We only take on 4 clients per month. Join our October cohort. 1 spot left.
Conversation
Highlights
Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech’s most innovative B2B founders. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Chris Hare, CEO of PRTI, a waste-to-energy company that has raised over $25 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
- Chris’ diverse background in technology and industrial businesses, including roles at Northrop Grumman, an MIT spin-out acquired by Microsoft, and Sony Ericsson, where he led the procurement of components for 100 million mobile phones per year.
- The massive global problem of waste tire disposal, with over 300 million tires discarded annually in the US alone, and the limitations of current solutions like landfills, incineration, and asphalt mixing.
- PRTI’s proven, automated, and modular technology for converting tires into gas, oil, solid fuel, and steel through a thermal process, validated over 10,000 runs and 100,000 operating hours.
- The company’s journey from acquiring the core technology from an Italian team in 2013 to building a multi-site operation focused on localizing the waste tire supply chain.
- The challenges of automating a manual process and refining algorithms to achieve robust performance, requiring a return to basics and perseverance through setbacks.
- Chris’ lessons learned in fundraising, including the importance of authentic storytelling, transparency with investors, and enabling the entire team to communicate a unified but personalized narrative.
Actionable
Takeaways
Look for "Too Obvious" Problems That Lack Solutions:
Chris frames the waste tire challenge as a "largely unsolved and unknown problem" that elicits disbelief when people encounter the staggering statistics. He advises founders to be alert for pain points that seem so glaring, most assume they must have already been addressed. Where conventional wisdom says "of course somebody's solving that," there may be a ripe opportunity to be seized by questioning that assumption.
Prioritize Proving Before Scaling:
PRTI invested years in demonstrating the repeatability, reliability, and efficiency of its tire conversion technology before shifting focus to expansion. Chris emphasizes the importance of achieving robust performance through extensive iteration cycles before attempting to scale. Founders bringing new innovations to market should define clear success criteria and focus on fully validating their solution prior to accelerating growth.
Cultivate a Multidisciplinary Team to Navigate Pivots:
Chris highlights the value of PRTI's diverse team, spanning backgrounds from the space program to real estate, in adapting to challenges and finding common threads across industries. When early automation efforts fell short, this multifaceted expertise enabled the company to reset and ultimately succeed. Founders should intentionally build teams with varied skill sets to enhance resilience and creative problem-solving, especially in uncharted domains.
Master the Art of Authentic Storytelling:
PRTI's fundraising success has hinged on its team's ability to craft and continuously refine a resonant narrative. Chris stresses that while storytelling is a science, it must be authentic to each team member to build trust and credibility with investors. Founders should empower their teams to internalize and personalize the company story, while ensuring key messages remain aligned.
Communicate Proactively and Transparently with Investors:
Extending the theme of authenticity, Chris emphasizes the importance of frank and proactive communication with investors, even when the news is mixed. By openly sharing challenges alongside successes, PRTI has cultivated trust and empathy among its backers. Founders should resist the temptation to sugar-coat updates and instead aim for consistent transparency to forge durable investor relationships.
