Reddit Accidents, Tesla Semi, and Circulor Blockchain Tracing Technology

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:10.640 M h. Welcome back to the Road Forward, a podcast for trucking industry 2 00:00:10.759 --> 00:00:14.880 leaders, brought to you by trucks By the all in one fleet management platform 3 00:00:14.919 --> 00:00:20.039 built to empower your drivers to be productive, compliant and safe. My name 4 00:00:20.120 --> 00:00:22.679 is Alex, and in this episode, we're gonna try something a little bit 5 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:25.960 different and I want to hear your feedback on it, but I want to 6 00:00:25.960 --> 00:00:29.600 go over some headlines, some things that I saw. So first up, 7 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:33.159 we got a The reason this came across or the reason I saw this, 8 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:37.119 or the reason it's interesting is because I this is actually the camera that we 9 00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:40.600 license and that we sell here at trucks By. So it's the four view 10 00:00:40.679 --> 00:00:44.520 camera with the road with the driver and the two side cameras. And this 11 00:00:44.679 --> 00:00:48.600 was a situation where a driver gets distracted and he has an accident. Let's 12 00:00:48.640 --> 00:01:11.519 check it out. Oh that's not good, geez Louise. Okay, And 13 00:01:11.560 --> 00:01:15.239 here's the road view. Look. He goes into the um, into the 14 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:22.519 dirt, into the grass, tries to overcorrect and sure enough, mm hmm. 15 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:30.799 Yeah, that's not good. That's not good. You guys be safe 16 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:34.000 out there. But you can see that this is the camera so has the 17 00:01:34.040 --> 00:01:38.079 four views and the lines are the spikes on the screen. Uh, they 18 00:01:38.120 --> 00:01:42.519 are indicating that some kind of issue occurred. So you can very quickly, 19 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:46.319 if you ever want to pull footage, you can just look where where did 20 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:49.959 that happen? And there you go. Um so uh yeah, be you 21 00:01:49.959 --> 00:01:52.480 guys. Make sure you're safe out there on the road. Um. Then 22 00:01:52.680 --> 00:01:55.799 the next thing, actually I saw it on on Reddit as well. Um, 23 00:01:55.879 --> 00:01:59.599 is this video or here where a four wheelers trying to wait till the 24 00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:01.959 last in it to switch into the lane. Uh, don't do this, 25 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:08.960 guys, let's check it out. Okay, he's trying to trying to squeeze 26 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:15.439 in there. Cut the trucker off. Oh no, trucker is not letting 27 00:02:15.479 --> 00:02:21.159 him in. He's not slowing down. And now I don't know if this 28 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:23.719 is a newer video because it looks like it was recorded on a very very 29 00:02:23.719 --> 00:02:29.360 low quality camera, but the point means the same that it's like just just 30 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:37.520 merge earlier, you know. Um yeah, oh that's rough because it's like 31 00:02:37.560 --> 00:02:38.960 now that the guy's truck is beat up, and whose fault is it? 32 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:42.680 You know, like that's a good question, like whose fault is it? 33 00:02:42.759 --> 00:02:45.080 You know? Common below, Um, is it the trucker's fault for not 34 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:47.039 letting him in. Um whose fault is it? Right? And so it's 35 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:51.159 like this opens a whole can of worms. Um. Yeah, that's not 36 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:53.599 good. But so let's get into some news first and foremost, there's this 37 00:02:53.919 --> 00:02:58.719 future of freight festival by Freight Waves. We're gonna be there, Uh, 38 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:01.120 some people from the the team on trucks By they're gonna be there. So 39 00:03:01.560 --> 00:03:05.199 if you see us there, don't be a stranger, Say hi to us 40 00:03:05.240 --> 00:03:08.080 and we can talk. Um. Then moving on to some actual headlines, 41 00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:15.680 Elon Musk tweeted, um, I think recently that the first Tesla semi will 42 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:19.919 be delivered December one to Pepsi. Um so that's interesting. Um. I 43 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:23.400 saw an article on Business Insider right here has a five mile range who knows, 44 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:25.680 uh, and it's super fun to drive, according to Muskus, So 45 00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:29.960 that's good. Um. What what are you guys opinions on electric trucks? 46 00:03:30.039 --> 00:03:32.520 Um, Like, obviously they're gonna start with local deliveries first, like obviously, 47 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:38.759 and from there they'll probably you know, get longer range or maybe long 48 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:43.879 haul will be still diesel for the foreseeable future. Because like a driver, 49 00:03:44.759 --> 00:03:46.879 what are you guys driving to day six hundred something miles, right, it's 50 00:03:46.919 --> 00:03:52.080 like it might be a while before a truck can reliable, an electric truck 51 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:55.879 can go problem free or consistently six hundred miles and then re recharge at the 52 00:03:55.960 --> 00:04:00.719 end of the day. But that's assuming there's a charging station six hundred miles 53 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:04.039 away, right, So it's like it's gonna be a while before we switch 54 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:08.280 completely to diesel. And I think this truck, if I remember correctly, 55 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:12.879 this truck is going somewhere to Nevada where they have that like super big charger 56 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:15.720 for the semi trucks, right, otherwise you're tak an alternative to charge. 