Tackling climate change is a serious business.
This is the award-winning story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.
It was a good few years back when Tom Previte stumbled across biochar. That was during the first season of a podcast he co-hosts - ‘The Carbon Removal Show (https://thecarbonremovalshow.com/)’. And it turns out that this biochar stuff… it's not just an ancient technology but also a cutting-edge solution for today’s climate problems.
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey captures the highs and lows of a green startup - from sharp learning curves to unlikely breakthroughs. Listen in as Tom digs deep into the realities and complexities of setting up a carbon removal project, and gets to grips with the science, the money, and everything it takes to build an environmentally (and financially) sustainable business.
Because if we’re going to save the planet, we’re going to need a lot more businesses like this one.
Restord is grateful for financial support for this podcast from UKRI's Greenhouse Gas Removal Hub (https://co2re.org/) (grant ref: NE/V013106/1)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Host Tom Previte interviews Adam Samuel, Chintan Mahida, Alex Brodie, Richard Barker, and Alex Hume about securing funding and scaling a climate startup.
8 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT
Episode 11: 'Size Matters'
Oh, hello there! Bet you thought you’d seen the back of Tom and his biochar… But this story’s far from over. Yes, the machine runs, the credits have sold, and the char is piling up. But if this pilot is ever going to be a real, profitable business - and if it’s ever going to have a scalable climate impact - it’s going to need to be bigger. A lot bigger. Cue: industrial-level kit, eye-watering funding gaps, and the creeping suspicion that saving the planet may require even more admin than previously feared.
Grounded is the award-winning story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.
Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth (https://www.restord.earth/) to learn more about the project.
Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:
Alex Hume (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-hume-7ba879110/) – Senior Associate, Finance Earth (https://finance.earth/)
Adam Samuel (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamsamuel/) – Co-Founder, CapChar (https://capchar.com/)
Richard Barker (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-barker-78b97428/?originalSubdomain=uk) – Partner, Counteract (https://counteract.vc/)
Team members at Corserv (https://www.corservltd.co.uk/) and Cormac (https://www.cormacltd.co.uk/)
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:
hosted by Tom Previte (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-previte-878278a3/),
produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benweaverhincks/),
assistant produced by Sydney Davies,
with marketing by Oluwaseun Sanni (https://www.linkedin.com/in/oluwaseunsanni/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
4 Dec 2024TRANSCRIPT
Episode 10: 'Wrapping It Up'
Grounded podcast host Tom Previte reflects on his climate startup journey, seeking answers to big questions and contemplating the impact of his time in the country on his life and work.
27 Nov 2024
Episode 9: 'Getting It Out'
Tom Previte, founder of Restor, shares the challenges and breakthroughs of making biochar and using it to remove carbon from the atmosphere, highlighting the startup's journey to reshape our relationship with the planet.
6 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT
Episode 8: 'The Big One'
‘Twas the night before machine delivery, and Tom’s about to discover what running a biochar business really involves. If the last seven episodes were the world’s longest preamble, this is where the real story begins: and it involves elbow grease, experimentation, and a healthy dose of good humour. But how will he fare against the highest highs and lowest lows of his startup journey so far? Will he ever get the smell of smoke out of his farmers gilet? And, at the end of the day, is the biochar life the life for him?
Grounded is the award-winning story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.
Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth (https://www.restord.earth/) to learn more about the project.
Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:
Adam Samuel (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamsamuel/) – Co-Founder, CapChar (https://capchar.com/)
Richard, The Dumpy Bag Man (https://www.facebook.com/TheDumpyBagMan/?locale=en_GB)
Team members at The Carbon Removal Show (https://thecarbonremovalshow.com/)
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:
hosted by Tom Previte (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-previte-878278a3/),
produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benweaverhincks/),
with marketing by Oluwaseun Sanni (https://www.linkedin.com/in/oluwaseunsanni/),
graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,
and promotional support by Paola Sáenz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paolasaaenzc/), Jack Turnham (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-turnham-0672a5154/) and Lizzy Read (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzyjread/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
30 Oct 2024TRANSCRIPT
Episode 7: 'Got Wood?'
