Energy Tech Startups

Sean Kelly, CEO of Amperon, joins this episode of the Energy Tech Startups Podcast to share how his company is transforming energy forecasting through AI-driven solutions tailored to every electron on the grid. He delves into the inception of Amperon and the unique challenges they face in predicting future energy demands. Sean discusses how traditional forecasting methods struggle to keep up with the rapid pace of the energy sector and explains Amperon's adaptive AI models, which are setting new standards in reliability and efficiency. Listeners gain insights into energy market dynamics, Amperon’s customer-centric approach, and Sean's vision for the future as AI reshapes the industry.

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William shares his journey from the oil and gas industry to developing cutting-edge underground energy storage solutions. He explains how salt dome caverns can be used for long-duration energy storage, helping to support renewable energy growth.

Throughout the episode, William discusses the challenges and opportunities in the current energy market, from regulatory hurdles to technological advancements. His story showcases the shift from traditional oil projects to sustainable, innovative solutions in energy storage.

00:00 - Energy Tech Nexus
00:16 - Intro William Taggart IV
00:59 - Cavern Energy Storage
04:32 - Research Focus Areas
06:26 - Cavern Energy Storage Patent
07:57 - Importance of 400 Meters
12:26 - Salt Domes for Storage
17:34 - Advanced Drilling Technology
18:41 - Technology Risks and Challenges
19:46 - Market Challenges in Energy Storage
22:49 - Understanding the Energy Trilemma
24:55 - Long-Duration Energy Storage Defined
27:18 - Volatility and Consumer Impact
29:50 - Energy Tech Nexus: Growth Platform
30:02 - Fundraising Journey Insights
32:54 - Grant Funding Process Explained
34:05 - Exposing Technology to DOE
36:35 - Entrepreneurial Journey of William Taggart
38:58 - Fixing America's Energy Issues
44:18 - Race to the Bottom in Energy
45:16 - Addressing Climate Change
50:30 - Innovation Ecosystem in Houston
54:33 - Discovering Hidden Gems
55:14 - Supporting Cavern Energy
56:49 - Finding Dr. Webber Online

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Digital Wildcatters brings the energy community together through events, cutting-edge content, and powerful tools. Join our online community at collide.io. Engage with experts, level up your career, and ask Collide AI your toughest technical questions.

Hermann discusses how Alma Energy is revolutionizing the industry with cutting-edge advancements in direct lithium extraction, making the process greener and more efficient. He explains how AI is optimizing extraction processes and highlights the economic impact of these innovations on the energy transition.

Hermann also delves into the challenges and opportunities in the oil and gas sector as it shifts towards cleaner technologies, offering a fresh perspective on repurposing existing infrastructure for new energy solutions. Alma Energy is at the forefront of this transformation, pioneering sustainable approaches in the industry.

00:00 - Intro
00:16 - Alma Energy Overview
04:09 - Natural Lithium Sources
11:28 - CO2 Sequestration with Rocks
13:26 - Traditional Lithium Extraction Methods
17:35 - System Placement Considerations
21:02 - E3 Metals Current Phase
23:54 - Power Consumption of the System
25:20 - Sodium Management Strategies
26:18 - Additional Brine Extractables
27:43 - Lithium-ion vs Solid State Batteries
29:36 - Baseload Pilot Readiness
31:38 - Water Sample Collection Methods
33:49 - Elysium Funding and Pilot Plans
39:30 - Investor Targeting for Pilot
42:38 - Best Practices in Well Drilling
44:59 - Partner Expectations and Returns
47:38 - Transition from Corporations to Startups
53:34 - Startup Ecosystem Support
57:40 - Contacting Alma Energy

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Patrick shares how his company is turning tedious processes, like DMV tasks and education enrollment, into seamless, efficient experiences through innovative document management solutions.

In this episode, you'll learn how AI is simplifying data entry and document handling, boosting efficiency and security across industries like education, energy, and regulatory compliance. Patrick also dives into the unique branding and marketing journey that sets UnicornForms apart in the tech landscape.

