Josh Dorfman: Why the Economics of Climate Innovation are Finally Winning

The era of "sacrifice" in sustainability is over. Welcome to the era of industrial-scale transformation.Are you a visionary entrepreneur feeling the weight of the "fog"? You know the world is changing, you feel the urgency of the climate crisis, but you’re also running a business that needs to scale, compete, and thrive in a complex market. If you’ve ever felt that tension between "doing good" and "doing well," this conversation is the lighthouse you’ve been looking for.In this episode of The Lighthouse Sessions, Jeff Borschowa sits down with Josh Dorfman, a 20-year veteran of the sustainability space, co-founder of Planted, and the creator of Super Cool. Josh isn’t here to talk about minor tweaks or feel-good slogans. He’s here to talk about the "SpaceX-style" engineering of our future.Why this episode is a must-watch for founders:We often think of carbon as a "pollutant" to be taxed, but Josh views it simply as "matter in the wrong place." In this deep dive, he reveals how his company, Planted, is using the fastest-growing perennial grasses on Earth to suck carbon out of the sky and lock it into high-performance, carbon-negative building materials.What you’ll learn in this session:The Shift from Mission to Product: Why customers don’t buy a "climate mission"—they buy a product that solves their pain. Josh breaks down how to lead with value while staying true to your soul.The Power of Modular Manufacturing: How shifting from massive, centralized $400M mills to modular, electric-powered factories is the secret to shrinking supply chains and winning on price.The $2 Trillion Tipping Point: Why 2024 was the year clean energy investment officially doubled fossil fuels, and what that means for your long-term business strategy.The "Experience" Gap: Why the most successful climate-tech founders right now aren't just 20-something wunderkinds, but seasoned entrepreneurs who understand project finance and deep industry infrastructure.Real-World Innovations: From "angle drilling" geothermal systems in Brooklyn to water credit systems in Arkansas, discover the tangible technologies that are already restructuring our economy.The "Fog" is lifting.For the visionary founder, the path forward isn't about working harder within a broken system; it’s about recognizing that modernization is now synonymous with electrification. Josh provides a masterclass in how to view the low-carbon transition not as a hurdle, but as the greatest entrepreneurial opportunity in human history.If you are ready to stop drifting and start building a business that is both sustainable and undeniably competitive, hit play now.