Recommended Founder
Interviews
Allison Wolff
CEO of Vibrant Planet
Allison Wolff, CEO at Vibrant Planet: $34 Million Raised to Build the Future of Land Management Restoration
Kenneth Herschel
CEO and Co-Founder of Viggo
Kenneth Herschel, CEO and Co-Founder of Viggo: Nearly $6 Million Raised to Build the Future of EV Charging Infrastructure
Omar Abou-Sayed
Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Vaulted Deep
Omar Abou-Sayed, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Vaulted Deep: $8 Million Raised to Build the Future of Carbon Removal
Dr. Kai-Philipp Kairies
CEO and Co-Founder of Accure
Dr. Kai-Philipp Kairies, CEO & Co-Founder of Accure: $18.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Battery Intelligence
Matt LeDucq
CEO and Co-Founder of Forum Mobility
Matt LeDucq, CEO & Co-Founder of Forum Mobility: $423 Million Raised to Power the Future of Zero-Emission Trucking
Ali Javidan
Co-Founder of Range Energy
Ali Javidan, Co-Founder of Range Energy: $9 Million Raised to Build the Future of Electric Semi-Trucks
Ben Christensen
CEO of Cambium Carbon
Ben Christensen, CEO of Cambium Carbon: $5.5 Million Raised to Build a new Category of Sustainable Wood
Josh Knauer
Co-Founder of Reseed
Josh Knauer, Co-Founder of Reseed: $5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Carbon Credits for Farmers
Zak Lefevre
CEO of ChargeLab
Zak Lefevre, CEO of ChargeLab: $20 Million Raised to Build the Operating System for EV Chargers
Arvin Ganesan
CEO of Fourth Power
Arvin Ganesan, CEO of Fourth Power: $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Energy Storage
Alisa Valderrama
Co-founder and CEO of FutureProof Technologies
Alisa Valderrama, Co-Founder and CEO of FutureProof Technologies: $10 Million Raised to Translate Climate and Weather and Financial Risk with Unprecedented Accuracy
Martin Kosak
Head of Marketing of Sensoneo
Event Marketing Mastery: Martin Kosak on Sensoneo’s Success at Trade Shows
Joselyn Lai
CEO & Co-Founder of Bedrock Energy
Joselyn Lai, CEO & Co-Founder of Bedrock Energy: $9 Million Raised to Power the Future of Geothermal Energy
Allen Kramer
Co-Founder & COO of Crux
Allen Kramer, Co-Founder and COO of Crux: $27 Million Raised to Power the Future of Sustainable Finance
Sid Jha
Founder & CEO of Arbol
Sid Jha, Founder & CEO of Arbol: Over $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Climate Risk Management
Mukund Karanjikar
CEO of CleanJoule
Mukund Karanjikar, CEO of CleanJoule: $55 Million Raised to Power the Future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Astrid Atkinson
CEO & cofounder of Camus Energy
Astrid Atkinson, CEO of Camus Energy: $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Grid Management
Joshua Riedy
CEO and Founder of Thread
Joshua Riedy, CEO and Founder of Thread: $20 Million Raised to Power the Future of Energy Grid Maintenance
Troy Carter
CEO and Co-Founder of Earthshot Labs
Troy Carter, CEO and Co-Founder of Earthshot Labs: $11 Million Raised to Power the Future of Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration
Kentaro Kawamori
CEO & Co-Founder of Persefoni
Kentaro Kawamori, CEO & Co-Founder of Persefoni: $114 Million Raised to Build the Climate Disclosure & Carbon Management Category
Antoine Welter
CEO and Co-Founder of Circu Li-ion
Antoine Welter, CEO & Co-Founder of Circu Li-ion: $8.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Battery Upcycling
Elizabeth Muller
CEO and Co-Founder of Deep Isolation
Elizabeth Muller, CEO and Co-Founder of Deep Isolation: Over $22 Million Raised to Build the Future of Nuclear Waste Disposal
Greg Newbloom
CEO and Founder of Membrion
Greg Newbloom, CEO & Founder of Membrion: $23 Million Raised to Build the Future of Industrial Wastewater Treatment Solutions
Sandeep Ahuja
CEO of Covetool
Sandeep Ahuja, CEO of Covetool: $36 Million Raised to Power the Future of Building Design with AI
Matei Stratan
CEO of Ogre
Matei Stratan, CEO of Ogre: $2 Million Raised to Build the Future of Energy Management
Virginia Klausmeier
CEO and Founder of Sylvatex
Virginia Klausmeier, CEO and Founder of Sylvatex: More Than $15 Million Raised to Build a Better Class of Sustainable Materials and Drive the Green Revolution
Gary Lewis
CEO & Co-Founder of Resourcify
Gary Lewis, CEO & Co-Founder of Resourcify: $15 Million Raised to Build the Future of Recycling Management
Thibault Castagne
CEO and Founder of Vianova
Thibault Castagne, CEO and Founder of Vianova: $8.8 Million Raised to Build the Go-To Operating System for the Mobility World
Greg Fallon
CEO of Geminus
Greg Fallon, CEO of Geminus: $12 Million Raised to Help the Industrial Sector Prepare for the Energy Transition
Javier Marti
CEO and Founder of Divirod
Javier Marti, CEO & Founder of Divirod: $7.6 Million Raised to Build the Google Maps For Water
Kaitlyn Albertoli
CEO and Co-Founder of Buzz Solutions
Kaitlyn Albertoli, CEO and Co-Founder of Buzz Solutions: Nearly $6 Million Raised to Build the Future of Infrastructure Inspection
Manik Suri
Manik Suri, CEO and Founder of Therma: $30 Million Raised to Build the Cooling Intelligence Category
Adam Silver
CEO & Co-Founder of Plural Energy
Adam Silver, CEO & Co-Founder of Plural Energy: $2.8 Million Raised to Build the Future of Clean Energy Investing
Kameale Terry
Co-Founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!
