What if the solution to plastic pollution was already swimming in the ocean? Lucy Hughes asked this question as a design student, and it led her from a Sussex fish processing plant to winning the international James Dyson Award.

MarinaTex is developing home compostable materials from seafood waste and algae that biodegrade in under six weeks—stronger than the plastic they replace. The company started in Lucy's kitchen during COVID and is now preparing for commercial launch.

This episode is an honest conversation about building hard tech as a solo founder. Lucy shares why the Silicon Valley playbook fails for deep tech, how she built her network when she couldn't meet anyone in person, the real cost of hiring your first employee, and why knowing your weaknesses might be the greatest strength a founder can have.

4. Key Topics Cove ...