Advances in AI and data technology are opening entirely new frontiers for entrepreneurs. Few understand this better than Caroline Grey, co-founder and chief revenue officer of Treefera.
Grey has built a business that uses artificial intelligence and satellite technology to monitor natural materials and crops at the first mile of companies’ supply chains, where raw materials are produced or extracted. Until recently, this level of visibility was impossible.
Here, Grey shares her entrepreneurial story. Drawing on her experience of scaling technology companies and leading global teams, she details how she developed Treefera with her co-founder Jonathan Horn and how the company’s growth has shaped her leadership approach.
What is your business background and how did it lead to co-founding Treefera?
I previously founded businesses in both the services and technology sectors and also worked in professional services for a number of years.
I then joined an organisation called UiPath, which specialises in robotic automation. At UiPath, I was initially responsible for strategic partnerships and later served as chief customer officer. That role enabled me to meet lots of incredibly interesting people around the world and talk to them about robotic automation and what it could do.
After that, I was ready to look at an investor path. But then Jonathan came up with the idea behind Treefera and once we started talking about it, we realised it was an opportunity we had to seize.
What is Treefera’s mission and how does the business aspire to improve supply chain visibility?
The mission of Treefera is ultimately to influence the flow of capital and ensure it reaches all the right places around the world. We’re great believers that nature-based commodities, such as coffee, wheat and barley, are becoming increasingly valuable due to their exposure to extreme weather and geopolitical events. And these are commodities that make up 51% of global trade and contribute massively to our food supply.
Our mission is to provide data on these nature-based assets in order to help organisations make better sourcing, risk and compliance decisions. That might be decisions around whether they purchase a particular crop, whether they source an asset from a particular location or it might be about understanding the value of that nature-based asset.
What has changed in recent years that has enabled companies to gain far greater visibility into the first mile of supply chains?
The progress in satellite technology alone is quite magical in my eyes. The data you can receive from satellites now is game-changing compared to what it was a decade ago. And while cloud computing and artificial intelligence aren’t new, the cost of processing data has fallen significantly. It’s the combination of those factors that has enabled a company like Treefera to exist.
There’s a real culture of give and take in both the entrepreneurial and investor worlds
What has been the most challenging aspect of setting up a new business?
We’ve gone from being a team of around 12 people in our first year to now having 60 people. Managing change and keeping everyone motivated is crucial. It’s a fast-moving train and it’s important that we give our people the time, respect and sense of security that they are part of the journey.
It’s important that Jonathan and I communicate the culture of the company well. We always aim to lead with kindness. Managing and nurturing the team is one of the most important aspects of my role and sometimes the most challenging.
How have your previous roles helped shape your leadership style and management decisions?
UiPath gave me an amazing foundation in understanding when to activate certain processes; when to hire, what the next stage looks like and how to build product-market fit. It also taught me how to engage customers effectively and provide excellent service. All of those things are really important when scaling a company and I feel very fortunate to have had that experience.
What advice would you give to someone who is looking to start a business and wants to take that first step?
First off, know that you’re not alone. There’s an amazing network of venture capital and private equity support available and people are very generous with their time. There’s a real culture of give and take in both the entrepreneurial and investor worlds.
It’s also really important that you develop a deep understanding of your market and a mindset that means you’re able to pivot. It’s very rare that a business ends up exactly as the founder imagined. Be open to change and listen to customers. Understanding customer pain points is the best investment any founder can make to accelerate product–market fit.
What are your ambitions, both personally as a leader and for Treefera, over the next few years?
We recently opened our Singapore and APAC offices and we’re building a team there. We also want to continue expanding into industries – not just in carbon or consumer products but also across financial services and commodities. We want to deliver this category-defining technology to benefit not only large enterprises but also to small-scale farmers. We also want to ensure our investors, employees and any other stakeholders are benefitting from Treefera’s success.
From a personal point of view, I want to demonstrate what leading with kindness while also prioritising success means. Some people might say I’m naive but I really think you can do both. I want us to succeed in our purpose as well as our financial goals.
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Advances in AI and data technology are opening entirely new frontiers for entrepreneurs. Few understand this better than Caroline Grey, co-founder and chief revenue officer of Treefera.
Grey has built a business that uses artificial intelligence and satellite technology to monitor natural materials and crops at the first mile of companies’ supply chains, where raw materials are produced or extracted. Until recently, this level of visibility was impossible.
Here, Grey shares her entrepreneurial story. Drawing on her experience of scaling technology companies and leading global teams, she details how she developed Treefera with her co-founder Jonathan Horn and how the company’s growth has shaped her leadership approach.
There’s a real culture of give and take in both the entrepreneurial and investor worlds
