How One Scientist Is Turning a $20B Pollution Problem Into a Climate Solution

Most people have never heard of refrigerants—but they’re one of the most dangerous climate pollutants on Earth. In this live episode of The Disruption Lab, we sit down with Kalin Baca, PhD scientist turned climate tech founder of Icorium, who’s on a mission to stop these super pollutants from quietly warming the planet. Kalin breaks down how refrigerants—used in everything from air conditioners to data centers—have global warming potentials thousands of times higher than carbon dioxide… and why almost no one is talking about it. She also shares how her startup is disrupting the $20B+ refrigerant industry by building separation tech that could eliminate the need for incineration and enable a true circular economy for cooling. We explore: The science behind refrigerants and why they matter more than ever How Kalin went from lab researcher to founder through NSF’s iCorps What it takes to launch a deep tech company in a traditionally stagnant industry Why refrigerant demand is rising globally—and why this matters for the future of climate How Icorium’s innovation could transform the way we manage industrial emissions If you care about climate innovation, deep tech startups, or how to take hard science to market—this is an episode you don’t want to miss.