#211: Max Pennington (CLEANR) — Microplastics, Macro Solutions

Max Pennington is the Co-Founder & CEO of CLEANR, an innovative company that uses filters to prevent microplastics from entering water streams. 

Max graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Chemical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, where he co-developed CLEANR’s innovative VORTX filtration technologyb. Inspired by nature, VORTX biomimcry is capable of removing over 90% of microplastics from washing machine wastewater. Microplastics pollution is a severe and growing environmental crisis, with trillions of tiny plastic particles contaminating ecosystems worldwide, affecting marine life, human health, and the overall environmental balance. Under Max's leadership, CLEANR has garnered significant recognition, including the American Filtration and Separation Society’s New Product of the Year Award for 2024, and has raised approximately $7 million in funding, positioning it at the forefront of the fight against microplastics pollution

With washing machines identified as the #1 source of microplastic pollution, CLEANR’s biomimicry filtration solutions are not only essential but increasingly requisite. The company is actively partnering with major universities and sustainability organizations, implementing their retrofit filters at campuses nationwide and is collaborating closely with leading global washing machine manufacturers to integrate VORTX directly into new appliances, aiming to make sustainability an effortless choice for consumers.

I came away from this conversation inspired as Max exudes passion for solving this problem and has been incredibly impressive organize to that end. Please enjoy this awesome conversation with Max Pennington

00:00:00 - The Invisible Crisis of Microplastics  
00:08:51 - The ThinkBox: A Hub for Innovation  
00:15:14 - Engineering Solutions: The Vortex Filter  
00:22:52 - Cleaner: A Filtration Technology Company  
00:29:43 - Navigating Market Strategies and Regulations  
00:36:16 - Understanding the Challenge of Selling Solutions  
00:38:55 - Fundraising and Vision for Cleaner  
00:42:17 - Iterative Design and Prototyping Process  
00:45:55 - Differentiation and Competitive Strategy  
00:48:20 - Excitement for Market Launch and Consumer Impact  
00:51:28 - Leadership Lessons from the Entrepreneurial Journey  
00:54:45 - Overcoming Challenges in Product Development  
00:58:03 - Radical Ideas for Addressing Microplastic Pollution  
01:02:25 - Cleveland's Role in the Fight Against Microplastics  
01:03:55 - Hidden Gem

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LINKS:
https://www.cleanr.life/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-t-pennington/

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Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland)<