57 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:20.279 So, UM, it's really just really interesting. Um that like the Tesla 58 00:04:20.279 --> 00:04:24.279 semi trucks. What do you guys think about the center seat to UM? 59 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:28.199 I saw some discussions online that now it's uncomfortable because the whole point of sitting 60 00:04:28.199 --> 00:04:30.439 on the left side is one because all vehicles are like that. Are not 61 00:04:30.839 --> 00:04:35.560 all vehicles on this side of the on in in these countries, I guess 62 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:39.079 is the more correct way. Um. You know in Europe there obviously on 63 00:04:39.079 --> 00:04:42.079 the other side or over there there on the other side, But the point 64 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:44.959 is the same that when you're sitting in the center, now you can't look 65 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:47.399 out your window when you're trying to back in because both sides are now your 66 00:04:47.439 --> 00:04:50.879 blindside technically, so looking forward, dear comments on that, Um, what 67 00:04:50.920 --> 00:04:55.720 do you think about that center position seat? Moving on to the last article, 68 00:04:55.720 --> 00:04:59.319 I want to go over VCS reveal forty one supply chain startups they're betting 69 00:04:59.319 --> 00:05:03.079 on to help solve global logistics cost. VCS is obviously venture capitals, venture 70 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:08.560 capitalists, so this is a good article. And this is actually where I 71 00:05:08.600 --> 00:05:13.360 found the company's Circular and they're doing some interesting stuff in tracing and tracking of 72 00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:16.160 products. So let's just get into that interview right now. They were sitting 73 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:21.600 down with Ellen and she is the vice president in Circular. Correct correct me 74 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:27.800 if I'm wrong? What is it? Vice president for Global policy and public 75 00:05:27.839 --> 00:05:32.959 affairs for Circular. It's all too long. I put that in a note 76 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:36.560 somewhere and I forgot to save the note. But UM, okay, and 77 00:05:36.759 --> 00:05:43.040 really quick, I've watched a couple of videos about circulars and your I believe 78 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:47.439 the mission um or the sixty second pitch has changed over the years. Um, 79 00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:49.639 can you talk to me? What is it exactly the Circular do. 80 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:59.399 Yeah. We basically bring transparency for better and greater business opportunities. So Circular 81 00:05:59.480 --> 00:06:02.600 is a global tech company. We have a team around the world and we 82 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:10.279 track physical materials and projects products as they might be a raw form or recycled 83 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:15.399 form as it changes stayed into a final product, and we gather various parts 84 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:20.360 of data and information along that entire supply chain so that we can prove where 85 00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:26.879 it's been, it's providence, its chain of custody, and also other information 86 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:30.199 that folks want to know. How much carbon was used, is it uh, 87 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:35.439 was their forced or child labor? Is it responsibly and sustainably produced, 88 00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:41.600 et cetera. Okay, and I think I recently heard the co founder and 89 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:47.439 CEO UM Doug right. Um. I think he basically said it's uh product 90 00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:51.240 passports. Was that what he said product? Yeah? I think it's what 91 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:56.519 he called it to simplify it. Yeah, We're moving in an age where 92 00:06:56.560 --> 00:07:00.079 folks want to know what's in my products, right, and that information is 93 00:07:00.120 --> 00:07:06.360 becoming readily available, especially because of this chain of custody digital chain of custody 94 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:13.639 that can be built, the secure sharing of information and then from businesses to 95 00:07:13.720 --> 00:07:17.279 the customers. We can tell customers what exactly they're buying, and sometimes that 96 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:23.680 comes in the form of a product passport or a digital identity of that product. 97 00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:27.480 Um it could be a you know, just like we have labels on 98 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:30.519 our food saying what's in it, it's the same for a lot of the 99 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:34.519 other products that we're buying. I see. Okay, that that makes sense. 