Interview with a Leader – Brittany Salas

Ever wanted to learn more about a career in data, from the leaders in the field?

Data Idols and our partners at the Data Science Festival are fortunate to know some incredible leaders in Tech across the world, and have even heard a few of them present at our events.

Brittany Salas, Co-Founder and CEO of Sādu, has given us some insights into his life, career & everything tech!

A Bit about Brittany… 

Brittany is making it easy to invest in nature-based carbon removal with a play-to-earn mobile app. Prior to founding Sādu, she worked in venture capital and energy. Brittany has been building climate tech since 2015 when she began her work at a Smart City consultancy in New York. She has a Master’s in Global Affairs with a focus on Energy and Environmental Policy and a Bachelor’s in International Political Economy and Philosophy (double major).

How did you start out in your tech career?

I started working in policy advocacy with a focus on economic development. Through these internships I witness non-profit organizations lobby for public funding to support entrepreneurship at a grassroots level. I then focused my studies on energy and environmental policy which gave me the opportunity to work alongside climate tech companies at startup accelerators. This gave me a strong grasp of the solutions currently being developed and their barriers to scaling. Using this experience I then pushed myself to gain an entirely new skill set in product development in order to launch my own startup.

What are the signs of success in your field?

A measurable reduction in carbon, changes in landuse, improved ecosystem restoration, and conservation. This is alongside all of the standard business metrics that reflect the growth of a healthy company like revenue and a steady increase of daily active users.

What is the best and worst thing about your job role?

The best part is being able to learn something new every single day.

The worst part is having to spend time on social media.

What can you advise someone just starting out to be successful?

Not all advice is good advice so it is important to remember that no one has a better understanding of your product and users than you do.

How do you switch off?

I’m still trying to figure that out!

What advice would you give your younger self?

Worry less

What is next for you?

We believe that conserved land should have a higher monetary value than developed land. I look forward to building a platform that makes this possible.

If you could do anything now, what would you do? Why?

Build Sādu!

What are your top 5 predictions in tech for the next 5 years?

Progress towards climate goals will be made at an impressive scale.

Watch Brittany’s session at the Data Science Festival here: