The BIC Presents Podcast

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan talks with Tim Butterworth, Director of Applied Technology at the Berkshire Innovation Center, about the structure and impact of the BIC’s Innovation Interns Program. Each summer, the program invites STEM students (often studying at schools like WPI, Columbia, and UMass Lowell) to apply their talents and develop skills in rapid prototyping, design iteration, and digital fabrication using the BIC’s advanced tools and labs.

Tim explains how the program uses the DMAIC framework (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) to teach structured problem-solving while encouraging creativity and independence. Interns gain hands-on experience through projects like a 3D-printed CNC wire bender and a hydroponic watering system for zero-gravity environments, applying lessons that go beyond technical skills.

The conversation explores how mentorship at the BIC fosters confidence and resilience, helping students embrace failure as part of innovation. As Tim notes, the goal is to prepare young engineers and makers to return to the Berkshires with both skill and purpose; ready to contribute to the region’s growing technology ecosystem.

Berkshire Innovation Center: 

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

Produced by PJ Moynihan & Nate Christy, BIC Studios

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan sat down with Garth Klimchuk, founder of NorthRenew Energy and longtime investment banker turned renewable energy developer. Raised in Calgary, Alberta, and trained as a geologist, Klimchuk’s career began in oil and gas before moving into finance at Barclays and Wharton. His work on Wall Street in power and utilities ultimately led him to focus on clean energy.

Klimchuk describes how NorthRenew Energy develops large-scale wind and solar projects across the western US, from identifying land and securing leases to permitting, environmental studies, and interconnection.  The conversation explores today’s shifting political climate, with federal tax credits under threat and developers facing hard choices on which projects to advance. Klimchuk stresses the rising demand from AI-driven data centers, and the looming risks of blackouts and rising consumer costs if renewable growth stalls.

He also highlights the importance of state-level incentives, private-sector investment, and collective advocacy through organizations like the Berkshire Innovation Center’s Clean Energy Leadership Group to sustain progress. For Klimchuk, grid resilience, innovation, and collaboration will define the future of U.S. energy.

NorthRenew Energy: https://northrenew.com/

Berkshire Innovation Center:

 https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

In this episode, host PJ Moynihan speaks with Maddy Zeliff, Program Manager at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), about the newly launched CriticalMass program. Designed to bridge the funding gap for climate tech startups, the initiative moves beyond early pilots to support larger-scale deployment projects across the Commonwealth. Maddy explains how MassCEC partnered with municipalities, universities, corporates, and agencies—from UMass campuses to the City of Boston—to identify problem statements and connect startups with project partners.

CriticalMass focuses on mature startups close to commercialization, aiming to address challenges like energy efficiency in aging buildings, grid innovation, and resilient infrastructure. The program offers non-dilutive funding, technical assistance, and ecosystem convenings to strengthen connections between startups, investors, and government agencies. With Massachusetts passing the Mass Leads Act and committing hundreds of millions to climate innovation, CriticalMass positions the state as a leader in both economic development and climate solutions. The discussion highlights Western Massachusetts’ role in scaling manufacturing and job creation, and how intentional design ensures startups thrive while building a resilient grid for the future.

Links

MassCEC – Critical Mass Program: https://www.masscec.com/masscec-funding/technology-market/criticalmass

MassCEC - Climatetech Economic Development Plan: https://www.masscec.com/resources/climatetech-lab-world

Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

Alliance for Climate Transition: https://www.joinact.org/

Produced by Nate Christy & PJ Moynihan, BIC Studios

In this episode, PJ Moynihan sits down with Rob Sladen, co-founder of BIC Member company Zulu Pods, at their Northampton, Massachusetts facility.  Rob shares how Zulu Pods began in 2020 with a “Tide Pod for the jet engine” — a patented, precision oil delivery system for short-mission gas turbine engines. By combining a pump and oil tank into one compact unit, the company addresses inefficiencies and reduces part counts for expendable jet engines used in drones and missiles.

Since then, Zulu Pods has expanded into smart backup oil systems and AI-enabled corrosion prevention pods that automate maintenance for high-value defense assets like the F-35B’s lift fan. These innovations eliminate costly tear-downs, reduce manual labor, and improve fleet readiness. Rob discusses the company’s COVID-era garage origins, the role of Navy and Army SBIR funding in accelerating growth, and the principles of optimal lubrication theory.