100 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:40.079 And one of the key areas that Circular is developing this technology and or 101 00:07:40.120 --> 00:07:43.439 not developing, but implementing this technology. Maybe the better way of saying it 102 00:07:43.480 --> 00:07:48.040 would be the cobalt in the batteries correct, well, actually all battery minerals 103 00:07:48.040 --> 00:07:55.560 and materials, So batteries and more specifically, I mean batteries have high risk 104 00:07:55.680 --> 00:07:59.920 within the supply chains, they have high human impact. They're also very valued 105 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:05.120 assets and they're very valuable commodities in their law form. So bringing transparency to 106 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:11.079 this industry, especially as our different countries around the world really electrify. Are 107 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:16.959 are both our transportation plus our power generation, etcetera. This is a really 108 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:22.480 critical time where we can bring transparency to it and build an electrified economy that's 109 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:28.199 built right and built with transparency in mind. So yes, and to your 110 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:33.440 point to your point, Alex, you mentioned product passports. There are because 111 00:08:33.480 --> 00:08:41.000 of all of these elements that involve batteries. Um, they are increasingly getting 112 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:48.080 governments are requiring that that information about those batteries is made public and made available 113 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:54.320 to customers who purchase them. Right, because I'm fairly certain that the next 114 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:58.840 like the cobalt mine, doesn't want a Netflix documentary about it made about it, 115 00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:01.919 you know, because they you know, they make kids work to get 116 00:09:01.960 --> 00:09:05.480 these batteries for whether it's vehicles or anything like that. So, Um, 117 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:11.440 the people are definitely more well aware of where their products are coming from, 118 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:15.320 and that is driving this interest. And then they're letting their voices heard and 119 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:18.759 the government or passing laws and so companies are stepping up to the plate. 120 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:22.320 Like Volvo. I believe Volvo is a customer. I believe for one of 121 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:24.000 your vehicles, they're stepping up to the plate and saying, hey, we 122 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:26.559 want to make vehicles, but we want to make sure the parts and the 123 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:33.440 materials that we're using our responsibly source correct perfectly said, perfectly said, yeah, 124 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:39.080 you know, I think I think please, um, I think what 125 00:09:39.320 --> 00:09:45.320 there were a lot of Netflix documentaries. There has been a spotlight shined on 126 00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:52.759 you know, poor practices of of of handling people and our environment in the 127 00:09:52.840 --> 00:09:56.559 extraction of some of these minerals and materials. And so now there is, 128 00:09:56.600 --> 00:09:58.960 like you said, there's more of a call for Hey, we want transparent 129 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:03.159 and see into what's happening here and when we want to ensure that products that 130 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:09.200 we're buying come from places that are treating people and our environment. Well, 131 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:13.519 um, yeah, So we got started with full though tracking Cobalt in two 132 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:20.759 thousand and eighteen. So they were the first vehicle O we m to apply 133 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:26.840 blockchain and work with Circular to apply blockchain in tracing and proving that their Cobalt 134 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:33.519 did not have child labor in that. So they had the first traced Cobalt 135 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:37.840 in their vehicles, correct, And I believe that was like the crossover, 136 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:39.200 right, I forget what the model was, but it was a crossover. 137 00:10:39.240 --> 00:10:43.759 I think that is available now sure. I think it's x C forty the 138 00:10:43.799 --> 00:10:48.679 electric ATXC forty. Yeah, right, okay, and that that's the And 139 00:10:48.679 --> 00:10:50.799 I want to get into that a little bit too. You guys are using 140 00:10:50.840 --> 00:10:54.639 blockchain, so I know we're kind of coming out of Um. We we 141 00:10:54.679 --> 00:10:58.759 talked a little bit earlier, and you said the high the blockchain high bubble, 142 00:10:58.919 --> 00:11:01.519 right, it's certainly, Um, that is it's been a lot of 143 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:07.080 hype about blockchain and crypto and all this other stuff. But Circular is definitely 144 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:11.679 a company that has realized like the benefits of blockchain, um. And so 145 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:15.320 can you can you give me a little bit about what you know about like 146 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:18.799 the technology you guys are implementing and how exactly it's solving this problem. Yeah, 147 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:24.000 I think that's such a great question because yeah, we've seen different height 148 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:28.600 bubbles form and burst. Right. So I come from the automotive industry. 