The modern world is a concrete jungle, and cement — a binding agent — is concrete’s key ingredient. It’s also one of the least climate-friendly materials. Used for housing, transportation and commerce, it produces nearly 10% of the world’s carbon pollution. But concrete that removes CO2 from the atmosphere could change all that.

We’re excited to announce that Rick Fox — three-time NBA champion, philanthropist, serial entrepreneur and now startup founder — will join us on the Sustainability Stage for a session called “Doing Something Concrete on Climate,” at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023, which takes place September 19–21 in San Francisco.

You might know Rick Fox from his role playing small forward for the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers — or from his many acting roles in movies and television. Now, in his role as founder and CEO of carbon-negative concrete startup Partanna, he is focused on “leaving something behind” by making a dent in climate change.

We’re looking forward to learning more about Fox’s journey as a startup founder, Partanna’s genesis and why he chose concrete. We’re also curious to hear about how the company plans to use the $12 million in pre-seed funding it recently received from Cherubic Ventures, its current product demand, its timing for a Series A and what future growth looks like.

Clearly, we have a lot to talk about. Don’t miss this session with a startup that could potentially turn the concrete jungle into a giant carbon sponge.

Rick Fox: Partanna founder and CEO

After retiring from the NBA, Rick Fox pursued a career in television and entertainment, bringing championship-level leadership to the acting and business worlds. He has more than 200 movie and TV episode credits to his name, as either an actor or a producer.

In 2015, Fox became a pioneer in esports, establishing the Echo Fox gaming franchise, which played a major role in shaping the industry.

Earlier in his career, Fox worked with Fortune 500 brands, including American Express, Asus, AT&T, Comcast, Ford, Hewlett-Packard, Pepsi, T-Mobile, Verizon and Walt Disney across their global growth initiatives.

Currently an ambassador at large for the Bahamas, Fox helped create the Bahamas Relief Foundation, and he brings real-estate development opportunities to the region.

Hear more conversations with leading experts on the Sustainability Stage, which topics like cultured meat, energy, fast fashion, green infrastructure, sustainable agriculture and more. It’s just one of the six new stages for six breakthrough sectors at Disrupt.

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