The Solutionaries: The Project Management Power Behind Climate Innovation

Imagine making new materials from biology instead of plastic.
Or using AI to sort millions of pieces of recycling with machine precision.
Or producing protein not from land or livestock, but from the air itself.

These aren’t prototypes. They’re real climate solutions making an impact today through the work of Air Protein, Glacier, and Parley for the Oceans — the three organizations featured in The Solutionaries, a documentary series from PMI, TIME Studios, and Good is the New Cool.

Each organization is led by a visionary founder—Dr. Lisa Dyson, Rebecca Hu-Thrams, and Cyrill Gutsch—but their progress depends on something far less visible: project management that turns ideas into reality. And it’s that behind-the-scenes work that comes to life through three key contributors we meet in the series: Dr. Kripa Rao at Air Protein, Anisa Nuanes at Glacier, and Rémi Macario at Parley for the Oceans.

Our research on project success shows that delivering value today requires more than technical execution — it requires a broader mindset called M.O.R.E., which encourages project professionals to Manage perceptions, Own success, Relentlessly reassess, and Expand perspective.

These project management leaders embody elements of the M.O.R.E. mindset every day as they navigate the uncertainty, complexity, and fast-paced conditions and turn climate innovation ideas into real-world results.

Air Protein: Dr. Kripa Rao on turning research into reality

Air Protein uses AirFermentation™—a NASA-inspired process that converts elements of the air (CO₂, oxygen, nitrogen, water) into protein-rich powder. Founded by Solutionary Dr. Lisa Dyson, the company is pioneering a sustainable alternative to traditional protein sources. The company calls this emerging system the “Air Chain™”—a new category of ingredients designed for resilience, reliability, and production anywhere on Earth.

For Dr. Kripa Rao, one of Air Protein’s earliest contributors, the challenge is translating scientific discovery into reality. Her team’s work ranges from foundational research to designing Air Protein’s first commercial facility design. Her approach—structuring complex work, coordinating layers of research, and using tools like Gantt charts and communication plans—demonstrates how project management accelerates the path from idea to implementation.

Dr. Rao’s work also reflects the M.O.R.E. principle of owning success — not just project management success. Her team isn’t only advancing research; they’re ensuring it becomes usable and valuable.

Glacier: Anisa Nuanes on building systems for AI recycling

Glacier is reinventing recycling with AI-enabled robotics that identify, sort, and recover more than 50 categories of materials with unprecedented precision. Co-founded by Rebecca Hu-Thrams, Glacier is expanding its reach, with their robots already processing recycling streams for 1 in 10 Americans.

To build a system that merges hardware, software, machine learning, and operational deployment, careful planning and clear communication are crucial. That’s where Anisa Nuanes plays a pivotal role—aligning teams, clarifying goals, and ensuring efforts stay connected to the “big, sticky opportunities” that drive meaningful progress.

Her role also mirrors a key element of the M.O.R.E. mindset: managing perceptions across diverse stakeholders. Glacier’s work spans engineering disciplines, robotics, AI models, and recycling partners — and progress depends on clear communication about goals, constraints, and value.

Parley for the Oceans: Rémi Macario on bringing bio-based materials to market

Parley for the Oceans is driving a material revolution—introducing bio-based, low-impact alternatives to traditional plastics and helping global brands rethink how fashion is made. Founded by Solutionary Cyrill Gutsch, Parley works across biology, green chemistry, design, and manufacturing to develop replacements for materials contributing to ocean degradation.

In 2024, Parley intercepted 1.6 million kg of marine debris, protecting more than 16 million square meters of coastal ecosystems. Parley’s recent collaboration with Dior—creating a beachwear capsule collection using Parley Ocean Plastic®—shows how these material innovations are already finding their way into high-end fashion.

Moving these materials into production requires coordination across timelines, partnerships, prototypes, and product cycles. That’s where Rémi Macario’s role becomes essential. He works at the intersection of design, partners like Dior, and Parley’s Future Materials team—managing expectations, aligning calendars, and ensuring new materials can make the leap from concept to production.

His work also integrates a familiar reality highlighted in the M.O.R.E. mindset — that delivering value often requires repeatedly reassessing project parameters as conditions change. In fashion innovation, materials fail, timelines shift, and new discoveries emerge, and Rémi helps teams adapt without losing momentum.

What it takes to deliver climate innovation

The Solutionaries are transforming how the world tackles plastic pollution, recycling, and sustainable food production.

But their impact depends on the people behind the scenes: practitioners applying project management to organize complexity, align teams, reduce risk, and move ideas into the world.

Project management is the engine that makes climate solutions scalable, reliable, and real.

If work like this inspires you to build climate impact into your own projects, our Green Project Manager–Basic™ (GPM-b)™ certification offers a practical way to start. The GPM-b equips project professionals with the foundations of sustainable project delivery — helping them integrate environmental, economic, and social considerations into everyday decisions. It’s a strong step for anyone who wants to apply a sustainability lens to their work and deliver project outcomes that create long-term value.

Tags: Sustainability | Project Management | Innovation | Environment | Transformation

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