149 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:35.039 Driverless cars were definitely seeing the reality in terms of the application and the use 150 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:37.600 case there. Um, the same kind of with blockchain. It is. 151 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:43.480 You know, we tend to in that bubble time brain, we tend to 152 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:48.840 think of a technology being capable of solving our indoll and be all needs and 153 00:11:48.919 --> 00:11:54.519 desires, and then we come to a sobering reality that that's probably not the 154 00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:58.360 case, um, And then we started thinking about use cases and applications. 155 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:05.039 So yes, Um, Circular uses a blockchain which helps us create that community 156 00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:11.519 and that network of information sharing across supply chain participants in a way that is 157 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:20.000 safe, secure and trustworthy. So as we crack a mineral material as it 158 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:24.440 changes state, each one of those participants kind of makes a mark on an 159 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:31.279 indelible record at creating an immutable record in terms of information about that product. 160 00:12:31.559 --> 00:12:35.720 So in the way that folks are connected but also able to engage with each 161 00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:41.720 other, there is a community of trust and an information a network of information 162 00:12:41.799 --> 00:12:46.519 trust that forms, right, And I think in a in a podcast, 163 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:50.600 Elon must said, like, the biggest challenge of self driving cars is making 164 00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:52.399 sure the real world lines up with what the computer is seeing in the digital 165 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:56.039 world. And so my question would be, like, how do you ensure 166 00:12:56.080 --> 00:13:01.120 accuracy of like what's actually happening in the real world with the information on blockchain? 167 00:13:01.159 --> 00:13:05.159 How do you ensure that accuracy? I love that question because it's the 168 00:13:05.240 --> 00:13:13.759 driverless car application and approach is very applicable here. You need information redundancy, 169 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:18.360 right, So you need to have different technologies checking off from one another to 170 00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:24.320 be able to have greater confidence in the information that's gathered is what it says 171 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:31.799 it is. So whether that's the car checking across light, our camera sensors, 172 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:37.559 or it is you know, our product and our technologies that's gathering mass 173 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:43.240 balance, GEELD location, you know, proof of scampoints, etcetera. That 174 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:50.279 redundancies. Those redundancies, they really help inform one another and create confidence in 175 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:54.039 the data. Okay that yeah, because that was one of the things that 176 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:58.799 I didn't see online of exactly how that verification happens. So I appreciate that 177 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:03.000 and different data puts exactly. It's a great question, different data inputs. 178 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:07.120 And then I saw it in just a short clip. Um, there was 179 00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:11.360 a bag with a red tag and a QR code on it. I think 180 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:15.200 some raw material. So is that one of the ways that some of that 181 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:20.200 data entry occurs that somebody stands a QR code. You really did do a 182 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:26.759 lot of video watching research on circular Alex. I'm so impressed. Um yeah, 183 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:31.399 great, another great question. So you know, we have to prove 184 00:14:31.679 --> 00:14:37.200 how we create a digital twin of a material in terms of when it's in 185 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:41.559 rock form, when it's pulled out of the ground, and then we have 186 00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:46.639 to say this rock form is in Alex's car, right, and that at 187 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:52.919 the beginning phase that requires creating a digital twin of that material so that we 188 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:58.840 know where it came from, who minded um, that it was sustainably ris 189 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:03.120 sponsibly, mind that it was put on this truck, that it was carried 190 00:15:03.159 --> 00:15:07.679 to this next step, etcetera, etcetera. So it really does. That's 191 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:11.519 that's a good point at that at that point, at the very beginning of 192 00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:16.360 the supply chain, we have to create a digital twin informed by that different 193 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:22.320 redundant technology and information inputs, and then we can carry that and follow that 194 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:28.200 material along as it changes state. Okay, and that I think is a 195 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:33.679 