With customers including Boeing, Sikorsky, and Rolls-Royce, Zulu Pods is now a 23-person team on track for rapid revenue growth and new opportunities in both defense and commercial markets. As proud members of the Berkshire Innovation Center, Zulu Pods continues to innovate at the intersection of aerospace engineering and mission-critical reliability.

Zulu Pods: https://www.zulupods.com/

Berkshire Innovation Center:

 https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

In this episode of BIC Presents, we share highlights from a special event hosted at the Berkshire Innovation Center in 2024 - a public screening of the Oscar-winning documentary American Factory, followed by a live community discussion. The film, produced by Participant Media and Higher Ground Productions (founded by Barack and Michelle Obama), documents the culture clash that unfolds when a Chinese auto glass company reopens a shuttered GM plant in Dayton, Ohio - revealing tensions around labor, automation, and values in a shifting global economy.

Facilitated by award-winning filmmaker PJ Moynihan, the conversation took place on the historic grounds of the former GE Plastics plant - a site that once represented economic vitality in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and whose closure left deep scar tissue in the local workforce.  Today, the Berkshire Innovation Center stands on that same ground, helping to shape a new vision for innovation and industry in the region.

Panelists include Eric Planey, CEO of SolaBlock; Dr. Dennis Rebello and Tim Butterworth from the BIC leadership team; and retired local engineer Mike Lindsey.  Voices from the audience brought urgency, history, and perspective - challenging the narrative portrayed in the film while spotlighting new opportunities in workforce development, clean energy, and technical education.

From global supply chains and automation to vocational training, youth engagement, and climate-resilient jobs, this episode explores what it means to rebuild trust in manufacturing and connect local history to future opportunity.  It’s a conversation rooted in place - and possibility.

Links:

Berkshire Innovation Center:

 https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

American Factory (Netflix): https://www.netflix.com/title/81090071

Higher Ground Productions:

 https://www.highergroundproductions.com

Produced by Nate Christy & PJ Moynihan, BIC Studios

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan welcomes Marc Bellora, founder of Clear Waterways Group and member of the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator program.  A Berkshires native who grew up exploring local lakes and streams on his BMX bike, Marc shares how a childhood love of nature evolved into a mission-driven career in environmental innovation.  After earning a degree in Environmental Science and Economics from Ithaca College, Marc went on to work with Krofta Engineering, where he was introduced to dissolved air flotation (DAF) - a powerful but underutilized water treatment technology.  Years later, Marc had the idea to bring that industrial-scale solution to recreational waters.

That idea became a reality during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Marc and a former colleague built a working prototype of a mobile water clarifier - a self-propelled, autonomous device that separates contaminants like phosphorus, nitrogen, oil, and bacteria from clean lake water. This “Roomba for Lakes” is portable, easy to launch from a boat ramp, and requires no power or road access.  With support from BIC’s prototyping lab and STAT Program, Marc has significantly improved the design, increasing throughput to 200 gallons per minute and reducing weight by shifting away from steel-based components.

Throughout the conversation, Marc reflects on the challenge of deferred maintenance in public waterways, the rise of harmful algal blooms, and the urgent need for tools that municipalities and lake associations can deploy before problems escalate.  His innovation not only has the potential to keep beaches open and ecosystems safe - it also reflects a larger commitment to clean water access and climate resilience.  Clear Waterways Group is currently seeking additional pilot sites and grant funding to move into commercial manufacturing, with hopes of putting this technology in the hands of those who need it most.

Berkshire Innovation Center:

 https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

Email Clear Waterways Group: [email protected]

Marc Balora (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-bellora-4b120229/

Produced by Nate Christy & PJ Moynihan, BIC Studios.

In this episode, PJ Moynihan speaks with Lani Willmar, founder of Ethos Admissions and Ethos Pathways. A Williams College graduate and first-generation Vietnamese-American entrepreneur, Lani shares how her upbringing shaped her drive to expand educational access and economic opportunity. Starting with college consulting, she soon realized the transformative power of guiding students through stressful systems. Her new initiative, Ethos Pathways, builds on that by addressing climate anxiety and workforce readiness among youth.

