The Samuele Tini Show - where business, innovation, and sustainability converge

We talk a lot about tree planting, but far less about what happens to all the agricultural and organic waste we burn or dump. That’s where biochar comes in. In this episode of The Samuele Tini Show, I’m joined by Luisa Marin, Executive Director of the International Biochar Initiative (IBI). After 25+ years in conservation with organisations like Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy, Luisa moved into carbon project development—and discovered biochar: a carbon‑rich “black sponge” made by pyrolysing crop residues, prunings, manure and other organic waste instead of letting them rot or burn. 9th December Luisa Marin (1)_ot… Done well, biochar can: Lock away carbon in soils and materials for hundreds to thousands of years Regenerate soils, boosting water retention, porosity and microbial life Cut fertiliser and irrigation needs for farmers Create new revenue streams through products and carbon credits—especially in the Global South Luisa explains how research suggests biochar could remove up to 6% of global annual emissions—roughly like switching off 800 coal plants for a year—and why just 1 gram of biochar can have the surface area of two tennis courts. She also talks frankly about “good biochar” vs “bad biochar”, the importance of standards and lab tests, and the most common mistake she sees: projects chasing carbon money without proper technical and financial feasibility or patient capital. 9th December Luisa Marin (1)_ot… We also hear real examples from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ghana and Latin America, where farmers and communities are already turning waste into value using both industrial and artisanal kilns—with support from NGOs, digital MRV tools and local governments. 9th December Luisa Marin (1)_ot… If you care about climate action, soil health and future markets in the Global South, this episode is a clear, grounded introduction to one of the most powerful—and underrated—tools on the table.

In most emerging markets, “sustainability” has been designed for big exporters, banks and multinationals. Everyone else – the micro, small and medium businesses that actually employ people and move the economy – is basically left out but more and more customers are asking for proofs. In this episode, Luke Hayman, Executive Director of Sustainable Kenya, explains how his team is trying to flip that script with an Africa-first sustainability infrastructure. Instead of 40-page ESG questionnaires in foreign jargon, they use: Short, contextualised assessments in English and Swahili AI to analyse answers, documents and even voice notes Clear scorecards plus realistic next steps, not just a vanity score A growing public directory of businesses that can actually prove what they claim We talk about why sustainability is fast becoming a language of credibility in Kenya: if you can show evidence, you unlock customers, finance and partnerships; if you cannot, you are increasingly invisible. Luke also shares what Kenyan consumers are really saying about “sustainable products”, why price and trust still block action, and how shared data could stop every investor inventing their own ESG scoring system. If you are tired of ESG theatre and want to see what practical, bottom-up sustainability looks like, this conversation is for you.

Special Episode — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025. The global conservation debate is loud — but often poorly informed about what people who live with wildlife actually think. In this revealing episode, researchers Dr. Darragh Hare (Oxford) and Dr. Lovemore Sibanda share evidence from multi-country surveys exploring views on militarised conservation, ranger powers, trophy hunting, wildlife crime penalties, and protected area governance. What they found is both nuanced and surprising: • Communities living near wildlife aren’t always opposed to ranger enforcement • Support varies dramatically depending on governance models • Magadi (Kenya) stands out as a case where community scouts foster high acceptance • Assumptions from global media often misrepresent local realities • Sustainable conservation must factor in perspectives of those most affected A crucial episode for anyone designing policy, funding projects or shaping the future of African conservation.

pecial Episode — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025. How do we build conservation models that work for both people and nature? In this eye-opening conversation, Lessah Mandoloma (Oxford) and Katie Mackenzie (Jamma Conservation & Communities) unpack the principles of human-centred conservation—a framework that challenges siloed thinking, brings communities into decision-making, and addresses the real trade-offs that shape conservation outcomes. They explore: • Why conservation must start with honest conversations about power, rights, and benefits • How to break silos between health, climate, food systems and biodiversity • Why communities must be treated as partners, not passive beneficiaries • The importance of co-defining goals and returning research findings to communities A hopeful and practical roadmap for conservation that recognises humanity as part of nature—not outside of it.

