Episode 11 - The Mechanics of Innovation with Rachel Burton
In this engaging episode of EIR Live, Rachel Burton, an accomplished entrepreneur, innovator, and biofuels expert, shares her remarkable journey from mechanic to leading authority in bioenergy and innovation. Rachel discusses how her unconventional path—starting with agriculture and mechanics—led to founding Piedmont Biofuels, pioneering sustainability initiatives, and later influencing global bioenergy commercialization strategies at Novozymes. With vivid anecdotes, Rachel emphasizes the importance of risk-taking, problem-solving through innovation, and the essential role of water infrastructure in industrial processes. Entrepreneurs, innovators, and educators will find her insights invaluable as she navigates from hands-on problem-solving to strategic innovation roles within large corporations and academia. This conversation underscores the power of charting one's own path and embracing the unexpected opportunities that arise along the entrepreneurial journey.
Chapters:
- [00:00:00] Introduction & Key Takeaways Preview
- [00:07:29] Guest Introduction & Networking Connections
- [00:08:45] Rachel's Accidental Entry into Entrepreneurship
- [00:13:37] From Transmission Repair to Trade School
- [00:17:11] The Early Biofuels Industry Landscape
- [00:21:14] Scaling from Pilot to Commercial Production
- [00:25:00] Innovation Born from Water Infrastructure Challenges
- [00:29:08] Transition to Novozymes & Corporate Culture Shock
- [00:32:47] Pace Differences: Startup vs. Corporate
- [00:36:23] Becoming an EIR at UNC Chapel Hill
- [00:39:24] The Role of Connective Tissue in Innovation
- [00:43:50] Academic vs. Commercial Incentive Alignment
- [00:46:47] North Carolina's Collaborative Ecosystem
- [00:51:11] Evolution of the EIR Role & Venture Studios
- [00:54:12] Teaching Entrepreneurship with AI Tools
- [00:56:51] Dream EIR Opportunities in AgTech & Biotech
- [00:58:32] Reshaping the PhD Experience for Innovation
- [01:02:16] Building a Home Lab During COVID
- [01:04:55] Connecting with Rachel & Closing Thoughts
Key Takeaways:
- Innovation often arises from necessity—embrace problems as opportunities.
- Taking unconventional paths can lead to pioneering opportunities in emerging sectors.
- Collaboration between academia, industry, and entrepreneurship fosters robust innovation ecosystems.
- Effective entrepreneurs navigate both startup and corporate cultures adeptly.
- Venture studios provide critical support for deep-tech startups, significantly accelerating innovation and commercialization.
Notable Quotes:
"If you're a startup founder, you don't really know any other pace." [00:00:51] – Rachel Burton
"Necessity is my favorite driver for innovation." [00:28:40] – Ilya Tabakh
"There's something special about North Carolina as a state where they want to work with each other." [00:46:47] – Terrance Orr
"Farmers in many countries are natural innovators because necessity being the mother of invention." [01:04:03] – Rachel Burton
Organizations & Resources Mentioned:
- Piedmont Biofuels - https://x.com/piedmontbiofuel
- Novozymes (now Novonesis) - https://www.novozymes.com/en
- Activate Fellows - https://www.activate.org/
- Flagship Pioneering - https://www.flagshippioneering.com/
- ProcessWerx - https://processwerx.com/
North Carolina Ecosystem Resources:
- Research Triangle Park (RTP) - https://www.rtp.org/
- UNC Kickstart Venture Services - https://innovate.unc.edu/startup-accelerators-and-venture-services/kickstart-venture-services/
- NC IDEA - https://ncidea.org/
- North Carolina Center for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) - https://cednc.org/
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - https://www.unc.edu/
- Duke University - https://duke.edu/
- NC State University - https://www.ncsu.edu/
- Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC) - https://www.ncsbc.net/
Connect with Rachel Burton:
Connect with EIR Live:
- Terrance Orr on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/terranceorr
- Ilya Tabakh on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ilyatabakh
- Website: eir.live
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/eirlive
- YouTube: youtube.com/@EIRLive
- Twitter: twitter.com/EIRLive_show
- Suggest Guest
- (00:00) - Introduction & Key Takeaways Preview
- (07:29) - Guest Introduction & Networking Connections
- (08:45) - Rachel's Accidental Entry into Entrepreneurship
- (13:37) - From Transmission Repair to Trade School
- (17:11) - The Early Biofuels Industry Landscape
- (21:14) - Scaling from Pilot to Commercial Production
- (25:00) - Innovation Born from Water Infrastructure Challenges
- (29:08) - Transition to Novozymes & Corporate Culture Shock
- (32:47) - Pace Differences: Startup vs. Corporate
- (36:23) - Becoming an EIR at UNC Chapel Hill
- (39:24) - The Role of Connective Tissue in Innovation
- (43:50) - Academic vs. Commercial Incentive Alignment
- (46:47) - North Carolina's Collaborative Ecosystem
- (51:11) - Evolution of the EIR Role & Venture Studios
- (54:12) - Teaching Entrepreneurship with AI Tools
- (56:51) - Dream EIR Opportunities in AgTech & Biotech
- (58:32) - Reshaping the PhD Experience for Innovation
- (02:16) - Building a Home Lab During COVID
- (04:55) - Connecting with Rachel & Closing Thoughts
Creators and Guests
Host
Ilya Tabakh
Infrastructure Innovation Strategist | Building the Future of AI & Energy Systems | Co-host @ EIR Live & Powering the AI Stack 🎙️
Host
Terrance Orr
EIR & Fractional Executive | Strategic Advisor | Founder-CEO Coach | Ecosystem Builder | Co-Host, EIR Live🎙️
Guest
Rachel Burton
Rachel Burton is a biofuels pioneer who founded Piedmont Biofuels in 2005 after an unconventional journey from auto mechanic to entrepreneur, driving innovation in sustainable energy through necessity-based problem solving. She later served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at UNC Chapel Hill, leveraging her 15+ years of experience scaling technologies from concept to commercial success across energy, biotech, and circular economy sectors.
