In this episode, HighGround co‑hosts Tom Constable and Jamie Crisp explore entrepreneurial life in the land‑based sector through the story of Rob Palmer, a former RAF weapons‑systems engineer and Royal Engineer officer who now leads a biochar start‑up.
Rob candidly recounts his meandering journey: after dropping out of university and joining the RAF, he saw his Nimrod fleet cancelled on the day of his final exam. He transferred to the Army via Sandhurst, serving in bomb disposal, airborne engineering and training roles before deciding to leave the forces.
Rob initially pursued “safe” corporate roles but, through networking and never turning down a coffee, he met former colleagues who introduced him to carbon‑removal technologies. He joined the Future Forest Company (now Undo) as Director of Innovation, helping operationalise projects in afforestation, enhanced rock weathering and biochar.
Inspired by the potential of biochar, a porous form of charcoal made via pyrolysis that locks carbon into soil and enhances water and nutrient retentionpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govbiochar-us.org Rob launched Tera Carbon.
His company partners with a Kenyan group to convert sugar‑cane waste into biochar, improving degraded soils and sequestering carbon. Rob shares the realities of start‑up life: fundraising, hiring, financial risk and wearing multiple hats. Throughout, he emphasises the transferable skills that veterans bring-work ethic, adaptability, leadership and a willingness to learn and urges service‑leavers to build networks, test their assumptions and be open to unexpected opportunities.
00:00 Introduction: Tom & Jamie explain that this episode focuses on entrepreneurialism in the land‑based sector.
02:42 Meet Rob Palmer: A “university dropout” turned RAF weapons‑systems engineer who then served as a bomb‑search commander and parachute engineer officer in the Army.
04:52 Career crossroads: Nimrod cancellation leaves Rob in limbo; a CO encourages him to find purpose, leading him to commission into the Royal Engineers.
07:02 Transition decisions: Facing parenthood and a desire for stability, Rob explores corporate graduate schemes but remains unsure of his direction.
08:55 The power of networking: Rob describes his “never say no to coffee” rule, which ultimately leads to a pivotal introduction to the Future Forest Company via his CO.
10:41 Carbon‑removal technologies: Rob discusses early work at the Future Forest Company/Undo, operationalising science projects in afforestation, enhanced rock weathering and biochar.
12:35 Biochar & pyrolysis explained: Biochar is produced by heating biomass in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis), producing a stable, porous form of charcoalpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. When added to soil it improves pH, structure and water‑holding capacitypmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Its physical and chemical nature allows it to attract and hold moisture and nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorusbiochar-us.org, providing...