big challenge to that when the when a material does change state, how do 196 00:15:33.720 --> 00:15:35.039 you track it? Right? And and you folks are able to do that. 197 00:15:35.080 --> 00:15:39.720 You're able to track it even though it changes state. Yeah, that's 198 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:46.480 really that that's the secret sauce um. But again I would I would go 199 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:52.480 back to different data inputs that create that redundancy and shadow the physical material with 200 00:15:52.679 --> 00:15:58.000 a digital shadow throughout right, And so did The question would be, like, 201 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:03.000 um, why go after a problem that is that difficult tracking trying to 202 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:07.720 trace a product that can change state? Why not go after an easier problem? 203 00:16:07.799 --> 00:16:11.360 And one that comes to mind is um, I believe about a year 204 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:15.919 or two ago there was an equali outbreak on spinach and like all the spinage 205 00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:18.879 and all the stores how to be removed and thrown out. And it's like, 206 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:22.960 spinage doesn't change state. Wouldn't it be easier to implement this technology for 207 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:26.080 something for a problem like that? So I know that, Hey, the 208 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:29.840 spinage I'm using definitely does not have a coal I or the spinage I'm eating 209 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:32.480 doesn't have in coal it. So wouldn't it be better to tackle a problem 210 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:37.000 maybe like that? First? I think that problem has really already been tackled. 211 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:40.159 You see a lot, like you said, food proving organic food, 212 00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:45.399 proving clean food. Um, diamonds is a great example, right, Diamonds 213 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:48.600 don't change state, but they're tracked and they're labeled to ensure that they are 214 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:56.440 responsibly mind and sourced. Um. The interesting part is when things change state 215 00:16:56.039 --> 00:17:03.120 and ensuring that whether you know, whether it's a rock that turns into a 216 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:08.759 vehicle or a rock that turns into a a electric scooter, etcetera, that 217 00:17:08.759 --> 00:17:18.720 that transformation does not hide that it was maybe was not responsibly and sustainably produced. 218 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:22.640 Right, And to kind of recap what you just said is, Alex, 219 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:26.359 we're really smart. We want to solve big problems, not the easy 220 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:33.599 problems. Exactly how Yeah, exactly, I would. I would I would 221 00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:37.480 channel our CEO on this a bit, which is, you know, supply 222 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:45.359 chain fraud or manipulation has as long as we've been on this earth, right, 223 00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:51.480 this is a massive problem. And creating transparency deep into our supply chains 224 00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:57.839 it we we create visibility so that companies can de risk what comes before them, 225 00:17:57.960 --> 00:18:03.440 they can have data driven information to make decisions, and they can create 226 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:11.039 competitive advantage. Right. Um. I think also when you talk about simply 227 00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:17.680 about emissions and maybe decarbonizing our world as well, eight supply chains have about 228 00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:22.160 fifty of our emissions. So if we are going to make the world healthier, 229 00:18:22.839 --> 00:18:26.079 um, and over time, we have to think beyond just our own 230 00:18:26.119 --> 00:18:33.759 actions, but beyond are we making systematic improvements that help our businesses have less 231 00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:41.640 risk, become more resilient, grow more healthy, and also um reduce emissions 232 00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:45.680 and things like that in our world. Okay, And I want to get 233 00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:49.200 into that a little bit about the emissions and whatnot, because there's you know, 234 00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:52.119 it seems like there's a lot of problems going on right now, whether 235 00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:56.519 it's um like I read a couple of articles, like you know, families 236 00:18:56.519 --> 00:19:00.400 are struggling. They're buying less. Literally, an article came out, families 237 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:03.920 are buying they're not buying the full meal at fast food places, they're only 238 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:07.960 getting the sandwich because they're trying to cut back because prices and inflation, and 239 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:11.960 or it's the problem of like the UK, the whole UK energy problem right 240 00:19:11.960 --> 00:19:17.000 now, all all the between the pipelines and all the prices they're gonna pay, 241 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:19.279 Like families are you know, not using as much heat. And so 242 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:23.960 my question is, like I understand a person like wants to do something good 243 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:27.720 for the environment and wants to make sure they're buying products that are responsibly sourced. 