Guest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickwaldo/
Company Site: https://www.unicornforms.com/

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
04:28 - School Form Filling Process
09:16 - Data Protection in Unicorn Forms
13:39 - Overview of Unicorn Forms
20:10 - Use Cases for Energy Tech
22:16 - AI in Solar and Wind Project Management
25:45 - Collaborating with Government Agencies
27:18 - Tagging and Labeling Challenges
31:54 - Fundraising Journey Insights
34:50 - Investor Expectations and Criteria
39:22 - Capital Factory Overview
41:00 - Fundraising Necessity for Startups
46:00 - When to Delegate Tasks Effectively
48:02 - Evolution of Marketing Strategies
51:17 - Favorite Hidden Gems in Houston
55:10 - Call to Action for Viewers

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Digital Wildcatters brings the energy community together through events, cutting-edge content, and powerful tools. Join our online community at collide.io. Engage with experts, level up your career, and ask Collide AI your toughest technical questions.

OceanBit is pioneering the use of ocean thermal energy to deliver 24/7 renewable power, while also providing cooling solutions for data centers, helping to reduce operational costs in high-density computing environments.

Nathaniel shares how OceanBit integrates AI to optimize energy use, minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency. He also delves into the history of ocean thermal energy and how recent technological advancements have positioned OceanBit as a leader in sustainable energy. With a focus on geographic and innovative solutions, Nathaniel envisions a future where small island nations can prosper without the heavy financial burden of high energy costs.

00:00 - Intro
01:40 - How Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Works
04:25 - Environmental Impact of OTEC
05:45 - OTEC for Carbon Removal
10:15 - OTEC Mechanisms (Continued)
13:42 - History of OTEC
20:25 - Why Now for OTEC?
21:28 - High Density Compute Applications
26:14 - Bitcoin Mining and Energy Tech
29:37 - Energy Tech Nexus Overview
32:35 - OceanBit's Houston Initiatives
37:55 - OTEC Accelerator Insights
40:43 - Surprises About Houston
43:39 - Climate Impact Story
46:10 - Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Deep Dive
48:45 - Hawaii’s Innovation Community
53:15 - OceanBit’s Next Milestones
55:52 - OceanBit's Fundraising Progress
58:07 - Supporting Ocean-Based Energy

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Sujatha explains how Dsider’s innovative technoeconomic analysis is helping startups in cleantech and hard tech make smarter decisions by assessing their projects from both technical and economic perspectives. Through a role-play scenario, Jason steps into the shoes of a founder, offering a hands-on look at how Dsider’s solutions address real-world challenges.

Key takeaways include the importance of integrating technical and financial data, communicating effectively with investors, and using simulations to predict and mitigate risks in industrial projects.

Here is a link to demo https://docsend.com/view/sjepqcyrjrfbrzhv
Here is a link to the white paper: https://docsend.com/view/aaidwxvy25bmdyju

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Benjamin discusses the exciting opportunities and unique challenges in building and supporting energy tech startups across Latin America and the Caribbean. He shares how Reciprocal’s mission focuses on fostering innovation through nature-based solutions, bridging the gap between the global North and Latin America.

Key topics include Reciprocal's venture studio model, the importance of nature-based solutions in climate strategy, funding strategies for early-stage startups in emerging markets, and the crucial role of indigenous communities and local governance in driving sustainable innovation. Discover how energy, climate, and ecological systems are deeply interconnected in the push for a greener future in the region.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/benzehr/
https://reciprocal.studio/

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
00:30 - What is Reciprocal
06:22 - The Amazon Fellowship
13:59 - Nature-Based Solutions and Energy
15:45 - Focus on Nature-Based Solutions
18:01 - Monetizing Nature-Based Solutions
25:00 - Starting a Startup Studio
28:46 - Finding Founders in Tech
34:04 - Why Houston for Startups
36:04 - California: Climate Tech Hub
39:58 - Houston's Startup Landscape
45:14 - Gaps in Houston's Startup Ecosystem
48:20 - Ecosystems in Houston Region
50:25 - Houston Energy Tech Summit

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Erik shares his journey from working at DNV to founding Endrava, where he’s developed cutting-edge solutions for industrial decarbonization.