After months of physical and emotional labour, the stars are beginning to align and the prospect of actually making biochar is now tantalisingly close. But Tom’s recipe is still missing one crucial ingredient: wood, and lots of it. So, while he pores over his cashflow projections and awaits delivery of his machine, he sets about trying to find some. And as he soon discovers, this wood business is a little trickier than it first appears. For instance, how many Toms does it take to guide an 8-wheeler down a country road? If a tree falls in a forest, does it necessarily make good biochar? And what does this all have to do with elephants?
Grounded is the award-winning story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.
Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth (https://www.restord.earth/) to learn more about the project.
Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:
Dr Bojana Bajzelj (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bojanabajzelj/) – VP Carbon Removal, BeZero Carbon (https://bezerocarbon.com/)
Chintan Mahida (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chintanmahida/) – Co-Founder, CapChar (https://capchar.com/)
Adam Samuel (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamsamuel/) – Co-Founder, CapChar (https://capchar.com/)
Team members at Corserv (https://www.corservltd.co.uk/) and Cormac (https://www.cormacltd.co.uk/)
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:
hosted by Tom Previte (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-previte-878278a3/),
produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benweaverhincks/),
with marketing by Oluwaseun Sanni (https://www.linkedin.com/in/oluwaseunsanni/),
graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,
and promotional support by Paola Sáenz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paolasaaenzc/), Jack Turnham (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-turnham-0672a5154/) and Lizzy Read (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzyjread/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
22 Oct 2024TRANSCRIPT
Episode 6: 'Going Cornwall'
Tom’s baaack! That’s right – after basking briefly in the glow of his new-found ‘fame’, Tom’s returning to your ears for the next chapter of his biochar journey. And he’s ready to leave the city behind and move full-time to the farm. But with funding still uncertain, he’s doing everything he can to keep things on track: from honing his pitch and making contingency plans, to laying concrete and learning to operate dangerous machinery. But when all’s said and done, is he any closer to making his project a reality? Or is he on a south-westerly road to nowhere?
Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.
Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth (https://www.restord.earth/) to learn more about the project.
This episode features excerpts from:
Mel Osborne on BBC Radio Cornwall (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p060wmk1)
Reversing Climate Change (https://open.spotify.com/show/2SlaWY2bLTX1WMFm7PruKH)
Wicked Problems – Climate Tech Conversations (https://news.wickedproblems.uk/p/farm-fresh-cornish-carbon-removals)
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:
hosted by Tom Previte (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-previte-878278a3/),
produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benweaverhincks/),
with marketing by Oluwaseun Sanni (https://www.linkedin.com/in/oluwaseunsanni/),
graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,
and promotional support by Paola Sáenz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paolasaaenzc/), Jack Turnham (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-turnham-0672a5154/) and Lizzy Read (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzyjread/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
4 Jun 2024TRANSCRIPT
Episode 5: 'The End of the Beginning'
LINK TO OUR CROWDFUNDER: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/launching-a-biochar-project-in-cornwall? (https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/launching-a-biochar-project-in-cornwall?) (donations accepted until 31st July 2024 at 10:00pm)
It’s the fifth and (for now) final episode, and Tom finds himself facing the challenge that all founders will face: how to make the numbers work. So he whips out his calculator, picks up the phone, and starts sending off those grant applications. Amidst it all, he’s dealing with a cold workspace, grappling with contracts, and taking his first foray into filmmaking. Sure, he’s picked up a few new skills lately. But the question is: can he find a buyer for his credits? And, ultimately, will he get the funds he needs to make this all happen?
Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.
Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth (https://www.restord.earth/) to learn more about the project.
Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:
Peter Fisher (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-fisher-563ba054/) – Director, Bennetts Associates (https://www.bennettsassociates.com/)
Ben Hopkins (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-hopkins-a3372227/) – Associate, Bennetts Associates (https://www.bennettsassociates.com/)
Peter Mayer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pfmayer/) – Partner, Stairs Dillenbeck Finley Mayer PLLC (https://sdfm.nyc/)
Councillor Martyn Alvey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/martyn-alvey-63293425/) – Portfolio Holder for Environment and Climate Change, Cornwall Council (https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/) (Councillor Alvey recorded this conversation in April 2024, prior to the UK pre-election period.)
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:
hosted by Tom Previte (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-previte-878278a3/),
produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benweaverhincks/),
with graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,
and marketing and promotional support by Paola Sáenz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paolasaaenzc/) and Jack Turnham (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-turnham-0672a5154/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
28 May 2024TRANSCRIPT
Episode 4: 'Putting A Label On It'
Tom is four episodes into his biochar journey, but he’s still facing one big challenge: will the machine he wants allow him to turn his climate dreams into business reality? Meanwhile, he has other things to tick off his to-do list: to incorporate a business, to keep his electric car charged… oh, and to start making a podcast. Amongst it all, he takes the train to Oxford, gets an unexpected proposal, and asks himself some big questions about the future. Is there a path through the weeds? And if there is, how is he going to start paying for it all?
Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.
Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey, or visit restord.earth (https://www.restord.earth/) to learn more about the project.
Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:
Chintan Mahida (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chintanmahida/) – Co-Founder, CapChar (https://capchar.com/)
Adam Samuel (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamsamuel/) – Co-Founder, CapChar (https://capchar.com/)
Nikolaus Wohlgemuth (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolaus-wohlgemuth-194a8a19/?originalSubdomain=ch) – Carbon Markets Expert & Head of Supply, Carbonfuture (https://www.carbonfuture.earth/)
Francesca Battersby (https://www.linkedin.com/in/francescabattersby/) – Chair, Executive Committee, GGR Future Leaders Network (https://co2re.org/future-leaders-network/)
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:
hosted by Tom Previte (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-previte-878278a3/),
produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benweaverhincks/),
with graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,
and marketing and promotional support by Paola Sáenz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paolasaaenzc/) and Jack Turnham (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-turnham-0672a5154/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
21 May 2024TRANSCRIPT
Episode 3: 'Lean, Mean, Charring Machine'
It’s episode three, and Tom has begun his search for a machine to make his biochar. But he soon learns that this particular shopping trip is going to be a lot more complicated (and potentially expensive) than he expected. Along the way, he meets a founder who’s been down this road before, encounters the messy world of ‘standards’, and gets lost in an extended baking metaphor that leaves him slightly peckish. Will he find a machine that will work for his pilot and allow him to mint credits? Or is it time to get out of the kitchen?
Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.
Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey over the following weeks, or visit restord.earth (https://www.restord.earth/) to learn more about the project.
Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:
Rob Palmer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rpbpalmer/) – Director of Innovation, UNDO (https://un-do.com/)
Chintan Mahida (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chintanmahida/) – Co-Founder, CapChar (https://capchar.com/)
Adam Samuel (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamsamuel/) – Co-Founder, CapChar (https://capchar.com/)
Garrett Guard (https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-guard-b34a62206/) – Carbon Removal Methodology Specialist, C-Capsule (https://c-capsule.com/)
Emily Swaddle (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-swaddle-11b25a68/) – Co-host, The Carbon Removal Show (https://thecarbonremovalshow.com/episodes)
Alex Hume (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-hume-7ba879110/) – Senior Associate, Finance Earth (https://finance.earth/)
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:
hosted by Tom Previte (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-previte-878278a3/),
produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benweaverhincks/),
with graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,
and marketing and promotional support by Paola Sáenz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paolasaaenzc/) and Jack Turnham (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-turnham-0672a5154/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
14 May 2024TRANSCRIPT
Episode 2: 'Location, Location, Location'
In our second episode, Tom starts to grapple with the realities of his startup mission and addresses the first big hurdle: where to build his business. He learns what he’ll need nearby to support a sustainable and impactful biochar company, revisits his family roots in Cornwall, and attempts to answer the eternal question: how much is a tonne of wood? But is the UK the right place to make biochar? And will he get the support of local farmers he needs to make this happen?
Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.
Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey over the following weeks, or visit restord.earth (https://www.restord.earth/) to learn more about the project.
Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:
Genevieve Hodgins (https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevieve-hodgins/?originalSubdomain=uk) – Project Manager, The Biochar Demonstrator (https://biochardemonstrator.ac.uk/)
Mick (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mick-jones-474b62240/) and Darren Jones (https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-jones-kriger/) – Woodtek Biochar (https://www.woodtekbiochar.com/)
Alex Hume (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-hume-7ba879110/) – Senior Associate, Finance Earth (https://finance.earth/)
Richard Tamblin - Farmer
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:
hosted by Tom Previte (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-previte-878278a3/),
produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benweaverhincks/),
with graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,
and Marketing and promotional support by Paola Sáenz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paolasaaenzc/) and Jack Turnham (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-turnham-0672a5154/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
7 May 2024TRANSCRIPT
Episode 1: 'Scr*w it, let's do it'
Grounded is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.
In this, our first episode, Tom catches the carbon removal bug, makes a bold promise to himself, and receives some work news that nudges him towards a big decision. Along the way, he learns all about biochar, takes a walk in a field, and gets some honest advice from friends and family. So: is he really ready to set up a biochar business?
Follow the podcast to hear Tom’s journey over the following weeks, or visit restord.earth (https://www.restord.earth/) to learn more about the project.
Thank you to the guests who featured in this episode, including:
Genevieve Hodgins (https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevieve-hodgins/?originalSubdomain=uk) – Project Manager, The Biochar Demonstrator (https://biochardemonstrator.ac.uk/)
Mick (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mick-jones-474b62240/) and Darren Jones (https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-jones-kriger/) – Woodtek Biochar (https://www.woodtekbiochar.com/)
Emily Swaddle (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-swaddle-11b25a68/) – Co-host, The Carbon Removal Show (https://thecarbonremovalshow.com/episodes)
Alex Hume (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-hume-7ba879110/) – Senior Associate, Finance Earth (https://finance.earth/)
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey is:
hosted by Tom Previte (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-previte-878278a3/),
produced by Ben Weaver-Hincks (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benweaverhincks/),
with graphic design by Liubov Pankiv,
and Marketing and promotional support by Paola Sáenz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paolasaaenzc/) and Jack Turnham (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-turnham-0672a5154/)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
1 May 2024TRANSCRIPT
Introducing... Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey
Tackling climate change is a serious business.
This is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.
It was a good few years back when Tom Previte stumbled across biochar. That was during the first season of a podcast he co-hosts - ‘The Carbon Removal Show (https://thecarbonremovalshow.com/)’. And it turns out that this biochar stuff… it's not just an ancient technology but also a cutting-edge solution for today’s climate problems.
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey captures the highs and lows of a green startup - from sharp learning curves to unlikely breakthroughs. Listen in as Tom digs deep into the realities and complexities of setting up a carbon removal project, and gets to grips with the science, the money, and everything it takes to build an environmentally (and financially) sustainable business.
Because if we’re going to save the planet, we’re going to need a lot more businesses like this one.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Inside a recent episode
Episode 12: 'The Million Pound Question'
Published 27 May 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] We're beginning to build a picture of what it can do, what it can't, and what its value is for farmers and growers. But local context matters, and so do seeing the results for yourself. So my local network of farmers was coming in handy. Richard has now ploughed his fields. We're going to be doing a strip of biochar onto a potato crop. So we need to get that biochar crushed. As much biochar as we can get crushed this week, basically. So Will and I are trying to figure out how we can do that most efficiently. Because there's about... Yeah, which turns out is more complicated than we thought. The previous year, I'd started to give out biochar to local farms and orchards for them to run their own trials. […]
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