Kameale Terry, Co-Founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!: Over $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
Khaled Hassounah
CEO & Founder of Ample
Khaled Hassounah, CEO and Founder of Ample: $290M Raised to Build the Future of EV Batteries
Curtis VanWalleghem
CEO of Hydrostor
Curtis VanWalleghem, CEO of Hydrostor: $322 Million Raised to Build the Future of Energy Storage
Gary Ong
CEO & Founder of Celadyne
Gary Ong, CEO & Founder of Celadyne: $5 Million Raised to Power the Future of Green Hydrogen Production
Matt Loszak
CEO & Co-Founder of Aalo Atomics
Matt Loszak, CEO & Co-Founder of Aalo Atomics: $33 Million Raised to Build the Future of Nuclear Energy
Michael Belenkie
CEO and President of Entropy
Michael Belenkie, CEO and President of Entropy: $300 Million Raised to Spearhead Efficiency and Innovation in the Carbon Capture Economy
Alex Siminoff
Director of Marketing of Parity
Alex Siminoff, Director of Marketing at Parity: Mastering HVAC Optimization with Effective B2B Storytelling
Marc Borrett
CEO & Co-Founder of Reactive Technologies
Marc Borrett, CEO & Co-Founder of Reactive Technologies: $80 Million Raised to Build the Future of Grid Measurement
Tim Weiss
CEO and Co-Founder of Optera
Tim Weiss, CEO & Co-Founder of Optera: $17.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Carbon Management and Accounting
Quentin Scrimshire
CEO and Co-Founder of Modo Energy
Quentin Scrimshire, CEO & Co-Founder of Modo Energy: $20 Million Raised to Build the Energy Asset Benchmarking Category
Liz Gilligan
CEO & Founder of Material Evolution
Liz Gilligan, CEO & Founder of Material Evolution: $19 Million Raised to Build the Future of Sustainable Cement
Marina Azcarate
Head of Marketing of Mitiga Solutions
Marina Azcarate, Head of Marketing at Mitiga Solutions: Driving the Future of Climate Risk with Cutting-Edge Tech
Michael Witte
CEO & Co-founder of Workrise
Michael Witte, CEO & Co-founder of Workrise: $750 Million Raised to Power the Future of the Energy Industry
Dan Forman
CEO and Co-Founder of Copper Labs
Dan Forman, CEO and Co-Founder of Copper Labs: $13 Million Raised to Enable the Data-Driven Utility of the Future
Iain Cooper
CEO of SeekOps Inc.
Iain Cooper, CEO of SeekOps, $23 Million Raised to Build the Future of Emissions Monitoring
Doron Myersdorf
CEO & Co-Founder of StoreDot
Doron Myersdorf, CEO & Co-Founder of StoreDot : $200 Million Raised to Power the Future of Electric Vehicles