Episode 111: Max Rünzel Regenpreneur Story - Thinking Globally while Acting Locally

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Welcome back to the Seeds of Tao Podcast, we have another great interview with a regenerative entrepreneur this week, a true systems changer. Josh interviews Max Rünzel, Co-Founder and CEO of HiveTracks, who is revolutionizing the way beekeepers can gather data, and changing the narrative of the value of biodiversity to the masses. Max shares his entrepreneurial journey through travel and study, involvement with the United Nations, and learning to bring big visions to market as an entrepreneur. He also goes into his experience with getting funding rounds and building capital as a regenerative enterprise to expand his positive impact in the world. You can also check out his WeFunder Campaign.

Show Notes:

• 5:15 - Max explains the two problems his business, HiveTracks is solving in the world
• 10:20 - Beekeeping is globally local
• 13:30 - Max talks about his heritage and global citizen mindset
• 17:00 - Max shares how his rural development focus led him to the UN, which had a very unique environment
• 21:00 - Max notes the round table discussion at the UN discussing the potential for tracking bee data
• 22:30 - Max gets introduced to James Wilkes, the founder of HiveTracks
• 26:00 - Max meets Laura and they start really working together with James to re-launch this business
• 34:00 - Max shares their big goal with HiveTracks, is to make bee health and biodiversity mainstream KPIs to how we see our world.
• 37:00 - Max discusses the way to get the world to care about nature and biodiversity through associating value
• 44:00 - Max talks about his journey into getting funding
• 48:00 - Max shares the nuances of funding, and building your capital stack
• 52:00 - Max goes over the takeaways he hopes you have from this episode

Guest Bio:

Max Rünzel - LinkedIn Profile

Max joined HiveTracks following his appointments with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), where he worked on digital tools to empower smallholder producers. Being fluent in six languages and having lived on three continents, Max believes in a truly global solution to improving bee health.

Host Bio:

Joshua Prieto - LinkedIn Profile

Josh is the Co-Founder and Director of the Seeds of Tao learning platform for regenerative entrepreneurs. He has over 10 years of experience creating, building, and operating startup solutions alongside entrepreneurs of all shapes and sizes. That experience has shown him that entrepreneurs have the biggest role to play in the Anthropocene as we either create the solutions for, or become the root problem of, our people, planet, and future. Josh now co-creates educational programs that disrupt the current way our entrepreneurs learn. His holistically designed educational programs empower entrepreneurs to stop chasing “silver-bullet” solutions and start designing solutions that use regenerative systems.

Blog Post:

Beekeeping and the Regenerative Movement: Technological Advances, Entrepreneurship, and the Role of Beekeepers

Beekeeping is an essential component of the regenerative movement, which aims to promote sustainable agriculture, restore ecological balance, and improve biodiversity. In recent years, technological advances have transformed beekeeping, creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs and beekeepers to contribute to the regenerative movement. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of beekeepers in the regenerative movement, the role of entrepreneurship in beekeeping, and the technological advances that are shaping the future of beekeeping.

Max, the founder of HiveTracks, a beekeeping software company, explains that his business is solving two problems in the world. The first is the declining population of bees and other pollinators, which threatens food security and ecological balance. The second is the lack of data and information about bees and their habitats, which makes it difficult to track and monitor their health.

Beekeeping is "globally local," as Max explains. While the challenges facing beekeepers and pollinators are global, the solutions are often local and community-driven. Beekeepers can play a crucial role in promoting regenerative agriculture, restoring ecological balance, and supporting local communities.

Max's heritage and global citizen mindset have influenced his work, and he sees beekeeping as a way to connect people and promote biodiversity. His rural development focus led him to the United Nations, where he participated in a roundtable discussion about the potential for tracking bee data. This discussion led him to James Wilkes, the founder of HiveTracks, and Laura, who worked with them to re-launch the business.

Their big goal with HiveTracks is to make bee health and biodiversity mainstream KPIs for how we see our world. Max believes that by associating value with nature and biodiversity, we can get the world to care about it. Funding has been an important part of their journey, and Max shares the nuances of funding and building a capital stack.

Technological advances are shaping the future of beekeeping, with HiveTracks being a prime example. The software helps beekeepers track and monitor the health of their hives, collect data, and share information with other beekeepers. This technology has the potential to transform the beekeeping industry, promote sustainable practices, and improve biodiversity.

In conclusion, beekeeping and the regenerative movement are closely linked, with beekeepers playing a crucial role in promoting sustainable agriculture, restoring ecological balance, and improving biodiversity. Entrepreneurship and technological advances are creating new opportunities for beekeepers to contribute to the regenerative movement, and HiveTracks is one example of how technology can help monitor and track the health of bees and their habitats. By working together, beekeepers, entrepreneurs, and communities can create a sustainable future for all.