Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Liz Gilligan, CEO & Founder of Material Evolution, a sustainable cement company that has raised $19 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
- Cement Chose Liz: Liz transitioned into cement research serendipitously, finding the vast potential impact of decarbonizing an industry responsible for 8% of global emissions.
- Startup in a Garage: Early on, Material Evolution operated from Liz’s parents' garage, where they developed two tons of material during the pandemic, showing resourcefulness and resilience.
- Initial Target Market: The company's initial customers are concrete manufacturers in the precast industry, which offers a controlled environment to test and refine their sustainable cement.
- Navigating Traditional Industries: While many traditional cement companies are open to innovation, some resist change. Liz focuses on engaging with forward-thinking clients eager to adopt sustainable solutions.
- Regulatory Changes: The evolving regulatory landscape, including carbon taxes and updated standards, supports the adoption of new, sustainable materials and technologies.
- Challenges of Scaling: Building factories presents significant challenges, from securing adequate power supply to navigating environmental regulations. Material Evolution is learning and iterating from each step in this process.
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