Julia Collins is the founder and CEO of Planet FWD, the leading climate management platform for consumer companies. Empowering the next generation of sustainable brands through its proprietary data and software, Planet FWD reduces the cost and complexity of creating sustainable products. The platform provides consumer companies with the tools to understand and reduce their carbon footprint to align with The Paris Agreement.

The platform is inspired by Planet FWD’s own snack brand, Moonshot, which launched in 2020 as the first climate-friendly snack brand. Moonshot was recently acquired by Patagonia Provisions, a first for Patagonia in more than 20 years.

A serial entrepreneur, Julia previously co- founded Zume Pizza where she became the first Black woman “unicorn” when she created a venture-backed tech company valued at over a billion dollars. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, she served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Harlem Jazz Enterprises, which holds The Cecil, an Afro-Asian Brasserie, and Minton’s, a historic jazz supper club. While there, The Cecil won Best New Restaurant of the Year.

Earlier in her career, she built industry- leading food companies in New York City. Serving as a leader, she grew brands such as Union Square Hospitality Group, Mexicue and Murray’s Cheese.

In addition to leading Planet FWD, Julia sits on the Climate Collaborative board, the Food for Climate League board and the advisory council for Launch with GS. She is also an active angel investor focused on funding female entrepreneurs and BIPOC founders. Julia is also an Ambassador for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Julia holds a BA from Harvard and an MBA from Stanford. She resides in San Francisco with her 2 sons and partner.

Topics:

  • Spending her entrepreneurial career working at the intersection of food and tech, Julia Collins began a more narrow focus with her latest company, Planet FWD, to understand the relationship between food systems and climate change as she was preparing to be a mom. Around this intersection, she discovered a drive to reverse climate change for our collective futures. In this talk, Julia shares Planet FWD’s mission to reform our food system to not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also draw-down, sequester, re-balance atmospheric carbon. This challenge is completed in two ways. By creating the world’s first climate-friendly snack brand and by creating a data service linking regenerative farmers to brands and consumers who are hungry for climate-friendly products, Julia shares insights into the future of agriculture, sustainability and climate change that will help save us all.

  • In this captivating presentation, Julia Collins takes center stage to share her insights on navigating the intersection of entrepreneurship and climate change. Drawing from her extensive experience and the lessons learned on her entrepreneurial journey in the food and tech spaces, Julia explores the pivotal role of innovation and sustainability in shaping our collective future. Through engaging anecdotes and thought-provoking analysis, she delves into the challenges and opportunities presented by the climate crisis, highlighting the importance of empowering entrepreneurs to drive positive change. From fostering a culture of innovation to harnessing the power of technology, Julia not only offers practical strategies for building a more sustainable and equitable world, but also shares tackling the dynamic landscape of entrepreneurship. Discover her tactical advantage to becoming your most authentic version of a leader through this talk.

  • Join climate tech founder Julia Collins in this lively conversation in which she’ll change a room full of listeners into doers and changemakers on the imperative to address climate change through our food systems. In this captivating presentation, she reveals how decarbonizing our food supply chains, particularly through methods like regenerative agriculture, holds the key to mitigating global emissions and fostering climate resilience. Through compelling anecdotes and impactful statistics, discover the profound impact of simple ingredient swaps, such as transitioning to regenerative organic options, and purchase changes in reducing carbon footprints and promoting sustainability. From the success story of some of Planet Fwd’s biggest food service partners to the broader potential of regenerative farming on a global scale, audiences explore how each of us, whether as consumers or investors, plays a pivotal role in shaping a healthier and more sustainable future for generations to come. Get ready to be inspired to leverage the power of our plates as a force for positive change in the fight against climate change.