Planet Savers: Building Japan's First Direct Air Capture Startup

Kei Ikegami is the Founder and CEO of Planet Savers, Japan’s first Direct Air Capture (DAC) startup. From working in international development in the Middle East to completing his MBA at Cambridge, Kei shares his entrepreneurial story and his company’s mission to tackle the climate crisis through its deep technology that captures carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. He discusses building his company from scratch, including developing the startup’s core technology, raising funds from investors, and finding the right team to make his vision come to life. Kei also candidly shares his successes and challenges, as well as the many learnings from his unique journey. We discuss Kei’s “why” behind what he does and Planet Savers’ road map for the future, as well as insights on how changemakers can embrace failure and pursue their passions to make an impact. Highlights 06:42 Kei's Journey: From International Development to Climate Tech 14:22 Building Planet Savers: Motivation and Technology 24:08 Challenges in Climate Tech Entrepreneurship 28:07 Fundraising and Support 33:08 The Entrepreneurial Journey: Passion, Motivation, and Challenges 43:55 Becoming a Father and Changing Perspectives 50:56 The Future of Planet Savers: Projects and Challenges Find out more about Planet Savers and follow their journey here: https://planetsavers.earth/