With early support from MassCEC and the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator, Lani is developing the Berkshire Climate Career Lab—a program designed to reach environmental justice communities across the region and connect them with green jobs. The episode explores how Lani's holistic, grassroots approach to entrepreneurship is meeting real community needs, and why climate justice is about more than policy—it’s about people. Her mission now includes creating systems that uplift underrepresented students, aligning them with the Commonwealth’s growing climate economy.

Ethos Admissions:

 https://www.ethosadmissions.org/

Ethos Pathways:

 https://www.ethospathways.org/

Berkshire Innovation Center:

 https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/

Produced by Nate Christy & PJ Moynihan, BIC Studios

In this episode of BIC Presents, we dive into the world of meta optics - an emerging technology that uses nanoscopic, ultra-thin lenses to manipulate light in ways traditional optics never could.

Our guests are Vince Einck, Chief Technology Officer of Myrias Optics, and Justin McKennon, Principal Scientist II at Electro Magnetic Applications (EMA) — two Massachusetts-based companies collaborating to produce and test metalenses.

Together, they break down:

• What metalenses are and how they work.
• How nanoimprint lithography allows for mass production of lenses thinner than a human hair.
• Why testing in simulated space environments is critical to ensuring meta optics are ready for real-world use.
• The role of Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) in funding this high-tech collaboration.
• Exciting applications, from augmented reality and AI data centers to aerospace, defense, and photonics.

As Vince and Justin explain, meta optics are more than just a new type of lens — they represent a platform technology with the potential to redefine what’s possible in optics, enabling lighter, smaller, and smarter devices.

This conversation also highlights how Massachusetts is building an ecosystem for advanced manufacturing and innovation, connecting research labs, manufacturers, and testing facilities — all within close proximity, accelerating breakthrough ideas into real-world solutions.

Join us as we explore how next-generation optics are being built and tested right here in the Berkshires — and what this could mean for industries worldwide.

📌 Learn More:

🔗 Visit MyriasOptics.com

🔗 Visit EMA3d.com

🔗 Learn about MassTech.org

Produced by PJ Moynihan & Nate Christy, BIC Studios

In this episode of BIC Presents, we sit down with Alex Brown, founder of Recover Hospitality, a company dedicated to making hotels, restaurants, and travel experiences more inclusive for the sober community. As someone in long-term recovery and a seasoned hotelier, Alex saw firsthand the challenges of navigating hospitality spaces where alcohol is deeply ingrained in the culture.

Through his business, Alex works with hotels and restaurants to create sober-friendly spaces, offering consulting, certification, and education to help establishments better serve the growing market of over 80 million sober and sober-curious adults in the U.S. He also launched CXN Travel, a full-service agency for booking sober-friendly vacations, and The Recovering Traveler, a platform sharing resources, advocacy, and mental health insights.

Join us as we explore how Alex is redefining hospitality, helping businesses tap into an underserved market, and making travel more accessible for those in recovery.

📌 Learn More:
🔗 Visit RecoverHospitality.com

🔗 Visit CXNTravel
📲 Follow @RecoveringTraveler on Instagram

Produced by: PJ Moynihan & Nate Christy, BIC Studios

In this episode, industry experts dive into challenges and strategies for scaling a hardware startup, from manufacturing partnerships to cost-effective design and supply chain management.  Recorded live at the Berkshire Innovation Center and moderated by Director of Applied Technology Tim Butterworth, the panel features Eric Planey, CEO of SolaBlock; David McCloskey, founder of Alogous Engineering; and David Allen, President of Sinicon Plastics. They discuss key factors in manufacturing strategy, from balancing design and cost to navigating supply chains and outsourcing production. The conversation highlights real-world insights into scaling from prototype to production while managing market demands and funding constraints. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, engineer, or investor, this episode offers valuable insight into bringing physical products to market.

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mccloskey-1538b83a/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-allen-7702b1b/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-planey-8555299/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-butterworth-4bb42027/

https://www.solablock.com/

https://siniconplastics.com/

https://www.alogusinnovation.com/

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com

Produced by: Nate Christy and PJ Moynihan