What happens when a dyslexic engineer enters venture capital, climate tech, and leadership?
In Ep 126, James Stewart shares how neurodiversity shaped his education, career, parenting, and his work at Always Carbon.
James Stewart is a UK chartered mechanical engineer (Cambridge), MBA holder, angel investor, venture partner at Loyal VC, and CEO/co-founder of Always Carbon, a company focused on carbon removal using biochar.
Episode Highlights:00:02:04 — Diagnosed dyslexic at six
James shares he was diagnosed with dyslexia early, and how it shaped both his educational and professional life. His relationship with dyslexia has changed significantly in recent years, especially in how he now views it as something to build with rather than “fix.”
00:03:30 — Swimming saved his confidence
A teacher threatened to stop him from going swimming because he struggled in school. That moment helped his parents realize something deeper was happening, and it became the turning point that led to assessment and support.
00:07:30 — Cambridge wasn’t neurodiverse-friendly
He describes Cambridge in the 2000s as not welcoming for neurodiverse students, despite the prestige. But he credits support systems and learning how to study in ways that worked for his brain as what carried him through.
00:10:00 — Neurodiversity drives progress
James argues neurodiverse thinkers bring huge value by challenging the status quo and solving problems differently. He frames it as a feature of human evolution: society advances because some people are wired to think outside the “normal” system.
00:11:12 — Visual thinking in engineering
He strongly agrees dyslexic thinkers often excel in spatial reasoning and 3D thinking, which fits engineering naturally. His approach is visual: diagrams and mind maps beat long documents because they surface structure and meaning faster.
00:15:00 — Always Carbon and biochar explained
James breaks down biochar simply: plants pull CO2 from the air, and converting plant waste into stable carbon can lock it away for hundreds to thousands of years. The key insight: the same material also improves agriculture through water retention, microbiome support, and fertilizer effectiveness.
00:21:11 — Water is everything (and we forget it)
Jeremy brings up water utilities and James goes deep into appreciation for reliable clean water. He points out many people don’t realize how fragile water systems can be globally until they experience unsafe supply firsthand.
00:27:00 — A venture fund for dyslexic founders
James shares he’s investigating launching a VC fund specifically investing in dyslexic and neurodiverse founders. The emotional core here: late diagnosis often comes with trauma, and he’s not willing to accept that as “normal.”
00:30:24 — Parenting changes your priorities
As a founder dad, he became more ruthless about what deserves his time: if it’s not worth missing time with his child, it’s not worth doing. He also shares a practical scheduling tactic: clustering “unbreakable meetings” on specific days to stay flexible for parenting responsibilities.
00:48:30 — Networking is a benevolent act
James closes with a powerful lens shift: networking isn’t selfish when your motives are good. It becomes a way to connect people to opportunities they couldn’t reach alone, making networking a form of service.
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nageljeremy
Email: jeremy@focusbear.io
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Episode 126