Interview #001 - Rich Munro (Co-Founder & CTO of KanataQ)

You’re building the engine behind KanataQ - what’s your high-level vision for the company, and how do you see it evolving over the next 2–3 years? 

In the next 2–3 years, we see KanataQ becoming the go-to platform for ESG discovery and decision-making. We are making it easier for buyers to find trusted, high-impact solutions, and for solution providers to grow with real data, visibility, and low-cost qualified leads.

With tools like the Trust Score and upcoming Intelligence Portal, we’re moving the market from noise to real transparency - so the best solutions rise faster, build what’s needed only, and buyers make smarter, faster choices. In the end it's about saving both sides time so they can concentrate on what really matters!   

As CTO of KanataQ, you’re building for both sides of the market - solution buyers and solution providers. How do you balance the product roadmap between these two user groups, and where are you seeing the strongest traction right now? 

Balancing the needs of both sides in a two-sided platform is never easy.

We started with solution providers - where we already had strong networks. This focus helped us launch quickly with ~100 solutions. Like any market, you need inventory first. No products, means no buyers.
Once we hit 200 solution providers (which many buyers thought was the entire ESG solutions market - but is only ~3%), we shifted most of our focus to the demand side. For example, we rebuilt the directory from the ground up, shaped by feedback from buyers.

This focus is working well - we’re averaging more than 1,000 weekly visits, and that number is growing fast. But we’re just getting started. We’ve got a wave of buyer-focused features coming soon - that will make KanataQ the only place buyers need to go for ESG solution discovery.

KanataQ’s Trust Score introduces a novel layer of transparency for ESG and Sustainability solution selection. How is the score calculated, and what datasets or criteria are used to ensure it reflects real credibility and impact?

The KanataQ Trust Score is designed to bring clarity to a crowded market. After months of testing and industry consultation, we’ve developed a scoring model that reflects real-world credibility - not just marketing claims.

Buyers told us the challenge isn’t just discovering new solution providers - it’s knowing who they can trust. Many default to legacy players simply because they’re a “safe” choice. Our goal with the Trust Score is to change that by giving buyers the confidence to consider innovative, high-impact solutions - backed by transparent real-time data.

The score is based on a growing set of weighted factors, with the most important being client endorsements. These are simple, one-click confirmations from clients that a solution provider has delivered value to. We also look at revenue status, years in business, social media followers, engagement data on the platform, and how often the profile is updated. A full breakdown, including weightings can be found at: https://kanataq.com/trust_score_summary.

Based on our data, solution providers with a high Trust Score (75%+) get 7x more profile views and up to 3x more sales leads. So this isn’t just a credibility tool - it’s a growth lever.

Beyond market functionality, you’re building out the KanataQ Intelligence Portal. What will this unlock for premium-listed providers, and how do you envision it shifting the sustainability tech landscape?

The KanataQ Intelligence Portal is going to be a complete game-changer - for solution providers and the sustainability market as a whole.

For premium-listed solution providers, it unlocks real-time insights into buyer behaviour: who’s viewing their profile, what is being searched to find them, what matters most to buyers, how much they’re willing to pay, and where demand is growing over time.

Solution providers can also see how the market is pricing and positioning itself - across categories, regions, and more than 10 other variables. They can test new strategies and track what actually moves the needle.

It’s not just for solution providers though, investors (like VCs and private equity) can also tap into these insights to see which categories are heating up and which ones to avoid.

We’re shifting from static listings to live, actionable data. No more guesswork. Nmaro more building or investing in what the market doesn’t want. The efficiency gains here are huge.

So if you want to cut through the noise and stay ahead, the Intelligence Portal is for you. It’s coming soon - contact us at hello@kanataq.com so you don’t miss out.

This interview was originally published Sep 18, 2025.