Social Impact Heroes: Why & How Pablo Vidarte of Bioo Decided To Change Our World
A major problem now is that our day-to-day life often consists of jumping from screen to screen, living in concrete cities. Studies show that engaging with plants has a positive impact on humans from an emotional and psychological perspective. If we can create a global consciousness of nature, we can lead the way to a greener future. My goal with Bioo is to generate electricity from nature but also nourish our cities by embedding sustainable plant life into our daily environments.
As part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Pablo Vidarte, Chief Executive Officer of Arkyne Technologies, as well as the inventor and developer of Bioo, Arkyne’s leading project for the generation of electricity from soil and plants’ photosynthesis. His areas of work include business management, engineering and finances.
Vidarte has also led the development of geo-localization tracking hardwares, evolutionary artificial intelligence softwares and systems for the organic generation of hydrogen in rivers for clean fuel applications.
With more than 20 internationally renowned awards, Vidarte was listed in the Forbes Under 30 Europe list at the age of 20. He’s led his company to prestigious recognitions including the top 50 Most Innovative Startups of Europe by the European Parliament and the Most Disruptive Company of the Year by Google and South Summit. Vidarte has also seen numerous accolades across London, Vienna, Bucharest, Prague, Sofia, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid and Brussels, among others.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Bioo is literally a dream come true. I’d been studying engineering and had worked on quite a few hardware and software projects within the energy sector. One night I had a dream about using a plant leaf as a solar panel. I woke up determined to see if I could create a sustainable energy source using natural, sustainable resources. I built a team of students, teachers and biotech industry experts, and we conducted a one-year independent study to unearth the potential of this concept. We discovered that we could produce electricity from soil and plant photosynthesis, and even use plants as biological switches. From there, Bioo was born.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
Leading Bioo has been an extraordinary experience. I went from having a dream to building a team, to having Bioo named one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in Europe by the European Parliament. Speaking in front of more than 800 people at the European Parliament about how Bioo can help lead the world to a greener future was truly a life-changing moment. Looking out into such an aspirational audience sparked something inside of me. It truly confirmed by belief that we each hold the key to changing the planet and steering it to a brighter, greener future.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
To date, the Bioo research and development team has created 11 different sustainable batteries, all nourished from a natural environment. However, it wasn’t easy. The first batteries we created didn’t produce much energy, so we had to keep pushing to get the results we wanted. In the early stages of development, we actually pushed so hard we created an explosion in our lab! This glorious disaster was a true breakthrough, as it proved that with just soil and water you could literally create an explosion. It taught us to think of our batteries as not just a product but a live microorganism; a sustainable entity that needs to breathe. We now make different energy sources all with different focuses, including energy generation, improved terrain resilience and cost efficiency, but regardless of the batteries’ characteristics, we make sure to keep all of our energy sources as organic as possible, keeping this lesson in mind.
Can you describe how you or your organization is making a significant social impact?
A major problem now is that our day-to-day life often consists of jumping from screen to screen, living in concrete cities. Studies show that engaging with plants has a positive impact on humans from an emotional and psychological perspective. If we can create a global consciousness of nature, we can lead the way to a greener future. My goal with Bioo is to generate electricity from nature but also nourish our cities by embedding sustainable plant life into our daily environments.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
Rather than an individual or a niche group, we’re designing Bioo technology to be made for everyone, as we plan to see it incorporated as part of Smart Cities around the world. We have the technology to do everything from lighting street lamps using electricity from nature to creating engaging environments that truly improve the quality of life for all. We’re constantly considering how we can not only create the best products but also make sure they can realistically be embedded as part of cities, big and small, around the world.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
For me, leadership is always a fine balance between being the best you can be and trusting that your team is doing the same. That way we can all learn from each other. Leading by example is the best way to inspire a team, in my experience, but I also work hard to surround myself with the best talent I can find across disciplines so I can delegate responsibilities while letting the team know that I trust their expertise.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I want people to change their mindset and realize that living in dynamic cities doesn’t mean you need to live behind concrete walls. It’s time we return to living in symbiosis with nature instead of fighting for the most artificial environment. We’ve had the industrial revolution and the digital revolution, but now it’s time for the biotech revolution. When most people hear biotech, they think about the pharmaceutical industry but biotech can really help shape the world of the future. It’s my goal to spark a movement where nature and technology are merged to increase a global consciousness of nature and improve the quality of life.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
When I started Bioo the team knew how to create a sustainable battery using nature but we didn’t know how to industrialize the concept. There were times when we’d make progress then get pushed back again. Regardless, we were determined to never give up and we stayed focused. For this reason, this is one of my favorite quote:
“I’m convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the unsuccessful ones is pure perseverance.” — Steve Jobs
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Given his innovative thinking and global impact, I’d jump at the chance to have a conversation with Elon Musk.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Instagram and Facebook: @Bioo.Official Twitter: @BiooOfficial
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About The Author: Yitzi Weiner is a journalist, author, and the founder & Editor-In-Chief of Authority Magazine. The guiding principle behind all of Authority Magazine’s content is that good stories should be beautiful to heart, mind, and eyes.
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