Carole Fuchs is a green ultra athlete, entrepreneur, and climate activist who has climbed some of the world’s highest peaks, including Mount Everest. As the founder of Feel Run, a circular economy business that creates sustainable sportswear, Carole is passionate about reducing the environmental impact of the sports industry. We explore her many adventures in extreme environments, including her experiences climbing Everest and the challenges she faced on the way. She also discusses her latest project, the Great Himalaya Run—a 1,600-kilometer run across the Great Himalayan Trail in Nepal—where she will document the devastating impacts of the climate crisis on both the environment and the local communities. Join us for an inspiring conversation with Carole about adventures, resilience, climate activism, storytelling, and blazing a new path towards impact. Highlights 02:25 From Alpinist to Environmental Entrepreneur 06:05 Overcoming Fear and Taking Action 14:22 The Impact of the Climate Crisis 23:26 Challenges and Successes of Feel Run 28:05 Carole's Daily Routine and Motivation 33:36 Reaching the Peak of Everest 38:49 Environmental Challenges on Everest: Melting Glaciers and Waste 41:52 The Great Himalaya Run: Raising Awareness and Engaging Communities 52:37 Advice for Aspiring Changemakers: Take Action and Build Momentum Follow Carole here: https://www.instagram.com/carolefuchs/ And support her Great Himalayan Run crowdfunding campaign: https://gogetfunding.com/the-great-himalayan-run/

Zar Li Aye, a lawyer and human rights defender from Myanmar, has dedicated herself to building a network of legal experts who courageously protect the rights of persecuted individuals - often risking their own lives in the process. She shares her remarkable journey from an aspiring musician to a key figure in the fight for justice in Myanmar. Zar Li delves into the country’s political landscape, shedding light on the hurdles her team faces in providing legal aid to the imprisoned and oppressed. She also explores the significance of trust, courage, and collaboration in their vital mission to amplify the voices of the voiceless. Drawing from rewarding stories from the front lines, she offers advice for aspiring changemakers and shares her goals and dreams for the future. Join us for an unforgettable conversation with Zar Li on resilience, hope, and the pursuit of justice in Myanmar and beyond. Highlights 08:41 From Musician to Lawyer 25:03 Challenges and Triumphs in Providing Legal Assistance 31:04 The Power of Trust and Teamwork in Leadership 36:13 Rewarding Moments and Appreciation 42:59 Personal Growth and Advice for Changemakers 50:28 Future Goals and Aspirations 53:34 Ways to Support Zar Li's Work Follow Zar Li and her vital work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zar-li-aye-99889595/

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/

Serkan Toso launched byFood, a platform connecting foodie travelers with unique culinary experiences, in 2019. Since then, the company has donated 600,000+ meals to children in need through its ‘Food for Happiness’ program. Having moved from Turkey to Japan, Serkan shares his fascinating journey into entrepreneurship and his many learnings from building and scaling his company. He candidly shares how byFood diversified its revenue streams during the pandemic, merging companies with another like-minded entrepreneur, and the company’s successes and challenges, including raising funds from investors to scale their service globally. We discuss how Serkan - a Forbes 30 Under 30 Honouree - deals with stress and maintains balance as a founder and recent father, his key insights on scaling a startup through different phases of growth, and how to differentiate in the competitive online travel industry. Highlights 08:02 Starting byFood & Overcoming Challenges 26:43 Scaling and Hiring the Right People 34:11 Maintaining Work-Life Balance as a Founder & Father 43:16 Overcoming Challenges as a Foreign Entrepreneur 53:21 Advice for Aspiring Changemakers Find out more about byFood and follow their journey here: https://www.byfood.com/

Ralph Nicolai Nasara is Co-founder and CTO of OOYOO, a social impact startup focused on capturing carbon dioxide and cleaning air for a sustainable future. Ralph shares his personal story and how his fascination with energy and batteries at a young age led him to pursue a career in climate tech, including a 10-year deep dive into the field of lithium-ion batteries. He explains the challenges and opportunities of carbon capture, as well as OOYOO's core technology - a passive membrane filtration system capturing CO2 - and shares about the company's future plans and current partnership with the Japanese government. Ralph also openly discusses the significance of mentors, building a team culture where people can be their authentic selves, and the value of humility and open-mindedness in problem-solving. Highlights 00:00 Early Days: Fascination with Batteries to Climate Tech 08:15 Carbon Capture: Challenges and Opportunities 25:41 Collaborating with the Japanese Government and Technology Deployment 36:38 The Power of Mentors and a 'Challenge Network' 45:06 The Importance of Humility and Unlearning Find out more about OOYOO: https://www.ooyoo.co.jp/en/

Ukrainian Karate athlete Anna Kreshchenko moved to Japan in 2017. There, she founded Flora, a startup improving women’s wellbeing. The company runs the popular ‘Moonly’ app which helps users track menstrual cycles, access health insights, and improve pregnancy planning. Flora also works with major companies to enhance healthcare services for women and empower the female workforce. Anna is a Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 Honouree and was also recognised in the prestigious Forbes Japan ‘Next 100’ list. We sat down with Anna to discuss everything from overcoming imposter syndrome to building the right team and the importance of self-care, as well as Flora’s grand ambitions for the future. Highlights 03:40 Anna's Journey from Ukraine to Japan 08:26 The Inspiration behind Flora 17:06 Flora's Impact 29:02 Favourite Moments 31:05 Anna's Personal ‘Why’ 35:20 Building the Right Team 40:06 Complementary Skill Sets and Emotional Stability 42:10 Big Things Take Time 44:04 Taking Action and Learning by Doing 44:54 Prioritising Health and Resilience 49:57 Global Expansion and Future Vision Find out more about Flora: https://main.flora-tech.jp/

Zubair Junjunia founded ZNotes - a community-led learning platform with a mission to end educational inequality everywhere - as a teenager in his bedroom. A decade later, Zubair and the ZNotes community have grown their movement exponentially; the platform now empowers over 5 million young people across the world with its vast range of student-built educational content and peer-to-peer learning opportunities. We sit down with Zubair, a recipient of the prestigious Diana Legacy Award and a Generation17 Young Leader appointed by UNDP, for an in-depth discussion on community building, technology, social mobility, mentorship, and sustainable funding models for social enterprises. Highlights 00:00 Introduction and Background 03:24 Starting ZNotes and Addressing Educational Inequality 06:25 Creating a Global Community of Learners 09:20 Challenges and Rewards 12:12 The Importance of Balance and Self-Care 32:53 Nurturing Leadership and Building a Sustainable Movement 36:35 Cultivating Community and Embracing Change 39:29 Aligning with the Problem, Not the Solution 46:31 Challenges and Opportunities in Funding and Revenue Generation 53:00 The Power of Education in Creating Social Mobility 55:04 Empowering Individuals to Create Change Find out more about ZNotes and join their movement: https://znotes.org/

On the ‘Coffee with Changemakers’ podcast, we explore the stories of changemakers taking on some of today’s biggest social and environmental challenges. Every episode, we host an intimate conversation on social impact and leadership, where we listen, learn, and connect with inspiring guests from all over the world. In episode 1, hosts Robin and Yoshi share their “why” behind starting this podcast and their hopes and dreams for the journey ahead. Join us as we meet remarkable leaders driving positive change on the front lines, one cup of coffee at a time!