Stop Chasing Sexy Startups: Why Boring Businesses Win in Africa Fifteen years ago, Kyle Schutter had a choice: get a PhD in biofuels or move to Africa and start a biofuel company. He chose the second option — and landed in Kenya after what he calls the “blue cheese test”: if a country could produce local blue cheese, it probably had enough cold chain, middle class and basic infrastructure to build serious businesses. His first venture, a biogas company selling to low-income farmers, raised money and revenue… but never made a profit. His second, a Thai restaurant in Nairobi buying from poor farmers and selling to rich Nairobians, was profitable from month one. That contrast led him to a simple conclusion: a good entrepreneur in a bad business will still lose. Today Kyle runs Kuzana, an investment and acceleration platform that backs what he proudly calls “boring and profitable businesses” — soybean aggregators, agri-SMEs, and other non-flashy companies that feed the economy and can grow without burning cash. Kuzana offers small, fast capital (starting around $20k), plus a 12-week programme focused on focus, professionalisation and community. On average, companies in the programme 2x their revenue and gross profit in just 12 weeks. We talk about why tech in Africa is often overbought, why SMEs face 100% interest locally while the same trade can be financed at 10% in Europe, and what it takes to mint 1,000 millionaires from “boring” businesses. Along the way, Kyle shares concrete stories — like Greenwells, a soybean aggregator that 4x’d in seven months and produced Kuzana’s first on-paper millionaire. If you care about where real, scalable wealth in Africa will come from, this episode is a sharp, honest reality check.

Special Episode — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025. In South Africa’s fight against rhino poaching, data—not emotion—drives progress. Conservation researchers Dr. Timothy Kuiper and Lucy Chimes share the results of their multi-reserve study on what actually reduces poaching. From aerial patrols, drones, and canine units to the controversial dehorning strategy, they discuss what works, what doesn’t, and why context matters. The evidence shows dehorning can significantly reduce poaching—but only when combined with strong security, community partnerships, and demand-side solutions. A rigorous, evidence-based look at how science is shaping the next chapter of rhino conservation.

Special Episode — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025. What does it really take to make wildlife land use financially sustainable? Veterinarian and impact-investing specialist Dr. Susan De Witt explores the economics behind conservation, from private conservancies to community lands. She explains how revenue models (photographic tourism, hunting, live sales, and wildlife meat) interact with property rights, wildlife user rights, and access to finance. We unpack the successes of Namibia’s community conservancies, lessons from South Africa’s private sector, and what it will take to channel capital toward conservation that pays people fairly and protects ecosystems.

Join Samuele tini as he walks listeners into the heart of the Silicon Savannah, tracing a personal journey from London to Nairobi with Ben Hyman, CEO of Talent Safari. Through candid storytelling, Ben reveals the messy, human side of hiring in fast-moving startups — the missed connections, the rare self-starters, and the small bets that turn interns into founders. Along the way, they untangle practical strategies for founders hunting their first hires, hard-won advice for young talent breaking in, and a clear-eyed look at how AI will reshape recruitment without replacing the human spark. This episode is a roadmap for anyone eager to build or join the teams shaping Africa’s tech future.

Special Episode 3 — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025. South Africa needs more clean energy and raptors need safe skies. Raptor biologist Merlyn Nomusa Nkomo lays out practical ways to make wind farms wildlife‑smart without stalling the transition. We cover how risk mapping keeps turbines out of migration corridors, why blade painting and shutdown‑on‑demand (triggered by radar or trained observers) can cut collisions, and how developers, scientists, and regulators share data to avoid hotspots. It’s a fast, pragmatic conversation about building the grid while protecting endangered species.

Special Episode 2 — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025. In Kenya’s Amboseli ecosystem, people and wildlife have shared space for millennia. Conservation leader Dr. David Western explains how that coexistence works today: mirrored migrations between herds and wildlife, community scouts complementing state rangers, and “parks beyond parks” where tourism outside gates pays landowners to keep habitat open. We dig into restoring mobility to heal degraded grasslands, using early‑warning systems so pastoralists can off‑load or move livestock ahead of drought, and building local institutions that align incentives. It’s a clear blueprint for scaling coexistence across Africa’s rangelands, practical, proven, and community‑led.

Special Episode 1 — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025. A scabies outbreak among mountain gorillas sparked a new way of working. Dr. Gladys Kalema‑Zikusoka tells the origin of Conservation Through Public Health and how a One Health approach links gorilla protection, community healthcare, and livelihoods. We discussed Village Health & Conservation Teams, why tourist masking remains standard to protect great apes, and Gorilla Conservation Coffee, which pays farmers a premium and funds local programs. And her story as a leading conservationist in Uganda and worldwide.

Electric buses are not a pilot anymore. As Dorcas Wanjiru Kamotho‑Mureithi explains, BasiGo already has ~100 e‑buses on the road across Kenya and Rwanda, with hundreds more reserved. The unlock: a Pay‑As‑You‑Drive model—lower deposit plus per‑km fee that covers charging and service—paired with night‑time charging on Kenya’s largely renewable grid. We dive into local assembly with KVM (Thika), the new King Long platform to scale production, and how service capability (incl. CATL battery partnership) improves uptime. We also cover policy, open charging, and why passengers in Nairobi literally wait for the e‑bus even when a diesel bus arrives first. A practical blueprint for taking EV transit from proof to scale.

