carbon footprint. It’s about demonstrating what’s possible when business and innovation work together to accelerate progress. ✈️
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The Optimist Circuit reposted this
The EU aims to be climate-neutral by 2050 - and technology, including AI, is key to getting there. At Microsoft, we’re working with partners across Europe to accelerate this transition. I sat down with our Chief Sustainability Officer, Melanie Nakagawa, on her recent trip to Brussels, to talk about how we’re advancing sustainability in Europe and where the biggest opportunities and challenges lie. We discussed progress towards our 2030 goals to be carbon negative, water positive and zero waste, how AI is optimizing energy systems and driving innovation, and why supply chains and grids are some of the toughest challenges. In this clip from our #TechTalk, we discuss data centers. As they expand to support the digital transition, we look at how we’re designing them to be more sustainable - from water-free cooling systems to clean energy agreements that bring more renewables onto the grid. Here’s more about our discussion on accelerating sustainability with AI (full video): https://lnkd.in/dWk_JvvK
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The Optimist Circuit reposted this
Today Google is taking our first step in long-duration energy storage (LDES) through our new partnership with Energy Dome. Unlike typical lithium-ion batteries that store and dispatch power for 4 hours or less, their innovative CO₂ battery technology can hold carbon-free energy for up to a full day and dispatch it to the grid when needed. So even when the sun isn’t shining, or the wind isn’t blowing, communities around the world can have access to clean energy exactly when they need it. Our work with Energy Dome is part of a collection of projects we’re deploying globally and at scale in pursuit of achieving our 24/7 carbon-free energy moonshot—every hour of every day on every grid where we operate by 2030. Learn how this innovation can help to power a cleaner future for everyone. ⤵️
At Google, we've been chasing a wide range of advanced energy technologies to reach 24/7 carbon-free energy and enable more flexible, resilient power grids. Today marks another step forward in our energy journey as we add long-duration energy storage (LDES) to our portfolio. Through a new partnership with Energy Dome, we’re supporting multiple commercial projects globally and making an investment in the company to speed the deployment and scale of their LDES technology - which is already injecting electrons into the Italian grid. ⚡🔋 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g26z3xqD Energy Dome’s first-of-a-kind technology stores carbon-free energy in a unique CO₂ battery and can dispatch it to the grid when needed for up to a full day. More on how it works below 👇 With a promising path to near-term commercialization, Energy Dome’s LDES solution can bring reliable clean power to our electricity systems before 2030. This builds on the momentum we are seeing with the widespread adoption of utility-scale lithium-ion batteries, which typically store and dispatch power for 4 hours or less and help grids manage the variability of renewables while reducing costs. We hope to see LDES technologies achieve the same scale so they can unlock even more flexibility for our grids, helping them run on clean energy around the clock. Congrats to the many Google team members who made this partnership possible Michelle Chang, Ainhoa Anda, Enrique Frances, Maud Texier, Lucia Tian, Adam Forni, John Stevens, Ph.D., Amanda Peterson Corio, Oliver Lane, Brian Denvir, Louise Wood and Masoud Asgarpour. Excited to work with the Energy Dome team Claudio Spadacini, Ben Potter, Francesco Oppici to start building these projects and bringing them online 🛠️
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The Optimist Circuit reposted this
Today, I’m sharing Google's 10th annual Environmental Report, which shows how we’re making AI helpful for everyone—including the planet—while at the same time taking meaningful steps toward our environmental ambitions. A key highlight for me is that we reduced our data center energy emissions by 12% in 2024 despite significant growth in electricity demand, showing it's possible to advance the two great transformations of our time—the AI revolution and clean energy growth—hand in hand. This is about building for the future through new advanced energy innovations and deeper supplier engagement, both of which are core parts of our strategy as we work toward our climate moonshots, 24/7 carbon free energy and Net Zero by 2030. But our impact extends far beyond our own operations. Just five of our AI-powered products—like fuel-efficient routing in Google Maps and our Solar API—enabled others to reduce an estimated 26 million metric tons of CO2e in 2024. That’s more than the emissions from powering 3.5 million U.S. homes for a whole year. This is real-world impact, at scale. We know there is much more work to be done, but I remain hopeful given the positive impact enabled by AI—from transforming how people engage with information, to enhancing business and economic growth, to enabling scientific breakthroughs and driving sustainable innovation for society. Read the full report and engage with it in new AI-enabled ways here: https://goo.gle/4eyEugQ
