Most technologies don’t fail in the lab.

They fail in the messy middle — between promising data and a working prototype.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why elegant theory breaks under engineering constraints

• The first prototype shock

• Thermal, electrical, and materials challenges

• The TRL funding gap

• Iteration discipline and kill criteria

• When to pivot vs when to persist

Having spent over a decade as a research professor and now running an R&D company focused on plasma systems for medical and environmental applications, I’ve lived this transition firsthand.

This is a calm, honest discussion about what innovation really looks like — beyond the paper.

If you’re building technology, writing grants, or thinking about commercialization, this episode is for you.