From turning food waste into energy, to recycled fashion and low-emission aviation fuel: Pitching Progress brings you the stories of innovators working to decarbonize the industries that power our world. On this show from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the founders of some of the world’s most inventive green-tech startups take part in an in-depth pitch session that challenges them to demonstrate their products' environmental impact, and the value they create for investors.
We’ll show you that commerce and climate consciousness don’t have to be at odds with one another. That renewable energy, sustainability, and circular economies represent a leap forward for society, and incredible investment opportunities. In the process, we’ll introduce you to the people and stories behind the firms revolutionizing the modern economy.
What does it take for an idea to go from the lab to the marketplace? What sort of fiscal barriers exist for green-tech entrepreneurs on their path to success? And will they be able to convince Vinay that their product, business plan and value propositions are strong enough to get them there?
Join us as we demystify the world of green-tech and sustainable commerce, and inspire the next wave of forward-thinking investors and entrepreneurs to build on the burgeoning green economy.
About Our Host:
Pitching Progress is hosted by Vinay Shandal, who leads BCG’s sustainable finance and investing business. Vinay draws on his experience at the intersection of finance and sustainability to ask founders the tough questions about their operations, and challenge them to convince investors that the business is good for the world and good for their wallets.
We’d Love to Hear From You:
We’d love to hear your feedback on how we can produce the best content possible, please share any episode ideas, and general thoughts at PIPE@bcg.com.
Pitching Progress by BCG empowers listeners to think differently about the relationship between sustainability and commerce. For more information and to stay updated, visit our website at: https://www.bcg.com/industries/principal-investors-private-equity/overview
New episodes of Pitching Progress are available every two weeks wherever you get your podcasts. Get a look inside the business of building a better future.
BONUS EPISODE: Sustainability, AI and Leadership with Rich Lesser, BCG’s Global Chair
When BCG’s Global Chair, Rich Lesser, agreed to come on the show, we were looking to get a five minute sound bite to use in a previous episode. We ended up getting that sound bite… and so much more.
Among other things, Rich shared his thoughts on the state of corporate climate commitments and the ongoing efforts to unlock the value of AI. After a season full of discussions about evolving attitudes towards sustainability and decarbonizing data centers, his words felt especially pertinent.
So enjoy this bonus episode where you can hear the conversation with Rich in its entirety, and please continue to keep an eye on the feed for announcements about season 3.
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If you have any feedback on today's episode, shoot us an email at PIPE@bcg.com (mailto:PIPE@bcg.com)
For more information on BCG’s commitment to sustainable investing, and to stay updated, visit our website at: https://www.bcg.com/industries/principal-investors-private-equity/sustainability-in-private-equity (https://www.bcg.com/industries/principal-investors-private-equity/sustainability-in-private-equity)
13 Aug 2026
Scaling Carbon Capture Solutions with Aniruddha Sharma, Co-founder and CEO of Carbon Clean
We’ve known how to trap CO2 from smokestacks for decades, but the sheer size of many carbon capture solutions has been a barrier to adoption. Today we’re featuring a company solving that problem, with a compact and modular solution that can be tailored to suit a wide range of industrial applications.
Aniruddha Sharma is the Co-founder and CEO of Carbon Clean, a company with tech that has shrunk the size of carbon capture solutions by ten to fifteen times, allowing deployment even where physical space is at a premium. And now, with a pivot to project development, they’re hoping to make carbon capture a more attractive proposition for even more large emitters, like hyperscalers.
With nearly half of global emissions coming from boilers and gas turbines, capturing carbon from that machinery could have a massive climate impact. So what will it take to make that happen? And how does a company like Carbon Clean stay on course when the politics of climate keep shifting under its feet?
Let’s find out.
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To learn more about Flashfood, you can check them out at: https://www.carbonclean.com/
If you have any feedback on today's episode, shoot us an email at PIPE@bcg.com (mailto:PIPE@bcg.com)
For more information on BCG’s commitment to sustainable investing, and to stay updated, visit our website at: https://www.bcg.com/industries/principal-investors-private-equity/sustainability-in-private-equity (https://www.bcg.com/industries/principal-investors-private-equity/sustainability-in-private-equity)
30 Jul 2026
Preventing waste with a marketplace for food nearing its ‘best before’ date
While millions of people struggle to afford adequate nutrition, 40 percent of all the food produced in North America ends up wasted. And a lot of that food is perfectly edible, but sent to landfill simply because it’s getting too close to its best before date. Today’s company is working very hard to change that.
Jordan Schenck is the CEO of Flashfood, a company with a platform that lets grocers sell near-expired food to deal-hungry consumers at a discounted rate. And through their marketplace, they’ve compiled reams of data on user preferences that give grocers unprecedented insight into where shrink is occurring, and how to prevent it.
So will grocery giants be willing to let inventory go at a discount? And if they are, what's to stop them from just doing it themselves?
Let’s find out.
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To learn more about Flashfood, you can check them out at: https://flashfood.com/
If you have any feedback on today's episode, shoot us an email at PIPE@bcg.com (mailto:PIPE@bcg.com)
For more information on BCG’s commitment to sustainable investing, and to stay updated, visit our website at: https://www.bcg.com/industries/principal-investors-private-equity/sustainability-in-private-equity (https://www.bcg.com/industries/principal-investors-private-equity/sustainability-in-private-equity)
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