Hardware to Save a Planet

 "Our approach focuses on creating modular DAC systems that can be deployed where needed most. This decentralization allows for rapid scaling and adaptation to various climates, helping us contribute to the larger goal of CO2 removal much more quickly than traditional, large-scale systems." Rob van Straten, CEO of Skytree.

In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan talks to Rob van Straten, CEO of Skytree,  about the company’s pioneering direct air capture (DAC) technology aimed at combating climate change. Rob explains how Skytree’s compact, modular DAC systems capture CO₂ directly from the atmosphere, providing a sustainable alternative to fossil-derived CO₂. Skytree, developed initially for the ISS, now helps sectors like vertical farming reduce emissions with locally sourced CO₂. Rob discusses DAC’s role in a circular carbon economy, energy efficiency improvements, and Skytree’s commitment to sustainable materials and customer-driven innovation for scalable climate solutions.

Episode Resource

• Rob van Straten on LinkedIn
• Skytree Website
• Skytree Project Images
• Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
• Synapse Website
• Hardware to Save a Planet Apple Podcasts
• Hardware to Save a Planet Spotify

 Hardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.

Check out our three most downloaded episodes:

• A Sustainable Approach to Direct Air Capture with Noah McQueen, Head of Research & Co-Founder of Heirloom
• Innovative Waste Recycling: AI and Robotics with Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier
• Developing an Environmentally-Friendly and Fish-Saving Hydropower Turbine with Abe Schneider, Co-founder and CTO of Natel Energy

If you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan talks to Sam D’Amico, Founder and CEO of Impulse, Dylan chats with Sam about Impulse’s electric induction stove with built-in battery storage designed to reduce household reliance on the grid. They explore how this innovative stove combines high performance and precise temperature control, bringing convenience and efficiency to users. Sam shares insights on how Impulse sets the stage for a cleaner future with distributed energy storage, virtual power plants, and seamless integration of renewable energy. 

Sam D’Amico is the founder and CEO of Impulse, a climate tech company developing smart induction stoves that combine premium performance with sustainable energy solutions. Sam launched Impulse in 2021 after a decade of experience in high-profile hardware roles, beginning his career as a hardware engineer at Google X on the Google Glass team. He then held engineering positions at Oculus, Facebook, and Google, culminating in a product architect role at Facebook, where he worked on innovative consumer hardware. Sam’s journey reflects his commitment to pushing technology’s boundaries, now focused on building solutions that contribute to a cleaner energy future.

Episode Resource

• Sam D’Amico on LinkedIn
• Impulse Website
• Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
• Synapse Website
• Hardware to Save a Planet Apple Podcasts
• Hardware to Save a Planet Spotify

Hardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.

Check out our three most downloaded episodes:

• A Sustainable Approach to Direct Air Capture with Noah McQueen, Head of Research & Co-Founder of Heirloom
• Innovative Waste Recycling: AI and Robotics with Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier
• Developing an Environmentally-Friendly and Fish-Saving Hydropower Turbine with Abe Schneider, Co-founder and CTO of Natel Energy

If you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

“Shipping drives 90% of the world's economy. It's our most efficient way to move things around the world, better than land or air shipping, but it still emits around 3% of global CO2. Because of that, ship owners face growing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from regulations, customers, and shareholders.” Dylan Garrett

In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan talks to Alisha Fredriksson, Co-Founder and CEO of Seabound. The company has developed a simpler, more efficient, and cheaper technology to address maritime emissions. 

Alisha explains how Seabound’s system, housed in modular shipping containers, helps ship owners reduce CO2 emissions using the latest second-generation carbon capture technology. 

Alisha co-founded and leads the team at Seabound. Previously, she helped build the leading maritime electro-fuel startup, Liquid Wind, and managed global partnerships. She has also launched a climate program at Generation, a global non-profit founded by McKinsey & Company. Alisha was in the Founding Class at Minerva University, ranked the world’s most innovative university, and studied at the Mahindra United World College of India, where she founded a social enterprise called Seema.
Episode Resource

• Alisha Fredriksson on LinkedIn
• Seabound Website
• Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
• Synapse Website
• Hardware to Save a Planet Apple Podcasts
• Hardware to Save a Planet Spotify

Hardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.

Check out our three most downloaded episodes:

• A Sustainable Approach to Direct Air Capture with Noah McQueen, Head of Research & Co-Founder of Heirloom
• Innovative Waste Recycling: AI and Robotics with Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier
• Developing an Environmentally-Friendly and Fish-Saving Hydropower Turbine with Abe Schneider, Co-founder and CTO of Natel Energy

If you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

Residential water heating accounts for 3% of all US greenhouse gas emissions and 19% of home energy use, which means it uses a large chunk of a home's energy while adding emissions to our environment. An intelligent heat pump-based water heater is a step in the right direction on both fronts. 


In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan talks with Michael Rigney, CEO and co-founder of Cala Systems, about their innovative heat pump water heater. They delve into the environmental impact of residential water heating and the need for sustainable solutions. They also discuss the challenges of finding a job at the intersection of hard tech and climate and how the current climate tech wave has opened up more opportunities in this field. 

