Innovation at the Edge

Cleantech has seen unprecedented interest from investors since the start of the pandemic. Emmanuel Lagarrigue and Emily Reichert, CEO of Greentown Labs discuss the surge in cleantech investment and why this time is different to the boom in the early 2000's. Emily discusses why she's betting on Houston as a new hub for the energy transition, and why partnerships are key for cleantech startups.

Emmanuel Lagarrigue interviews legendary impact investor Nancy Pfund. Nancy shares her experiences facing skeptics as an early investor in Tesla, technology she is excited about now, Silicon Valley's role in the current cleantech boom, and why more investors are needed to fight climate change.

Monica Araya is the Transport Lead at Climate Champions, the conveners of the Race to Zero and a global clean mobility advocate. Emmanuel and Monica discuss how COVID has impacted the global transition to electric vehicles, COP 26, and the rational and emotional reasons for buying a car.

Francesco Venturini is the CEO of Enel X, providing products and services for electric mobility, smart homes and cities, industries, and energy efficiency with the aim of electrification and decarbonization. Joining Emmanuel for a conversation, they discuss the electrification of transport and how a digital transformation increases cost competitiveness. Then, the two talk about how the past year has changed the company’s outlook, new competitors entering the green energy space, and Enel X’s strategy for working with start-ups.

Emmanuel Lagarrigue interviews Dawn Lippert, CEO of Elemental Excelerator. They discuss the key to successful startup-corporate relationships, differentiating through diversity and sustainability, and how remote fundraising enables equal opportunities.

Jules Kortenhorst is the CEO of Rocky Mountain Institute, a non-profit "think and do tank" working to build a low-carbon future. A masters class in the energy transition- Emmanuel and Jules discuss EV's, hydrogen, the grid of future, the role of policy, and financial institutions coming to grips with the risks of a high carbon portfolio. Also discussed- how innovation will drive the low carbon future.

Emmanuel interviews Gia Schneider, CEO of Natel Energy. Gia and her brother have developed an ecologically friendly, hydro power solution to create reliable renewable energy for communities. She shares her experience starting a business in an industry known for its inertia, the importance of software when developing hardware, and why hydro power will play an important role in the global shift to renewable energy.

Emmanuel Lagarrigue, Chief Innovation Officer of Schneider Electric interviews Shawn Murphy, founder and CEO of Titan Advanced Energy Solutions. Learn about Shawn's journey from farmer in Yugoslavia, serial entrepreneur, NASA scientist, to Innovation Lab leader and back to entrepreneur. Hear his advice for founders and corporations on how to work together, and learn about his latest venture- technology that can double the life of batteries and completely change the ROI of electric vehicles.

Investment in start-ups is falling in most geographies, but in Israel they are actually increasing. Host Emmanuel Lagarrigue explores the reasons behind this with Dov Moran and Lotan Levkowitz from Grove Ventures in Tel Aviv. Dov Moran is an entrepreneur, inventor of the flash drive, and is embedded in the start-up ecosystem in Israel. They explore why the deal flow for deep tech will be larger this year than last year, and why the most important quality in an entrepreneur is their ability to face adversity, disappointment, and changing circumstances.

What’s the difference between innovation and disruption? How does decentralized decision-making help companies stay resilient in times of uncertainty? Is the current crisis forcing companies to give up or double down on sustainability goals? Host Emmanuel Lagarrigue, Chief Innovation Officer at Schneider Electric discusses these topics and more with IESE Strategic Management Professor , Mike Rosenberg.