Community Spotlight Update: Olivia Pedersen - Sustaio
The Deming Center for Entrepreneurship is excited to share an update on former spotlight feature, Olivia Pedersen!
is the Founder & CEO of , a platform that empowers individuals to achieve a sustainable lifestyle with a Sustaio Score.
91Ƭ Sustaio
Sustaio is a business-to-business-to-consumer company using data to serve businesses. The Sustaio Score, similar to a credit score, quantifies one’s environmental impact in emissions, water usage, and consumption. The Sustaio Score leverages both sides of the market (consumer and industry) to help companies build stronger customer and employee relationships while measuring and improving their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. Imagine a world where you can get access to better pricing based on having a healthy climate impact!
Sustaio allows individuals to identify what habits in their daily lives cause negative, or positive climate impact. Through a brief quiz on the Sustaio website, an individual can get their Sustaio score. Sustaio takes in factors such as zip code, diet, and lifestyle behaviors when calculating your score.
Once you have your Sustaio Score, Sustaio provides ways to reduce your environmental impact and develop better habits with Impact Habit Scorecards. Olivia envisions a future where businesses take into account consumers’ Sustaio scores and incentivize a shift toward a more sustainable lifestyle. Check your Sustaio score !
What's New?
In the fall of 2021, Olivia and the Sustaio team participated in a three-month Techstars accelerator in Alabama. She reflects on her experience:
“It was an amazing way to develop and evolve my business. I met a ton of new people and had a great experience. I would recommend that any first-time founder participates in an accelerator because it helps you learn much more than you would on your own.”
See Olivia’s Demo Day pitch !
The Sustaio team has formed a strategic partnership with . At this festival, the Sustaio platform will serve as a tool to take the learnings of the films into action.
Currently, Olivia is focused on securing Sustaio's initial customers.
Challenges faced
Olivia comments on the challenges she has faced with Sustaio:
“I come from the world of design, I've been a brand graphic designer for the last 10 years and now I'm running a technology company, so to step into a completely new world. Those are two very different things. I’ve been learning a lot of new skills and how to combine the two worlds.”
Opportunities for students
Sustaio is constantly looking for interns who are excited to work on climate technology and are passionate about educating and empowering others on climate impact. The team is also searching for people interested in marketing, business development, and software development.
If you are interested in learning more about internship opportunities with Sustaio, with the team!
Advice for current students
Olivia provides the following advice to aspiring entrepreneurs,
“Go work for as many different companies/industries as you can and get experience under your belt. There’s a lot of value that can come from working in different environments and pursuing new opportunities. Eventually, you’ll find the one you want to be in long-term.”