Welcome to Six Degrees of Innovation, the podcast where we explore the inspiring journeys of individuals tackling challenges with fresh perspectives. I’m your host, Rachel Sosin. From deep tech to low tech, this season, I’m focused on meeting people and businesses committed to improving lives, addressing inequity, and benefiting society.
How many crisps constitute a problem? For Del Currie, a self-confessed "three-bags-a-day" enthusiast, it just made sense to start his own sustainable crisp company. In this episode, Del shares how he went from running a successful digital agency to founding Spudos — a business born out of boredom, a pint of Guinness, and a desire to tackle the plastic waste crisis in the snack industry.
We explore the genius behind separating the seasoning from the crisp (hello, Spud Dust!), the chaotic reality of fulfilling 15,000 orders in two weeks after appearing on Dragons' Den, and the complexity of creating truly home-compostable packaging.
Del also shares his philosophy on "rolling the dice," the lessons learned from building his own manufacturing tech on a budget, and why he believes innovation often starts with getting out there and learning what you need to know.
Organisations Mentioned in this Episode
Spudos (https://spudos.com/) (Try them all!)
The Old Ivy House (https://oldivyhouse.co.uk/) (Del’s pub)
Kilo (https://wearekilo.com/) (Del's daughter's zero-waste shop in North London)
DKMS (https://www.dkms.org.uk/) (Learn more and sign up to be a stem cell donor here)
Contact:rachel@sixdegreesstrategy.co
Credits: Podcast recording & editing by Rachel SosinCover art by Danielle Brooks, https://www.daniellebrooksillustration.co.uk/ (https://www.daniellebrooksillustration.co.uk/)Music via #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/vocalista/strangers-in-the-night-acapella (https://uppbeat.io/t/vocalista/strangers-in-the-night-acapella)License code: IP17ENDYVQGNUH6E
15 Nov 2025
Donna Otchere: Role Models, Confidence, and STEM
How do you turn a spark into a movement? Donna Otchere (https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnaotchere/) talks about being an early-career engineer and wondering where the other Black STEM women were to becoming a PhD researcher exploring gender equity in STEM—with a focus on the power of role models to shape girls’ desire to pursue engineering. We explore the rapid rise of SiSTEM UK (founded with her sister), from a lockdown Instagram page to thousands-strong community, schools outreach across London, and internship pathways that build real experience.
Donna breaks down her research, lessons in leadership, discovering dyslexia mid-thesis, and what’s next—from teaching to taking SiSTEM global and.
The person innovating who has caught Donna's attention is Abi Fafolu, Founder of The Lit Lab (https://www.instagram.com/litlablondon?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==) - bringing science and cocktails together for some STEM fun for grown-ups.
You can follow SiSTEM UK on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sistemuk?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sistem-uk/posts/?feedView=all).
If you know someone who would be a great guest, please email me at rachel@sixdegreesstrategy.co or send me a message on LinkedIn.
Podcast recording and editing by me, Rachel Sosin.
Cover art by Danielle Brooks: https://www.daniellebrooksillustration.co.uk/ (https://www.daniellebrooksillustration.co.uk/)
Technical support from Abhinav Wadhwa: https://www.abhinavwadhwa.in/ (https://www.abhinavwadhwa.in/)
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/vocalista/strangers-in-the-night-acapella
License code: IP17ENDYVQGNUH6E
15 Oct 2025
Lauren Fleming: The Support We Deserve—Innovation and Empathy in Pelvic Health
Founder Lauren Fleming shares how a postpartum diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse led her to launch Hem Supportwear (https://hemsupportwear.com/), a modern external support garment designed with pelvic floor PT input.
We talk about pairing product with education and advocacy, navigating manufacturing and marketing in femtech, and why patient-centered care matters. Lauren also spotlights Reia Health (https://www.reiahealth.com/) for its self-managed pessary innovation, and references Laura Vanderkam’s I Know How She Does It (https://lauravanderkam.com/books/i-know-how-she-does-it/) as a framework for time design.
If you’ve felt dismissed, confused, or alone in the prolapse journey—or you support patients who are—this conversation offers practical tools and hope.
If you know someone who would be a great guest, please email me at rachel@sixdegreesstrategy.co (mailto:rachel@sixdegreesstrategy.co) or send me a message on LinkedIn.
Podcast recording and editing by me, Rachel Sosin.
Cover art by Danielle Brooks: https://www.daniellebrooksillustration.co.uk/ (https://www.daniellebrooksillustration.co.uk/)
Technical support from Abhinav Wadhwa: https://www.abhinavwadhwa.in/ (https://www.abhinavwadhwa.in/)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 40 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
61
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
51
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