# Alex Blum: $1200 Houses, Plant-based Plastics, Political Activism, and BioFi | Hard Tech Podcast #11

- Show: [Hard Tech Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast)
- Published: 2023-08-20
- Length: 1h 24m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-08-20-alex-blum-1200-houses-plant-based-plastics-political-activism-and-biofi-hard-tec
- Listen: https://rss.com/podcasts/hardtechpodcast/1083210

## Summary

Alex Blum, co-founder and CEO of Applied Bioplastics, discusses his company's plant-based biocomposites, specifically the refugee shelter material Betterboard and the injection-moldable thermoplastic BioFi. He explains how Applied Bioplastics avoids the common failure mode of bioplastics startups by licensing their cellulose-compatibilizing technology to existing compounders rather than building factories, ensuring commodity pricing and compatibility with standard industry equipment. Blum also details the company's low-tech, hand-layup manufacturing process for shelters that empowers local communities in disaster zones, and shares his personal philosophy on employee retention and his response to a severe health diagnosis.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-08-20-alex-blum-1200-houses-plant-based-plastics-political-activism-and-biofi-hard-tec#t=3) Introduction: Alex Blum and Applied Bioplastics
- [0:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-08-20-alex-blum-1200-houses-plant-based-plastics-political-activism-and-biofi-hard-tec#t=34) The Bioplastics Industry: Failure, Price, and Disposal Challenges
- [5:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-08-20-alex-blum-1200-houses-plant-based-plastics-political-activism-and-biofi-hard-tec#t=334) Applied Bioplastics Company Overview and Funding
- [7:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-08-20-alex-blum-1200-houses-plant-based-plastics-political-activism-and-biofi-hard-tec#t=433) Betterboard: $1200 Refugee Shelters and Local Manufacturing
- [20:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-08-20-alex-blum-1200-houses-plant-based-plastics-political-activism-and-biofi-hard-tec#t=1250) Sustainable Agriculture: Sourcing Biomass from Ukraine and Invasive Species
- [28:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-08-20-alex-blum-1200-houses-plant-based-plastics-political-activism-and-biofi-hard-tec#t=1704) Blum's Activism, Documentary, and Rohingya Crisis Work
- [49:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-08-20-alex-blum-1200-houses-plant-based-plastics-political-activism-and-biofi-hard-tec#t=2940) Employee Retention Strategy: Ubuntu, Autonomy, and Low Burn Rate
- [59:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-08-20-alex-blum-1200-houses-plant-based-plastics-political-activism-and-biofi-hard-tec#t=3570) Blum's Health Struggle and Business Succession Planning
- [1:06:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-08-20-alex-blum-1200-houses-plant-based-plastics-political-activism-and-biofi-hard-tec#t=3983) BioFi: Thermoplastic Composites and Licensing Model
- [1:14:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2023-08-20-alex-blum-1200-houses-plant-based-plastics-political-activism-and-biofi-hard-tec#t=4463) Why Bioplastics Startups Fail: The Three Lies and Applied's Rules

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Applied Bioplastics (company)
- Betterboard (product)
- BioFi (product)
- Juten (product)
- Mercedes (company)
- Coke Industries (company)
- Shell (company)
- BP (company)
- United Nations (other)
- FEMA (other)
- Docubay (other)
- Amazon (company)
- Monday.com (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The Human Driver of Sustainable Manufacturing w/ Mark Remmert](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-04-25-the-human-driver-of-sustainable-manufacturing-w-mark-remmert) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Meet The HIBT Fellows: Dinesh Tadepalli & Jennifer Zeitler](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-05-25-meet-the-hibt-fellows-dinesh-tadepalli-jennifer-zeitler) (How I Built This)
- [304: How to Build a Manufacturing Company from First Principles with Supersede CEO Sean Petterson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-09-29-304-how-to-build-a-manufacturing-company-from-first-principles-with-supersede-ce) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [HIBT Lab! UNLESS Collective: Eric Liedtke](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-05-16-hibt-lab-unless-collective-eric-liedtke) (How I Built This)
- [Re-imagining the Future of Packaging with Insiya Jafferjee, Co-founder & CEO at Shellworks](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-09-29-re-imagining-the-future-of-packaging-with-insiya-jafferjee-co-founder-ceo-at-she) (Hardware to Save a Planet)

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