How Former SpaceX Engineers Are Turning Grass into Carbon-Negative Structural Panels

On this episode, Nathan Silvernail joins the show. He is the co-founder and CEO of Plantd—a company reimagining how structural building materials are manufactured. Before launching Plantd, Nathan spent nearly a decade at SpaceX, where he helped develop advanced manufacturing systems for the Crew Dragon spacecraft. He is now applying that same engineering mindset to one of the world's oldest and most resource-intensive industries: construction. Plantd has developed a process that transforms fast-growing perennial grass into high-performance structural panels designed to compete directly with conventional wood-based products such as OSB. Using an automated, modular, all-electric manufacturing system, the company aims to produce building materials that are stronger, more moisture-resistant, and better for the environment. We'll talk with Nathan about the technology behind these grass-based panels and Plantd's vision for creating a new generation of sustainable composite materials. You can learn more by visiting https://www.plantdmaterials.com.