Raising the Bar for Our Planet – An Interview With Terum Co-Founder Garrett Riggio
TechCulture
5 min read
We sat down with Garrett Riggio, co-founder of Terum, a unique technology startup. Terum’s mission is to build the world’s largest social platform to educate, inspire, and raise the bar for our planet. They aim to deeply engage users to contribute to environmental causes and each other. Their core values are transparency, protecting, and defending customers’ privacy, data, and dignity in all of their designs.
Garrett, thank you for joining us! Can you tell us a little bit about Terum and your mission?
Thank you for having me! Our mission is to build the world’s largest social platform to educate, inspire, and raise the bar for our planet. We aim to deeply engage our users to contribute to environmental causes and each other. Our core values are transparency and protecting and defending customers’ privacy, data, and dignity in all of our designs.
Sounds fascinating! What inspired you to start Terum?
I have been heavily involved in sustainability startups, scale-up, and trying to impact our environmental, business, and social opportunities. One of my most extensive missions has been with TheRedRoadFoundation.org, where we are working to build sustainable economies, education, reduce inequality and take on the use and abuse of plastics. I was found by Steffen, one of the founders of the early hour, through a mutual friend and saw how amazing. Talented and driven, our team found solutions that can help connect us and empower our efforts. We decided to use technology for speed and impact.
Very inspiring, in so many ways. What were the most significant challenges you’ve faced when starting?
Alignment and financial are always the most complex business case to crack. So it is so early in our development generating revenue while acting as almost an NGO is complex. But for us, empowering and learning from the everyday environmentalist and bright minds of the world is step one in building the infrastructure for positive change.
Seems like you have overcome that gracefully. Do you feel there are fundamental differences between different generations when using your product/service?
We are the first social platform and eventually tech company building a holistic all-in-one tool for connection, playing, and shopping with eco-focused people, products, and services.
So it seems like everyone can hop on board! How do you differentiate yourself from competitors?
We are the outcasts, the outliers, and the everyday moms and dads who want to make a change and look at the full view to find real, everyday solutions that impact.
I always root for the underdogs! Do you have any plans to extend to other countries or markets?
Yes, we will start in the US, where one of our founders and CEO Julia Marhan is located. But being a German based startup, it will also be an important a hub for us this year. We expect rapid growth in the following year in other countries based on interest.
Exciting times lie ahead, it seams. What would you say was the most memorable experience in the entire process?
Building a new family with a very unique and unorthodox team. But the talent is INSANE, and we have some incredible supporters.
Nice! What strategies do you use to overcome stress and the inevitable roadblocks for moving forward?
The distribution and content are always going to be the main challenge. Also, making sure the value we add is unlike any other, we walk the oath we preach. Being an active environmentalist is also tricky when you have a life that may not be able to support a lot of the buoy changes. But this is why we need to build understanding and Awareness around the empowerment of environmentalists.
Great advice, I may need to use some of that myself! Which target market would be ideal for your product/service?
Anybody who wants to help better our planet is actually the definition of an environmentalist.
I would hope that applies to a wide range of people! What has the overall feedback been from customers/vendors regarding your products/ services?
While the product is still in beta test, we are racing to develop it by March. Or we will launch better to her already growing subscriber list.
I would love to be a beta tester! Who has been your greatest source of inspiration?
I would love that! For inspiration, Mother Earth herself. I know for me, just being in nature and surrounded by the incredible forces of our planet gives me all the inspiration in the world to protect our home.
I can cerainly attest to that. What are your greatest fears moving forward?
I fear that we don’t come together as humanity, that we persist the same issues and ignore what is truly happening out of fear or lack of understanding. But I feel this more as an opportunity in fear and am excited to tackle it.
Yes, that is the cause of so much existential dread. How have the recent economic events affected your business? What have you done to adapt?
I think the recent economic events have more affected us personally, as we have families and work and of course, everything became more complex. But the use of technology and continuing to make an effort to build quality internal and external relationships have allowed us to adapt and evolve and still build those critical relationships and sense of culture.
Adapt and evolve, that is my life motto! What advice would you give to your past self or a new entrepreneur?
Just keep going. Persistence in something which you are passionate I feel purpose in brings you the most success. Always remember why you are doing it, and stay the course.
Sound advice! What do you believe is the best way to move forward regarding the climate crisis?
I hope that with documentaries like Don’t Look Up and other influencers coming out to accelerate the infrastructure and awareness to save our planet, while seeking the tools like TERUM to make it happen, we can certainly create a positive impact in this regard. No one person or company can get it done, it must be a collective goal.
Garret, thank you so much for your time today. Where can readers learn more about Terum?
The pleasure is all mine. Readers can learn more by visiting our website at terum.org.
