Based in The Netherlands and the US, b-theory translates pioneering scientific insights into new ventures designed to drive system-level change. We work with scientists as well as impact-focused entrepreneurs to define compelling propositions, secure investment, and build organisations and platforms to achieve impact at scale.
What we do
We work with scientists to understand and improve system resiliency.
Our map of the world is half-blank, omitting the underground networks that stitch ecosystems together and do the heavy-lifting of carbon sequestration. The brainchild of biologist Dr. Toby Kiers, and co-founded by Dr. Colin Averill, SPUN’s mission is to map the fungal networks of planet earth, advocate for the protection of underground ecosystems, and drive innovation in underground climate science.
b-theory has collaborated with the founders from the earliest days to clarify the value proposition, secure startup capital, and design the future operating system. Currently, we are leading the startup team as we prepare the organisation for scale and create a platform that enables decision-makers to factor the underground into climate change scenarios.
We design more inclusive investment models that decentralize access to capital.
If we leave it to the billionaire class to address climate change, we will be stuck living in their future. Fortunately, groups of citizen scientists are organising to drive change through inclusive models for collective action: assembling data, inventing tools, and making discoveries. What is missing is access to the mechanisms of the market. We are overcoming this barrier with innovative funding models that enable individuals to support early-stage projects with both capital and sweat equity.
We collaborate with institutions to create shared levers for driving durable change.
Understanding natural systems at global scale will require collecting and interpreting unprecedented amounts of local data. b-theory has joined Hortus Botanicus Leiden and the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre in seeking funding from the Dutch government to engage communities of amateur scientists in the collecting, exchanging, and interpreting of biodiversity data, primarily in urban contexts. Our goal is to make an impact in our local communities while creating tools that have global utility.
Meet the team
Jason Cremerius
Co-Founder
Jason advises boards, founders, and their investors on corporate structure, product vision, and go-to-market strategy. For large enterprises, he has built venture teams that incubate new products and services and validate future-facing business models. Working with founders, he has led startup teams from day zero through growth and venture scale exits. Currently, Jason is Managing Director & Board Advisor at SPUN.
David Womack
Co-Founder
An award-winning product designer with a background in anthropology, David has built research and strategy practices at top agencies, working with brands such as Nike and Google. Recently, he has focused on applying digital methods to physical systems, rethinking shipyards, airports, and precision agriculture. Throughout, he has worked extensively with startups, including as mentor in the Techstars program.
Maria Startseva
Partner, Insights
Maria applies novel insights about human behaviour and market dynamics to drive decision-making on business strategy and product direction. She has helped Fortune 500 companies influence user behaviour at scale, build innovation programs, and define product strategies. Now she is focused on working with early-stage companies to clarify their value proposition and market differentiation.
Jordan Young
Partner, Design
Jordan is a visual designer with a particular knack for rapid concept design as an input to product incubation, translating early ideas into compelling prototypes. He has led web, mobile, and product design projects for startups and global brands seeking to disrupt legacy industries by anticipating the next wave of innovation in services and experiences. He is currently Lead Designer at SPUN.
What is b-theory?
b-theory refers to the block theory of time, which holds that the flow of time is illusory and that past, present, and future are equally embodied in the now. What seems like time passing is just our shift in perspective as we move across the surface of eternity. This idea keeps us focused on the big picture while staying grounded in what we can realistically accomplish from our current position on the block.