Pivoting From Industrial Service to Impact Startup, Leading The Fight Against Microplastic Pollution and Investing in Scientific Research (When The Big Industry Players Wouldn’t), With Declan McAdams

Here’s something you probably didn’t know:Nearly 2 million tons of microplastic end up in our oceans every year. Not from bottles or bags—from paint.Think about it: Every massive structure in the ocean—oil rigs, wind turbines, bridges—needs regular repainting to prevent rust.When workers blast off the old paint, guess where it goes? Straight into the water. And those tiny paint particles are actually one of the biggest sources of ocean microplastic pollution.Norwegian startup Pinovo wants to change that. They’ve designed a sort of vacuum that catches old paint particles before they can fall into the ocean. Simple, right? But nobody was doing it before.Pinovo’s chairman and co-founder, Declan McAdams, is the latest guest on The High-EQ Founder.We talked about: * Why Pinovo decided to pivot and go all in on preventing microplastic pollution. * How relying too heavily on one well-paying client was a wake-up call and pushed them to see sustainability as a golden opportunity. * Why they took initiative to invest in scientific research to highlight the problem when industry players weren’t stepping up * How being prepared for opportunity led to a seat at the table with big brands and NGOs like the World Economic Forum.Connect with Declan on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/declan-mc-adams-70927649/Share this episode with a fellow founder. Get full access to The High-EQ Founder by Renita Kalhorn at renitakalhorn.substack.com/subscribe