With over a decade of experience in climate tech, Erik discusses his work on CapturMap, a platform that maps global CO2 emission sources and capture projects. His insights into energy and industrial markets, along with his passion for sustainability, showcase how digital tools are accelerating progress toward a cleaner future.

00:00 - Welcome back
1:27 - What is CaptureMap
4:11 - How did you commercialize CaptureMap
5:34 - Who are your ideal customers
6:56 - What kind of emissions are you displaying
7:39 - How do people interact with CaptureMap
9:05 - Your journey hasn’t been linear
13:57 - Why now
16:50 - Bootstrapping vs. VC funding
18:25 - What’s next for Captur
21:27 - Exit strategy
24:09 - Founder relationship
29:32 - What makes entrepreneurs special
31:20 - Importance of learning from mistakes
32:45 - Outsourcing vs doing everything yourself
35:09 - Selling software is hard
40:24 - Building a community around your company
43:15 - Houston
46:57 - Do you need feet on the ground
50:35 - Closing
55:35 - Personal climate impact story
59:30 - Climate change and mass migration
1:01:15 - How to support climate tech startups

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Fresh off their win at the Rice Lily Pitch Competition, Sean and Chen-Yang share their journey from PhD students at Rice University to pioneering entrepreneurs tackling the critical issues of energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

In this episode, they discuss how their material science background led to the development of advanced heat management solutions, addressing inefficiencies caused by poor thermal conductivity in traditional semiconductor packaging. With AI and GPU technologies on the rise, HEXASpec is at the forefront of creating next-generation materials to meet the growing demands for efficient heat management. Sean and Chen-Yang also reveal the importance of customer feedback, which prompted them to pivot from HVAC applications to the semiconductor industry, showing how adaptability is key to startup success.

00:00 - Intro
01:00 - What is Heat Management
05:20 - Current Materials in Use
08:15 - Discovering and Developing New Material
10:52 - Market Entry Strategy
16:43 - Pivoting in Business
20:30 - Market Research for Beginners
21:24 - Building a Prototype
23:05 - Fundraising Tips
29:02 - Lessons from Competitions
35:49 - Student Entrepreneurship
39:37 - Houston’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
42:04 - Houston’s Hidden Gems
47:21 - Innovation Ecosystem Gaps
49:40 - Supporting NanoSono
50:13 - Founders' Podcast Thoughts

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Digital Wildcatters brings the energy community together through events, cutting-edge content, and powerful tools. Join our online community at collide.io. Engage with experts, level up your career, and ask Collide AI your toughest technical questions.

Cindy shares how Sage Geosystems is leveraging its oil and gas expertise to develop groundbreaking subsurface pumped hydro storage, a game-changing approach to sustainable energy.

With over 35 years of experience at Shell, Cindy discusses her journey from the oil and gas sector to co-founding Sage Geosystems, driven by a passion to make a meaningful impact in renewable energy. Her leadership and vision are propelling Sage to the forefront of the energy transition, combining cutting-edge geothermal technology with a focus on sustainability.

0:00 - Intro
0:18 - What is Sage Geosystems
1:35 - Traditional vs Next Gen Geothermal
7:14 - Geopressure Geothermal System
19:50 - What does the surface facility look like
25:55 - Why Chesapeake Energy invested
30:42 - Business and technology risks of Eavor
37:43 - Science risk vs engineering risk
40:00 - Advice for hard tech startups on fundraising
46:18 - Houston Support Structures for Startups
50:34 - Gaps in the Houston Startup Ecosystem

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