Dr Anyse Pereira grew up in Cabo Verde, trained as a scientist in Europe, built programmes with the UN and Mercy Corps, and the corporate world—bringing a data‑driven, project‑management lens to sustainability. In this candid conversation, she explains the compliance–value–values triad, how to speak numbers to numbers people, and why purpose can beat budget (including the €5 “Science Parliament” that moved a nation). We dive into community‑led climate insight (what fishmongers’ “less colour” tells us), the pitfalls of alarmism and virtue signalling, and the career truth that “your biggest brand is you. Disclaimer - Since recording Anyse has left her corporate position at Toyota.

What does it take to comply with the EU’s deforestation rule and create value for farmers and brands? Alessandro Chelli from Trusty explains how his team built a mobile‑first, offline data stack that gets plot‑level evidence from smallholders, validates claims with certifiers , and writes the results to an audited blockchain—so it is proof, not promises. We cover the EUDR baseline (plot mapping + due diligence), the shared‑cost model that makes tools free for co‑ops when buyers adopt, and why garbage‑in/garbage‑out is solved with third‑party checks before timestamping. We also look ahead: using the same field data for biodiversity/carbon credits, parametric insurance, and even value‑sharing via smart contracts. A practical roadmap from compliance to competitiveness

How far can a story travel — and how much can it change? In this episode, Bridget Deacon, Managing Director of Shujaaz, Emmy Winner and leading B Corp, explains how youth‑first storytelling moves beyond entertainment to shape behaviour, unlock livelihoods, and shift social norms across Kenya. From radio, print and TV to social media and an AI‑enabled chatbot, Shujaaz meets young people where they are, surfaces their lived realities without judgement, and turns authentic voices into collective action. We discuss: designing with youth rather than for them; what it takes to build trust in an age of misinformation; why tackling livelihoods, reproductive health, gender norms and climate action requires sustained, multi‑platform narratives; and how a B Corp model helps a mission stay accountable and scalable. Bridget also shares practical lessons on devolving creation and research to local youth leaders, and how small, relatable stories can trigger system‑level change. A candid, hopeful conversation about narrative power, measurable impact, and a generation writing its own rule book.

Too often we hear Africa described as “emerging.” But as my guest Tom Fels, CEO of Animarem, explains — Africa is already shaping the future of global business. In this new episode of The Samuele Tini Show, Tom shares: ✅ Why African enterprises are future markets, not just emerging ones ✅ How B Corp certification is helping businesses prove purpose + profit ✅ The real opportunities (and hurdles) in accessing capital in growth markets ✅ Practical lessons from working with purpose-driven entrepreneurs If you believe in Africa’s role in shaping tomorrow’s economy, this conversation will inspire you. Do you agree that Africa isn’t just emerging but leading?

Africa is driving an EV revolution—and Roam is leading the charge. ⚡ This week, Hans van Toor Strategy & Innovation Lead at Roam, explains how locally manufactured electric vehicles can transform communities, economies, and the environment. ✅ Roam’s vision for green mobility in Africa ✅ Tackling range anxiety and infrastructure hurdles ✅ Economic benefits of home-grown electric transport Learn how Africa can power the global future of electric mobility.

Can businesses genuinely help save wildlife and biodiversity? Join us this weekend with former Ferrari and Omega executive Michele Sofisti, now CEO of Nzatu, who believes they can. ✅ From luxury brands to conservation-focused business ✅ How regenerative agriculture helps wildlife and communities ✅ The potential of ethical commodities to transform Africa Discover how business can be a powerful force for conservation and community empowerment.

Traditional aid isn’t delivering. So, what’s next? In this week’s podcast, Todd Kirkbride, an expert in private-sector partnerships with extensive experience at USAID and TechnoServe, reveals why public-private partnerships hold the key to lasting impact in emerging markets. ✅ Why traditional aid models are struggling ✅ How partnerships can drive climate resilience and food security ✅ Essential lessons on building trust and aligning incentives Discover how cross-sector collaboration can lead to transformational change.

In this fascinating episode of The Samuele Tini Show, meet Tommie Hooft, CEO and co-founder of Proteen, an innovative startup transforming waste management and agriculture in East Africa using Black Soldier Flies (BSF). Key Points: Discover how tiny insects can revolutionize waste management by turning organic waste into high-quality fertilizer. How Proteen's unique approach using BSF tackles both environmental issues and economic challenges. Practical insights on regenerative agriculture and circular economy solutions. Why turning waste into wealth is not just good for the environment—but also good business. Join us to understand how innovative startups like Proteen are reshaping sustainability in Africa, turning small insects into big impact.