Florence Gschwend is a PhD graduate from the Imperial College in London. She’s won numerous awards for her work in the use of waste wood for biorefinery applications. Florence was named as one of Europe’s most promising gamechangers under 30 by Forbes. She’s passionate about using her skills to help future-proof the environment. She now runs the Chrysalix Technologies startup which aims to further disrupt the behemoth fossil fuel industry, by turning wood that would otherwise go to the landfill or be incinerated into plastics or fuel.

We need to find a way of living more sustainably without comprising our own quality of life and of future generations… We need to start learning how to get more out of the resources we have

Florence Gschwend

In this episode, we had a thoroughly interesting and inspiring talk with Florence:

  • Florence gives us the background on her decision to follow her passion, the intersection of chemistry and sustainability (~1:50)
  • From a sustainability perspective, what she thinks are the biggest challenges for our generation (~9:40)
  • Why products have always been designed in a cradle to the grave manner (~11:00)
  • What the circular economy is and how it will revolutionize the way we do things (14:50)
  • What are bioplastics and extent to which they are degradable (~18:15)
  • What is Chrysalix Technologies, what do they do and how their technology will disrupt the current plastics and fuel market (~22:40)
  • The use of waste wood in the Chrysalix Technologies process and it’s environmental and economic value (~24:55; ~31:30)
  • Florence’s view on competition in the sustainable chemistry business (~33:35)
  • What are ionic liquids, the backbone technology behind Chrysalix Technologies (~37:15)
  • Output / applications of the Chrysalix Technologies process as a raw material for bioplastics and biofuel (~42:00)
  • What ‘clean fuel’ means and how they can potentially achieve net carbon neutrality (~43:50)
  • How do biofuels fit in with current renewable technologies like wind and solar (~47:30)
  • Byproducts of the process and potential uses (~49:00)
  • How Florence became involved with Chrysalix and getting it off the ground (~50:30)
  • What the future holds for Chrysalix Technologies (~54:50)
  • Tips, tricks and resources for tech-entrepreneurs in the startup phase (~56:00)
  • What the transition from academia to entrepreneur was like (~57:15)
  • What Chrysalix needs from here to scale (~58.00)
  • How she intends to maintain her mission driven vision as Chrysalix grows (~01:00:20)
  • Advice and resources for tech-entrepreneurs / students in, or looking to get into, the startup phase (01:04:00)