244 00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:33.480 But is that a luxury of a of of somebody maybe that's well off. 245 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:36.599 Is that a luxury of a first world or a person living in the 246 00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:38.680 first world? Um? Whereas instead, like you know, a family that 247 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:42.160 can't afford heat or a family that's struggling to pay their bills on food. 248 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:47.680 Um? Is it is that? I don't know, is that a problem 249 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:52.839 that is should be a concern to people maybe that can't worry about that. 250 00:19:53.920 --> 00:20:02.640 Um, you know, let's say this. I think there's a multiple multitude 251 00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:07.039 of benefits that come when you can see supply chains, and a lot of 252 00:20:07.079 --> 00:20:11.960 those are economic. Right, businesses can get a handle on their supply chains. 253 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:17.519 They're not waiting for materials, they're not losing money. Um, Customers 254 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:22.160 like you and I can see where our materials and our goods are. Uh, 255 00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:26.279 we can have lower costs, etcetera. So, yes, of course 256 00:20:26.519 --> 00:20:30.920 there's some climate there's some E s G benefits. But I think the foundation 257 00:20:32.119 --> 00:20:38.960 of what Circular is doing is providing visibility to companies and to consumers on what's 258 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:45.680 before them in terms of the supply chain, on what they're purchasing and um. 259 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:52.160 And that's and that visibility creates resilience and makes things stronger, right, 260 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:55.960 And I completely agree with you on that. You know, it's like it 261 00:20:56.079 --> 00:21:00.039 would a consumer by a product that's marginally more expensive, of knowing that that 262 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:04.000 product didn't harm you know, a whole bunch in in in the process of 263 00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:07.039 the of it being manufactured. And on top of that, it's like what 264 00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:11.880 I buy a product knowing that it can get recycled because I think you folks 265 00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:15.119 can trace the products even after they get recycled too. It's like I have 266 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:18.880 I have an extra I have my old iPhone laying on my table. I 267 00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:19.720 don't know what to do with it, you know, it's just sitting there. 268 00:21:19.880 --> 00:21:22.160 I don't know if it's gonna get recycled. But if it's one of 269 00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:25.759 those things where it's like, well, Alex, you could actually know for 270 00:21:25.799 --> 00:21:29.359 a fact that your iPhone will get recycled and here's all the parts where go 271 00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:33.799 because of the tracing or the tracking available to you. Now it's like that 272 00:21:33.880 --> 00:21:37.480 would certainly encourage my my buying decisions to sway one way versus the other. 273 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:42.160 Um, so can you explain to me how does the U like tracking the 274 00:21:42.200 --> 00:21:48.599 recycling go as well? Mm hmm um. Yeah. So I think what's 275 00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:53.319 interesting about tracking the potential for your iPhone is that it gets taken to recycler, 276 00:21:53.319 --> 00:21:57.839 it gets put into that system, it's digitalized within that system, and 277 00:21:57.880 --> 00:22:03.720 then it's purchased on the other side into a new material that stays within let's 278 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:08.759 say the US, and then that vexed iPhone creator can say, look, 279 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:17.240 this is made with recycled North American or US content. So these materials and 280 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:21.759 batteries can be recycled infinitely, right, So you want to create a circular 281 00:22:21.799 --> 00:22:27.240 economy where Alex's iPhone and what's in there stays in the America, in the 282 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:33.680 US and creates the next generation of materials. And by keeping it within the 283 00:22:33.720 --> 00:22:38.519 US, lower cost it's not transported so so far and so wide. UM, 284 00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:45.359 lower costs, local economies, local new business models that form, etcetera. 