In this live Earth Set founder session, Fiona Howarth, Founder and Director of Octopus Electric Vehicles, joins her Earth Set co-founder Amy Rennison to share how a simple idea—and one Google search—grew into a business that’s helped thousands make the switch to electric.
From setting up a leasing company during lockdown to raising over £1.4 billion in finance for EVs, Fiona’s story is a masterclass in scaling with purpose. She talks about the messy middle of startup life—the “Batphone” days, the 2,000 unexpected leads, and building a team culture that puts people before problems.
This episode was recorded live at Blue Garage as part of the Earth Set founder community series.
🎧 Listen in to hear:
The origin story of Octopus EV and how it scaled from idea to impact
Why culture and purpose drive growth that lasts
Lessons for founders navigating uncertainty and rapid scale
How the energy and transport transition is converging faster than we think
About Earth Set Earth Set is a network and live podcast series where the people accelerating a net-positive future come together to share ideas, challenge assumptions, and build real-world solutions.
🎟️ Attend our monthly events – held on the first Tuesday of every month in London🌍 Find upcoming events, speakers, and community highlights at earthset.co