Michael is the CEO and co-founder of Cala Systems; a company focused on developing intelligent heat pump water heaters that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and optimize energy use in residential settings. With over 20 years of leadership experience in climate and energy startups, Rigney has a strong background in building products and thermal sciences.

Episode Resource

• Michael Rigney on LinkedIn
• Cala Systems Website
• 1,500,000 Kettles YouTube
• Feel Good Warmth with Cala - The World’s First Intelligent Heat Pump Water Heater 
• Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
• Synapse Website
• Hardware to Save a Planet Apple Podcasts
• Hardware to Save a Planet Spotify

Hardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.

Check out our three most downloaded episodes:

• A Sustainable Approach to Direct Air Capture with Noah McQueen, Head of Research & Co-Founder of Heirloom
• Innovative Waste Recycling: AI and Robotics with Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier
• Developing an Environmentally-Friendly and Fish-Saving Hydropower Turbine with Abe Schneider, Co-founder and CTO of Natel Energy

If you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan interviews Christian zu Jeddeloh and Sophia Escheu about their newly developed Climate Hardware Playbook, designed to help founders build and scale climate tech startups. They discuss key challenges facing climate hardware companies, including the European funding gap, the chicken-and-egg problem of commercial traction, and the common talent shortage in founding teams. The conversation also touches on creative financing solutions, the evolving climate tech investment landscape, and differences between the US and European markets. Christian and Sophia offer valuable insights into emerging trends and practical advice for those looking to make an impact in climate tech.

Christian is an Investment Associate at Norrsken VC, where he focuses on the German-speaking market. Prior to joining, he was at biotech scale-up Atai Life Sciences, where he worked on business development topics, including the firm’s IPO. He has an educational background in Finance from Frankfurt School, with exchanges at Harvard and MIT.

At Speedinvest, Sophia is looking for next-generation technologies to tackle the most polluting industrial sectors. Before joining Speedinvest’s Climate Tech and Industrial Tech team in Munich, she gained experience at several startups and in strategy consulting. She is also the co-founder of Amelia, a personal growth accelerator for female young professionals. 

Episode Resource

• Sophia Escheu on LinkedIn
• Speedinvest Website
• Christian zu Jeddeloh on LinkedIn
• Norrsken VC Website
• Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
• Synapse Website
• Hardware to Save a Planet Apple Podcasts
• Hardware to Save a Planet Spotify

Hardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.

Check out our three most downloaded episodes:

• A Sustainable Approach to Direct Air Capture with Noah McQueen, Head of Research & Co-Founder of Heirloom
• Innovative Waste Recycling: AI and Robotics with Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier
• Developing an Environmentally-Friendly and Fish-Saving Hydropower Turbine with Abe Schneider, Co-founder and CTO of Natel Energy

If you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

Energy storage is a vital cog in building a sustainable grid. It helps us manage the intermittent supply of renewable energy from wind and solar energy sources. Our guest today brings a unique solution to energy storage by repurposing idle gas and oil wells for gravity energy storage.

Welcome to this special episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Joining us today is Gregory Kemp, Co-founder and CEO of Renewell Energy. Dylan and Kemp discuss Renewell's innovative approach to repurposing idle oil and gas wells for gravity-based energy storage. Kemp explains how this solution addresses renewable energy's intermittent supply, repurposes existing infrastructure, and offers economic incentives for oil companies. 

Kemp Gregory is the CEO and co-founder of Renewell Energy. His career foreshadows the more significant energy transition required to decarbonize the electrical grid. Before Renewell Energy, Kemp worked for Shell for five years, installing cutting-edge downhole technology, managing capital-intensive projects, and coordinating large operations teams across North and South America.  

Episode Resource

• Kemp Gregory on LinkedIn
• Renewell Energy Website
• Yard Stick Project Images
• Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
• Synapse Website
• Hardware to Save a Planet Apple Podcasts
• Hardware to Save a Planet Spotify

Hardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.

Check out our three most downloaded episodes:

• A Sustainable Approach to Direct Air Capture with Noah McQueen, Head of Research & Co-Founder of Heirloom
• Innovative Waste Recycling: AI and Robotics with Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier
• Developing an Environmentally-Friendly and Fish-Saving Hydropower Turbine with Abe Schneider, Co-founder and CTO of Natel Energy

If you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

Access to economically viable solutions to measure soil carbon at scale is a game changer in our ability to improve our food systems and also improve our land's ability to store carbon. 

Welcome to this special episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Joining us today is Chris Tolles, Co-Founder and CEO of Yard Stick, a company on a mission to reduce soil carbon measurement costs by 90%. This will pave the way for improving our ecosystem health, restoring soil health, and combating climate change. 

Chris is the Co-Founder and CEO of Yard Stick, a company that provides easy, accurate, and affordable quantification of soil carbon stocks. The company aims to enable gigaton-scale agricultural carbon sequestration via scalable, trustworthy measurement solutions. The company is the measurement backbone of soil carbon.