285 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:51.319 And then a new product that's made within US borders. Right. Yeah, 286 00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:55.440 that that makes perfect sense. It's like, um, knowing that your 287 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:59.960 your phone won't get shipped on out to another another country. Not that's bad, 288 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:03.240 it just going to be more carbon intense, more resource intenses. UM. 289 00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:04.720 Knowing that it wouldn't do that, and it would be able to stay 290 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:08.079 local and be repurposed, whether it maybe you know, for your home storage, 291 00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:11.319 battery or whatever the case may be. It's like that would be that 292 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:15.400 would be beneficial. Um. But it doesn't just sit on your bedside bureau 293 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:18.960 alex. They can go and it can be put to use, and it 294 00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:23.759 can be put into another application, um, you know, in a new 295 00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:29.079 battery application that's really good. You know, maybe it becomes a screen of 296 00:23:29.160 --> 00:23:33.559 some of a vehicle or something. And but to simply put is like that's 297 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:37.319 why the company is named Circular right to to tie in these products that that 298 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:41.839 can operate in a circle, correct, right, like the dead ends Circular 299 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:48.720 with the O R is Latin for coming together. So with our technology there 300 00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:52.640 is a linking and a sharing of information that opens up new business models, 301 00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:59.640 creates more economic value, drives down prices, etcetera. Um, and so 302 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:04.319 all of that's possible when information is shared and when there's collaboration across networks. 303 00:24:06.519 --> 00:24:08.160 See out of all the videos I watched, I didn't know that was Latin 304 00:24:10.599 --> 00:24:15.000 there. That's awesome. Um. Okay, so we covered a whole bunch 305 00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:18.000 of what you guys are you know, trying to do all the problems that 306 00:24:18.039 --> 00:24:22.079 you're currently solving. But obviously the podcast is called the Road Forward. So 307 00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:26.759 where do you see the future going? Both for the company Circular and for 308 00:24:27.160 --> 00:24:30.000 in Hold, just for society, for her you know, some of the 309 00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:33.759 maybe supply chain challenges that maybe you folks are seeing or are paying attention to. 310 00:24:33.799 --> 00:24:37.200 Where do where do you see that all all like the road? What 311 00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:38.839 is the road forward? Where do you see all this going? Yeah? 312 00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:47.319 I think what we're currently paying attention to is um the digital identities that are 313 00:24:47.319 --> 00:24:52.599 getting assigned to batteries, specifically to electric vehicle batteries ET cetera. So globally, 314 00:24:53.200 --> 00:25:00.759 um, those batteries in our new electrified economies are coming with proof of 315 00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:06.400 where it came from, etcetera. I think that's really the start two more 316 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:10.440 of our products that are important to us and knowing where they came from, 317 00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:18.960 and then building circular local, domestic circular economies around them. And so the 318 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:22.720 batteries are kind of the tip of the iceberg. And then using that information 319 00:25:22.920 --> 00:25:27.759 and that one example to apply to others and then create information sharing that builds 320 00:25:27.880 --> 00:25:34.279 up economic strength. Right. And like, honestly, um, your you 321 00:25:34.319 --> 00:25:40.079 guys are tackling a really important problem because we we it seems like that we 322 00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:45.319 are right at the cusp of this battery electrification future, right because I mean, 323 00:25:45.720 --> 00:25:48.960 like I don't I don't want to have a propane generator anymore. I'd 324 00:25:49.079 --> 00:25:53.759 rather have a battery on my wall and so it can power the house for 325 00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:56.920 the next three days instead of having some propane generator. Um, you know. 326 00:25:56.920 --> 00:26:02.240 So it's like and maybe those are you use batteries in that battery wall 327 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:04.319 box that have already had their first life and they go into their second life, 328 00:26:04.680 --> 00:26:08.519 and we're using the maximum capacity out of the assets and resources that we 329 00:26:08.599 --> 00:26:15.240 build right, and so with this, with this ever increasingly demand four batteries, 330 00:26:15.400 --> 00:26:18.839 you know, whether it's computers, phones, as solars storage. Um, 331 00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:22.160 you know, it's like and maybe it comes back to that whole the 332 00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:26.960 UK energy crisis. Like men imagine if you could put together a lot of 333 00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:32.279 batteries and solve some of their problems with storage. Right, with battery storage. 