Episode 37
Lauren Dunford of Guidewheel on Data-Driven Efficiency, Sustainable Factories, and Finding Champions
Data is one of the most critical, and underused, tools for combating climate change – the more information we have about our impact, the better decisions we can make towards managing it. Lauren Dunford, co-founder of revolutionary startup Guidewheel, is on a mission to place that tool in the hands of manufacturers, offering a unique, data-driven system for monitoring factory operations, reducing energy costs, and improving efficiency.
CEO Lauren launched the startup in 2018 with co-founder and current CTO Weston McBride, leading Guidewheel’s development of its core product, the FactoryOps platform, a system they describe as “Fitbit for Factories.” With funding from major ESG players like Breakthrough Energy Ventures and the Decarbonization Partners fund, and brand name customers like Coca-Cola FEMSA and Igloo, Guidewheel’s cutting-edge approach to sustainable manufacturing operations is turning heads across the industry.
Lauren received a degree in Sustainability in Global Environment and Health at Stanford, where she also co-founded the Stanford Green Fund and ran the Students for a Sustainable Stanford program. After completing a Fulbright scholarship studying supply chain in India, Lauren worked her way up to chief of staff at the B-Corp Revolution Foods, where she saw firsthand just how impactful data could be for operational efficiency and sustainability, developing the idea for what would soon become Guidewheel.
Hear Lauren discuss her passion for studying environmental impact, why better data can help industries cut costs and bolster sustainability, and how the practical approach of picking low-hanging fruit could make a significant impact in the long run.
Episode Highlights:
- 00:00 Lauren Dunford on adding sustainability into existing workflows
- 00:52 Conor Gaughan introduces Lauren and Guidewheel
- 04:28 Bay Area background, impact driven entrepreneurship, and Stanford
- 13:12 Fulbright Scholarship, Revolution Foods, and supply chain logistics
- 18:06 The lightbulb moment, business school, and launching Guidewheel
- 26:00 The potential market, manufacturing inefficiencies, and hidden economies
- 34:46 Adoption from big brands, pitching to investors, and implementing AI
- 44:27 Aligning profit and purpose, the future of data, and defeating defeatism
- 50:49 Exciting climate innovations and leaving a legacy
- 53:30 Where to learn more and end credits
If you liked this episode, listen next to Anne Coghlan of Scope3 on the Philosophy of Math, Decarbonized Media, and the Future of Digital Ads
More on Lauren Dunford and Guidewheel:
Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone and threads.net/@ckgone
Have questions, or a great idea for a potential guest? Email us at CiC@consensus-digital.com
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Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.