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🌍 What if AI wasn’t built just for communities, but also by them? "We're creating individual AI models for every neighborhood in the world, trained by people who live in those neighborhoods." – Rebecca Firth, Executive Director of Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team In this clip from The Optimist Circuit Podcast, Rebecca explains how HOT’s FAIR project flips the AI model on its head—putting powerful tools in the hands of local communities to map their world, on their terms. 🎧 Full episode available now on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Link in comments. 🔗 Get involved: hotosm.org or follow Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team Hosted by Ellen Spooner and Francesca Fernandez #AIForGood #TechOptimism #OpenData #HumanitarianTech #TheOptimistCircuit
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The Optimist Circuit reposted this
So honored to be the first-ever guest on "Two Steps Forward," the brand new podcast hosted by my dear friends Joel Makower and Solitaire Townsend! We had a great conversation about the joy we find at Google in tackling complex challenges to help create a more resilient and efficient world - from harnessing the power of AI to unlock advanced energy solutions to building tools to help our partners and customers reduce emissions. Tune in to this inaugural episode on Spotify, https://goo.gle/4d5JxEJ, or listen wherever you get your podcasts:
Solutionist & Storyteller. Co-Founder & Chief Solutionist of Futerra / Chair of Solutions Union / TED speaker / WEF Council / UNFCCC Committee / Non-fiction: The Solutionists / Upcoming novel: GODSTORM / 🌟Autistic🌟
BIG NEWS! I'm so excited to launch the new Two Steps Forward podcast - a beautiful collab between Joel Makower and I. Combined, we have a LOT of years in all things #sustainability #climate #socialimpact #netzero, and we know a LOT of fantastic folks. Our first episode with Kate Brandt was a joy to record and wow, we covered so much about 'meeting this moment'. Find us on Apple Pocasts, Spotify, Amazon Music etc. And SUBSCRIBE! APPLE: https://lnkd.in/eABKqNux AMAZON: https://lnkd.in/eXSwZP8K SPOTIFY: https://lnkd.in/ekDyvJ59
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#InventingOptimism 🌍 AI is energy-intensive—but it’s also one of the most powerful tools we have to fight climate change. We loved this post from Melanie Nakagawa, Chief Sustainability Officer at Microsoft, highlighting how AI isn’t just a challenge for energy consumption—it’s also a key to decarbonizing entire industries, from shipping to energy grids. At The Optimist Circuit, we explore this exact intersection: where technology, sustainability, and human ingenuity meet to power a better future. 💡🌱 📖 Check out this thoughtful post from Melanie and the linked Economist article for a smart take on how we can use AI responsibly and strategically to create climate solutions. #AIforGood #Sustainability #ClimateTech #TheOptimistCircuit #Microsoft #CleanTech #AIEnergy #ClimateAction #Optimism
Chief Sustainability Officer @ Microsoft | Combining technology, business, and policy for change
We often hear about the energy needs of AI. Datacenters today account for about 1.5% of the world’s electricity consumption. As AI adoption increases, the energy required to power datacenters will also rise. However, this increase can influence how energy is used and optimized in other sectors. In other words, AI’s role in decarbonizing industries is crucial. Investing in AI means putting energy to good use. AI helps us work smarter and faster by identifying complex patterns and improving systems, which reduces emissions across a range of uses and sectors, from electrical grids to shipping. By using AI for sustainability, we can tackle tough problems more efficiently and effectively, ultimately leading to better outcomes for our planet. This recent piece from The Economist is a great read for anyone trying to understand AI’s role in sustainability. When harnessed with transparency and environmental stewardship, AI can be monumental in combatting climate change. https://msft.it/6048SnpSe
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The Optimist Circuit reposted this
Chief Sustainability Officer @ Microsoft | Combining technology, business, and policy for change
We often hear about the energy needs of AI. Datacenters today account for about 1.5% of the world’s electricity consumption. As AI adoption increases, the energy required to power datacenters will also rise. However, this increase can influence how energy is used and optimized in other sectors. In other words, AI’s role in decarbonizing industries is crucial. Investing in AI means putting energy to good use. AI helps us work smarter and faster by identifying complex patterns and improving systems, which reduces emissions across a range of uses and sectors, from electrical grids to shipping. By using AI for sustainability, we can tackle tough problems more efficiently and effectively, ultimately leading to better outcomes for our planet. This recent piece from The Economist is a great read for anyone trying to understand AI’s role in sustainability. When harnessed with transparency and environmental stewardship, AI can be monumental in combatting climate change. https://msft.it/6048SnpSe