334 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:34.480 It's like you could source maybe materials that are a little bit cheaper and 335 00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:37.720 that would help with that. So yeah, it's it's you're doing excellent work. 336 00:26:37.880 --> 00:26:42.640 Um. Now you you mentioned earlier that off camera when we were talking 337 00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:47.039 you mentioned, um and also I saw Doug talk about it in another video 338 00:26:47.079 --> 00:26:49.839 that you guys just closed your series b um. So that's exciting news, 339 00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:56.039 right mm hmm, yeah, exactly. Um. It's led by the Wesley 340 00:26:56.079 --> 00:27:00.119 Group out of California, but we also have all the number of customer us 341 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:03.359 who are also our investors, Like we mentioned Jaguar Land Rover and they're in 342 00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:11.160 Motion Ventures Folto Cars and their UM and their venture capital ARM, Corporate Venture 343 00:27:11.160 --> 00:27:15.160 Capital ARM b HP and some others. So all of those came back to 344 00:27:15.240 --> 00:27:19.240 the back to the table. We also have a new investor in the Heritage 345 00:27:19.240 --> 00:27:25.200 Group for HD Ventures out of the US and working with them specifically on how 346 00:27:25.319 --> 00:27:32.519 businesses become more circular, more sustainable, and more UM connected in terms of 347 00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:37.200 using their resources efficiently. Right, and that's yeah, that's awesome. So 348 00:27:37.319 --> 00:27:41.000 you you investors all over the world are really seeing this, that this will 349 00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:45.960 be a massive problem and that you're trying to solve. Like you're trying to 350 00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:48.720 build this up to solve you know, maybe in five years, who knows 351 00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:51.640 where it's going to be. Uh, you know, it's like no one's 352 00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:53.920 gonna buy a ice car, right, it's gonna people are gonna buy vehicles 353 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:57.960 only. And so having building this out now, slowly but surely, it's 354 00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:03.000 certainly, like you said, laying the foundation for a much better integrated communicate 355 00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:10.279 communicative is that a weird time, Like a society that communicates UM with each 356 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:14.200 other? Right, like that you're laying the foundation for that exactly. And 357 00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:18.839 as I say, where there's challenge, there's opportunity. So yes, we've 358 00:28:18.839 --> 00:28:23.400 got some massive challenges to solve. Um. You know, creating visibility and 359 00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:29.680 connected engagement in terms of solving even that it's really is really the key and 360 00:28:29.880 --> 00:28:36.519 UM and yeah, this is we're going to move into greater visibility traceability of 361 00:28:36.519 --> 00:28:41.279 of what we purchase in society. Right, that's that's awesome. UM. 362 00:28:41.720 --> 00:28:48.000 Last question would be around customers. I think I saw Doug showed a picture 363 00:28:48.119 --> 00:28:52.200 of some of the customers and Mercedes was listed on there. Um, Like, 364 00:28:52.759 --> 00:28:55.839 who else are your customers that you guys can share or that you can 365 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:59.480 share, Allen? Who what other customers do you have? Any any semitruck 366 00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:03.440 companies are are you customers? No? Diame their hounds, uh, diamon 367 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:06.640 their own freight liner. I think so they might or something like that. 368 00:29:06.720 --> 00:29:10.160 So maybe maybe the next electric semi trucks that we're gonna be getting, we'll 369 00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:12.559 have batteries that we're traced by you folks, right, yeah, yeah, 370 00:29:12.599 --> 00:29:18.160 maybe maybe yeah? We Um. Maybe one that is not on the downstream 371 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:23.240 side of things is our customer b HP. UH. They do sustainable, 372 00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:30.160 low carbon, responsible nickel production UH and copper production. We've done that with 373 00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:34.720 them, proving both that energy and effort they put into the upstream to create 374 00:29:34.759 --> 00:29:41.039 that responsible sustainable nickel and copper and then ensuring that that gets to the end 375 00:29:41.799 --> 00:29:45.839 end user and their customer all the way at the downstream. So that's really 376 00:29:45.880 --> 00:29:49.519 an interesting example of a customer. We don't just serve the O E M 377 00:29:49.559 --> 00:29:52.759 S, but we serve the upstream as well, who are doing great work 378 00:29:53.119 --> 00:29:59.079 in pulling those minerals and resources out of the ground. Wow okay, yeah 379 00:29:59.119 --> 00:30:02.680 I pulled I pulled them up on the website. Yeah wow. Okay. 380 00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:04.799 So not just O E M S, but really, um, a bunch 381 00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:08.359 of a huge variety of customers that are really going to be maybe in the 382 00:30:08.359 --> 00:30:11.680 next couple of years, helping us, you know, be better stewards of 383 00:30:11.680 --> 00:30:14.839 this planet, right, because you know, until we get to Mars, 384 00:30:14.880 --> 00:30:18.440 unfortunately, got to take care of the rock we're currently on. That's right, 385 00:30:18.759 --> 00:30:22.839 That's right, and we we all have to get engaged together to do 386 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:25.319 so. All right, that's gonna do it for this show. Let me 387 00:30:25.359 --> 00:30:27.559 know in the comments where you think, leave us a review, and thanks 388 00:30:27.559 --> 00:30:32.319 to Ellen for coming on the show, and there you there. Link will 389 00:30:32.359 --> 00:30:36.000 be in the description below and links to all the articles and whatnot that we 390 00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:41.880 talked about. And I'll see you next week. M