How can you make a lot out of a little?  This is a question that startup founders have to answer daily. These companies must be scrappy and resourceful with limited resources and big goals to succeed. 

What is resourcefulness?

By definition, resourcefulness is finding quick and clever ways to overcome difficulties. This means you are using what you have right now to succeed. It’s almost like working smarter, not harder. But resourcefulness is also a mindset that helps ambitious leaders to innovate and unlock previously untapped solutions.

I talked to four amazing climate tech founders who are experts on this topic. Not only do they deal with limited time, personnel and funding, but they also excel at making the most out of natural resources like water, electricity, or carbon emissions.

Tips from climate tech founders on being resourceful

Kate Hofman, Founder and Brand Director of GrowUp Farms, is on a mission to apply knowledge and science to grow the right food in the right way in the right place. “Sometimes you just need to reconsider your perspective – is it happening to you, or are you clear on what you can control and make happen?” recommends the London-based founder. 

Erika Degoute is the Co-founder of Munich-based Point Twelve Energy. Her team builds software to scale low-carbon certification practices and automate compliance for hydrogen producers. “It’s divide and conquer for my team. Everybody sticks to what they’re best at, we learn what we want to, and for the rest, we find experts.”

Stefanie Gerhart, Co-Founder of ecoLocked, aims to decarbonize the construction industry by developing novel recipes for concrete and other building materials. Their carbon-negative concrete admixes are the definition of resourcefulness. 

Maria Svantemark is the Co-Founder and CEO of SustainLab. The SaaS platform automates sustainability data collection, processing, and visualization. She and her Stockholm-based team help companies spend less time on data handling and more on accelerating change.

Summary

These founders have tackled the challenge of resourcefulness in unique ways. From learning to prioritize, focus on what you can control, collaborate with experts and strive for simplicity, these experts in the climate tech field have provided us with valuable tips for success.

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