In this episode of Scaling Green-Tech, Katherine Keddie is joined by Tim Rault-Smith, a seasoned scale-up leader turned startup advisor, who now helps founders navigate growth in the EV technology space. Tim was one of the early employees at ForgeRock, the Identity and Access Management software company that rapidly scaled from a small European team to IPO on the New York Stock Exchange before its acquisition in 2023. Tim reflects on his journey through the birth of the Internet and a variety of roles at Sun Microsystems, to co-building ForgeRock’s support services and helping shape the technologies still underpinning today’s digital world.

They dive into the realities of being part of an early-stage team - from working unpaid “idle time” and juggling multiple hats, to navigating crunch points, raising venture capital, and scaling sales globally. Tim also draws on his current role as a startup advisor in the EV and charging space, offering practical lessons on product-market fit, the importance of commercial partners, and the level of commitment it really takes to succeed. If you’re interested in startup scaling, climate tech entrepreneurship, or what it takes to grow from a founding team to a global player, this one’s for you.

Find out more about Adopter ⁠here⁠.

Find out more about SALINE Ventures, 3ti and nodum.

View the YouTube video from Everything Electric:

https://youtu.be/RGLvxGAE66I?si=ZUIpkeZ0GrOqsnj_

In episode 9 of the Scaling Green-Tech podcast, Katherine Keddie and Matt Jaworski share a hands-on guide to auditing your online presence. They break down where to start, from mapping your digital touchpoints and pulling data, to analysing website speed, SEO performance, and social media engagement. Along the way, they share practical tips for getting more from tools like LinkedIn, Google Analytics, and Bing Webmaster, and explain how to turn numbers into meaningful insight.

We also explore the power of founder-led social media, how to benchmark against the right competitors, and why credibility frameworks like Stanford’s Web Credibility Guidelines can be just as important as metrics. If you’re a green-tech innovator or marketer looking to transform raw data into strategy and build a digital presence that scales, this episode is for you.

Find out more about Adopter⁠ ⁠here⁠⁠.

In episode 8 of the Scaling Green-Tech podcast, Katherine Keddie speaks with Mitesh Jagatia, founder of Eco Ventures Counsel, a pro bono initiative offering free legal support to early green-tech startups across the UK.

Mitesh unpacks the most common legal challenges climate founders face, from commercial contracts and employment law, to corporate governance and intellectual property. We discuss how to talk about your product without jeopardising your IP, how to navigate complex fundraising agreements, and when to seek external advice.

Drawing on his experience as an in-house lawyer for global corporates, and his work with leading legal experts through Eco Ventures Counsel, Mitesh offers practical, actionable insights for anyone working to scale in the green tech space. If you’re an early-stage founder looking for expert guidance on protecting your company and avoiding legal missteps, this episode is for you.

Find out more about Adopter ⁠here⁠.

In episode 7 of the Scaling Green Tech podcast, Matt Jaworski speaks with Dr. Aled Roberts, founder of Dekiln, a startup cutting the carbon footprint of ceramic tiles by 94% through an innovative process that removes the need for kiln firing entirely.

Aled shares how nature-inspired design, recycled materials, and bio-based coatings are unlocking new possibilities in tile manufacturing - from vibrant colours to embedded natural textures - while cutting emissions, waste, and costs. They discuss scaling challenges, lessons from moving from academia to entrepreneurship, and why transparency and avoiding greenwashing are essential in climate innovation. If you’re interested in sustainable materials, scaling new technologies, or transforming a legacy industry from the inside, this one’s for you.

Find out more about Adopter here.

In episode 6 of Scaling Green-Tech, we’re joined by Beth and Leo, co-founders of Feasibly (formerly Local Energy Systems) - a startup using machine learning to speed up how solar projects get off the ground. After two years of deep R&D and grant-backed development, Feasibly is now helping renewable energy developers assess solar sites in minutes, not months.

We explore their startup journey from Durham Venture School to Innovate UK grants and angel backing and dig into the real-world barriers to scaling decentralised energy - including broken funding models, biased investor networks, and the hard decisions founders face when sticking to their mission.

If you're interested in decentralised energy, ethical AI, or the journey from r&d to scale in green-tech, this one’s for you.

Find out more about Adopter here.

In episode 5 of the Scaling Green Tech podcast, Katherine Keddie speaks with Rhea Dabriwala and Naveen Shivalingam, the co-founders of GroundUp, a pioneering startup transforming India’s agricultural residue into high-impact biochar. They unpack how GroundUp is building a new generation of industrial-scale biochar hubs that don’t just remove carbon from the atmosphere, but also regenerate soil, boost farmer livelihoods, and unlock circular supply chains.

They break down the science behind biochar, the future of carbon markets, and the scale of what’s possible. They also explore what it takes to raise a $5M seed round, build trust in high-integrity carbon credits, and stay obsessed through the hardest parts of the founder journey.

If you’re interested in scalable carbon removal, climate tech in the Global South, or what it really takes to build a meaningful green business, this one’s for you.

To find out more about Adopter, ⁠⁠visit our website⁠⁠.

In episode 4 of the Scaling Green Tech podcast, Adopter co-founders Katherine Keddie and Mat Jaworski sit down with James Clench, founder, and Abigail Smith, director, or PR agency Harpswood and the team who supports Octopus Energy’s global comms strategy.

They break down what PR really means for climate startups - from when to invest, how to land coverage, what journalists are actually looking for, and why most press releases miss the mark. Drawing on experience across UK, Europe and US markets, they share lessons from their newsroom backgrounds and explain how to make complex tech understandable, visual, and relevant.

They also talk honestly about founder pitfalls, the myths around messaging, and why clear language still beats clever headlines. If you’ve ever wondered how to tell your story in a way that cuts through, this one’s for you.

To find out more about Adopter, ⁠visit our website⁠.

In episode 3 of the Scaling Green-Tech podcast, Adopter co-founders Matt Jaworski and Katherine Keddie sit down with Joanna O’Malley, Partnerships Manager at NatureFinance, to unpack the real value of climate events - and how to make them work for you. Drawing on experience running over 100 sessions across COPs, climate weeks, and global finance summits, Joanna shares practical insights on how small teams can punch above their weight at events and build partnerships that last.

They dive into what makes a good partner, why honesty beats hype, and how to tell if your event strategy is actually helping you grow. Plus, they unpack common red flags, how to avoid becoming overly founder-led, and why asking “stupid questions” might be your smartest move. If you're navigating the green event circuit or planning your events strategy, this one’s for you.

To find out more about Adopter, visit our website.