Episode 1: Climate Change & Politics
Rohit Shukla, founder and CEO of Larta Institute, guides us through the recent history of climate change with a focus on California’s efforts and the solutions brought forth by federally funded American innovation.
Episode 2: Funding for Innovation
When US science agencies face mistrust and cutbacks, federal grant recipients are put in the hot seat. It’s never before been so crucial for science entrepreneurs to tell their stories as innovators and problem-solvers.
Episode 3: Media & Mistrust of Science
Making a case for science and the scientific method, Rohit Shukla, founder and CEO of Larta Institute, urges us to make the distinction between opinion and fact.
Episode 4: How to Be a Competitive Startup
Meet Mango Materials: a woman-founded, woman-led startup launched under IP protection from Stanford University.
Episode 5: Inclusive Innovation
The conversation surrounding diversity within innovation and startups, specifically relating to women and minorities, has traditionally centered on modifying hiring practices, advocating for a more diverse body of workers within a specific company.
Episode 6: Litterati
How can you do your part on Earth Day? We tackle that question on our special Earth Day podcast with Litterati, an app for users to identify, collect, and Geo-tag the world’s litter.
Episode 7: Convergences
At Larta Institute, our mission is simple: support endeavors that feed, fuel, and heal the world. As globalized problems become more complex, it is necessary to seek convergent solutions that are inter-sectional across multiple disciplines of science and technology.
Episode 8: Ag Showcase Alumni Spotlight
Join Claire Kinlaw and Rohit Shukla as they host a discussion with two of Ag Innovation Showcase’s most esteemed alumni: Tom Laurita, CEO of New Leaf Symbiotics, and Han Chen, CEO of ZeaKal. They’ll divulge their greatest triumphs, toughest obstacles, and glimpses into the future of Agriculture startups. This is a must-listen for entrepreneurs and consumers alike.
Join Claire Kinlaw and Rohit Shukla as they host a discussion with two of Ag Innovation Showcase’s most esteemed alumni: Tom Laurita, CEO of New Leaf Symbiotics, and Han Chen, CEO of ZeaKal. They’ll divulge their greatest triumphs, toughest obstacles, and glimpses into the future of Agriculture startups. This is a must-listen for entrepreneurs and consumers alike.
Episode 9 & 10: Reasons to Attend Ag Innovation Showcase
Join Claire Kinlaw, director of the Ag Innovation Showcase, as she hosts an enlightening round discussion with Rohit Shukla, CEO of Larta Institute, and Sam Fiorello, COO of The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis. They’ll discuss 10 reasons to attend this year’s 10th-anniversary celebration of the Ag Innovation Showcase, including the emphasis on entrepreneurs, the celebration of the vast food value chain and its consumer-led renaissance, and, of course, the power of innovation. Tickets to Ag Showcase 2018 are available in limited quantity at www.agshowcase.com.
Episode 11: Healing the World through Innovation
What lies at the convergence of innovation, entrepreneurship, and the sciences of human health? Join Dr. Steve Kay as he discusses the newest initiative at USC Keck School of Medicine that combines the study of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Humanities into a mission-based community, along with Larta Institute, to develop innovations that heal the world.
Episode 12: What’s Up With Solar?
Solar is one of the most abundant renewable energy resources in the world. So, why is it not more widely used? What are the biggest challenges and issues facing solar energy today? We sat down with an activist and a Larta expert to unpack this topic and discuss what’s next for solar power.
GET INVOLVED
Sunstock Solar Festival is a non-profit, 100% solar-powered event that aims to strengthen the environmental movement and the local community through music, art, and direct action. They are a zero-waste event, using silent and non-polluting solar generators and encouraging an ethos of positive change. Sunstock forwards all its profits toward rooftop solar projects for charity, through their partner GRID Alternatives. Over the last few years, they’ve raised money for Homeboy Industries, Kids Cancer Connection, and A Safe Place for Youth to have solar panels installed on their headquarters.
Sunstock 2018 will be Saturday, October 20th from 3-11pm, block-party style on Grammercy Pl. and Hollywood Blvd. It is free and open to all ages. More information can be found at www.sunstocksolarfestival.com.
Episode 13: Fighting Fire with Finance
Join host Rohit Shukla as he discusses the power of impact investing with Blue Forest Conservation Co-Founder and Partner, Leigh Madeira. Blue Forest Conservation — a Larta USDA 2017-2018 CAP1 company and current CATP company— seeks to prove that private capital can fuel public good, through the intersection of private investors, utilities, and public institutions. Blue Forest Conservation’s Forest Resilience Bond is making history. The $4 million fund was fronted by primary investors SAA Insurance Group — part of AAA — and investment firm Calvert Impact Capital, with plans for Yuba Water Agency and a grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) to repay the bonds through annual payments. These stakeholders are investing in the health of forests, removing debris and sediment, and funding work that directly lowers the risk of both wildfires and drought in California.
To help those affected by the California wildfires:
www.blueforestconservation.com
Episode 14: Building a Future that is Female
To kick off 2019 and Season 2 of Ideas, Energized, Larta’s Senior Advisor Isabel Casillas Guzman hosts a conversation with Anne Moses, CEO of Ignite National, an organization that prepares young women to run for office. The challenges women face in leadership have been around since the beginning of time, and we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of the ways to create parity within our government. Ignite is leading the way in these efforts.
For more information about Ignite, visit ignitenational.org