Why Start-ups Must Think Green From Day One
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As the founder and CEO of Netā, a company working at the intersection of technology and sustainable practices, she believes UK startups must treat environmental responsibility with the same seriousness as product development or fundraising.
"Founders should approach sustainability the same way they approach building any part of their business: proactively and strategically," says Tullidge. "It's far easier to bake sustainable practices into your business model from the start than to retrofit them later under pressure from regulators, customers, or cost."
Her message is not about idealism but pragmatism. Tullidge warns that failing to think long term can leave businesses exposed. "That doesn't mean being perfect from day one - it means matching ambition to resources, embedding future-proof foundations where you can, and setting clear milestones for where and when you'll close any gaps as you scale."
For many founders, the challenge lies in squaring their sustainability ambitions with the commercial pressures of early-stage growth. Tullidge argues the two are not in conflict. "Balancing sustainability and financial realities isn't about choosing between them—it's about using the same entrepreneurial mindset that drives innovation to unlock opportunity," she says. She sees environmental constraints not as obstacles, but as catalysts. "Volatility in areas like environmental regulation, public perception, and technology adoption means there's real advantage for founders who build smarter, leaner, and greener."
According to Tullidge, well-placed early bets on sustainability can pay dividends. "Small, early investments in resilience often turn into big competitive advantages later. The goal is to treat sustainability not as a compliance burden, but as a strategic lever that can drive growth, efficiency, and brand value." This strategic lens is increasingly shared by investors. "More and more, yes - particularly from institutional investors and impact-driven funds," she says, when asked whether ESG expectations are rising. "Strong ESG practices are increasingly seen as a marker of leadership quality, strategic maturity, and long-term risk management."
Startups don't need to be perfect to earn investor confidence, but they do need to be intentional. "Investors aren't looking for startups to tick every ESG box from day one; they're looking for evidence that founders are thinking about these issues intentionally and operationally." For Tullidge, the winning mindset is clear: integrate, don't outsource. "ESG isn't just about signalling values anymore - it's about demonstrating that a business is being built to survive and thrive in a volatile, fast-changing world."
Her advice to UK founders is simple: sustainability isn't a side project. "It should be integrated into the core operating model, designed to grow with the business rather than weigh it down."
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