Episode Resource

• Chris Tolles on LinkedIn
• Yard Stick Website
• Yard Stick Project Images
• Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
• Synapse Website
• Hardware to Save a Planet Apple Podcasts
• Hardware to Save a Planet Spotify

 Hardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.

Check out our three most downloaded episodes:

• A Sustainable Approach to Direct Air Capture with Noah McQueen, Head of Research & Co-Founder of Heirloom
• Innovative Waste Recycling: AI and Robotics with Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier
• Developing an Environmentally-Friendly and Fish-Saving Hydropower Turbine with Abe Schneider, Co-founder and CTO of Natel Energy

If you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Joining us today is Jack Morrison, Co-Founder and CEO of Scythe Robotics, a green company on a mission to provide the most advanced and sustainable autonomous technology for maintaining off-road environments. The company’s autonomous all-electrical robots bring sustainability to the lawn mowing and landscaping industry by eliminating the emissions from gas-powered equipment that is commercially used. 

Join us as we discuss Jack’s background, Scythe’s mission to improve sustainability in landscaping, and their recent series B funding. Jack explains the environmental benefits of transitioning from gas-powered to electric mowers and the importance of urban green spaces. He highlights Scythe’s innovative mower, the M.52, and its development based on customer feedback. 

Jack Morrison is the Co-founder and CEO of Scythe Robotics. A technical leader with a passion for connecting computers with the physical world, Jack has a track record of leading innovative, collaborative initiatives and organizations. Inspired to develop the future of long-term autonomous robotics, Jack believes that software engineering and novel research can go hand in hand to produce extraordinary advancements.


Episode Resource

• Jack Morrison on LinkedIn
• Scythe Robotics Website
• Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
• Synapse Website
• Hardware to Save a Planet Apple Podcasts
• Hardware to Save a Planet Spotify

Hardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.

Check out our three most downloaded episodes:

• A Sustainable Approach to Direct Air Capture with Noah McQueen, Head of Research & Co-Founder of Heirloom
• Innovative Waste Recycling: AI and Robotics with Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier
• Developing an Environmentally-Friendly and Fish-Saving Hydropower Turbine with Abe Schneider, Co-founder and CTO of Natel Energy

If you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

Welcome to this special episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Joining us today is Laura Teicher, President and Executive Director at FORGE, a nonprofit on a mission to help innovators with physical products navigate the journey from prototype to commercialization and impact—at scale.

Join us as we discuss the challenges and benefits of bringing physical climate tech products to the market. Laura recounts her career shift from politics to innovation support, detailing FORGE's role in assisting with manufacturing and supply chain challenges. She emphasizes local manufacturing benefits like reduced carbon footprints and better communication. 

Laura Teicher, president and executive director of FORGE, leads the 501(c)3 nonprofit on its mission to help innovators with physical products navigate the journey from prototype to commercialization and impact—at scale.

Episode Resource

• Laura Teicher on LinkedIn
• FORGE Website
• FORGE Project Images
• Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
• Synapse Website
• Hardware to Save a Planet Apple Podcasts
• Hardware to Save a Planet Spotify

 Hardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.

Check out our three most downloaded episodes:

• A Sustainable Approach to Direct Air Capture with Noah McQueen, Head of Research & Co-Founder of Heirloom
• Innovative Waste Recycling: AI and Robotics with Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier
• Developing an Environmentally-Friendly and Fish-Saving Hydropower Turbine with Abe Schneider, Co-founder and CTO of Natel Energy

If you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn

Welcome to this special episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Joining us today is Dr. Ye Tao, Founder and Executive Director of MEER, a company that uses mirrors at scale to reflect sunlight and mitigate the impact of global warming. 

Join us as we discuss the innovative concept of MEER and its potential to combat climate change. Dr. Tao shares his insights on the urgent need for sustainable solutions and how MEER can help transition civilization toward a more sustainable future. We delve into the fascinating world of nanoparticle research and the possibilities of dimensional reduction. Discover the limitations of renewable energy and the importance of energy ROI. Dr. Tao also explores the exciting applications of mirrors in controlling sunlight and optimizing temperature reduction.

Dr. Tao has a multidisciplinary background in physics, chemistry, engineering, and material science, which is uncommon among today's scientists. He received a doctorate from the Department of Chemistry at MIT in 2015 and completed the research requirements for a doctorate in Physics at ETH Zurich. 

Episode Resource

• Dr. Ye Tao Bio
• MEER Website
• Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
• Synapse Website
• Hardware to Save a Planet Apple Podcasts
• Hardware to Save a Planet Spotify

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 Hardware to Save a Planet is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.

Check out our three most downloaded episodes:

• A Sustainable Approach to Direct Air Capture with Noah McQueen, Head of Research & Co-Founder of Heirloom
• Innovative Waste Recycling: AI and Robotics with Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier
• Developing an Environmentally-Friendly and Fish-Saving Hydropower Turbine with Abe Schneider, Co-founder and CTO of Natel Energy

If you have an interesting hardware solution to the climate crisis and would like the opportunity to share this with our audience, please complete this Guest Application form: https://fame.so/syn