Dr. Simon Bunjamin, Project Manager for LoRaWAN and Smart City initiatives at NEW (Niederrhein Energie und Wasser GmbH) AG, talks about how a traditional public utility in western Germany transformed itself into a digital innovator by embracing LoRaWAN. He explains how the journey began with a single project and evolved into one of the most advanced regional LoRaWAN networks serving hundreds of thousands of customers.

Shares how he moved from a background in political science into the world of IoT and smart utilities

Describes starting at NEW as a one-person team tasked with exploring LoRaWAN use cases across electricity, gas, and water divisions

Explains how early skepticism turned into enthusiasm once colleagues experienced LoRaWAN’s simplicity and reliability firsthand

Details the creation of an internal “experience center” to demonstrate live sensors and educate staff across departments

Tells the story of solving a seemingly minor problem—rain leaking through office windows—that sparked a wave of new IoT projects

Breaks down how LoRaWAN reshaped utility operations by replacing costly, limited systems with flexible, data-rich solutions

Discusses the unexpected benefits of real-time metering data, from billing accuracy to optimizing heat and energy performance

Shares the now-famous “beaver project,” where LoRaWAN sensors replaced manual water level checks and paid for themselves in days

Highlights lessons on building internal buy-in, navigating data governance, and balancing regulation with innovation

Reflects on how curiosity, communication, and small wins can drive large-scale transformation within public infrastructure organizations

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-simon-bunjamin-b84a7419/

Company Website: https://www.new-energie.de/gk/service-fuer-stadtwerke/lorawan

A special edition in both German and English, hosted by my friend and former guest, Robert Bogs.

Tom Krüger, founder and CEO of TJK Solutions, talks about transforming a small German lakeside community into one of Europe’s most forward-thinking LoRaWAN regions. At just 20 years old, Tom has turned his early curiosity about wireless weather sensors into a growing company delivering LoRaWAN networks for environmental monitoring, smart villages, and disaster resilience. In this episode, he shares how local collaboration, open-source innovation, and cost-effective engineering can bring LoRa-powered infrastructure to life—even in small municipalities.

• How a classroom science project using LoRa temperature and pH sensors inspired the founding of TJK Solutions in Brandenburg, Germany
• The path from DIY weather stations to commercial LoRaWAN deployments for water authorities and tourism operators
• How LoRaWAN networks are being used to monitor water levels, beach conditions, and environmental data across the region
• Building an off-grid Meshtastic emergency network to maintain communication during blackouts, connecting nine disaster-response sites with solar-powered LoRa routers
• Collaboration between local government, the fire brigade, and private partners to deploy resilient, low-cost IoT infrastructure
• The business case for municipalities: reducing costs, improving transparency, and creating a foundation for smart city growth
• Why combining LoRaWAN for telemetry and LoRa mesh for citizen communication creates a powerful hybrid model for local resilience
• Insights into the Smart Village project, integrating LoRaWAN into lighting control, school air monitoring, and park management
• Tom’s view on LoRaWAN’s future across Europe and how small innovators can drive adoption through user-focused problem solving and partnerships

Links:

Tom's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-jonas-krueger/

TJK Website: https://tjk-solutions.de/

Robert's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertbogs/

• Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!
• Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.
• Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!
• MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it.
• MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

Paul Martin Schwartz, co-founder and CEO of SenArch, talks about how solar-powered LoRaWAN gateways are filling the connectivity gaps that traditional infrastructure can’t reach. SenArch’s gateways are built to run reliably in extreme environments, with energy-optimized electronics and rugged AGM batteries that can operate for up to a month without sunlight. In this episode, Paul explains the engineering trade-offs behind battery and solar panel sizing, why AGM batteries outperform lithium in freezing temperatures, and how off-grid connectivity enables new IoT use cases worldwide.

• Choosing between 150-watt solar panels with 100 amp-hour batteries versus smaller 50-watt/22 amp-hour setups, depending on deployment location and climate
• Why AGM batteries are critical in cold regions where lithium batteries lose charging ability and risk permanent damage
• The role of Iridium low-power satellites as a backhaul option compared to Starlink, and how connectivity costs shape IoT deployments
• Hidden costs in LoRaWAN, particularly the challenges of radio planning and the need for additional gateways to achieve reliable coverage
• The importance of focusing on customer needs instead of competition, and why mission-critical networks demand over-specified, always-on infrastructure
• Water metering as one of the strongest business cases for LoRaWAN, with lower installation costs, faster rollouts, and significant efficiency gains for utilities

Paul highlights how SenArch’s gateways are being used from Europe to North America to close coverage gaps, support water monitoring, and enable smart city, climate resilience, and agricultural projects. His experience in telecom and IoT gives him a unique perspective on building sustainable networks that deliver real-world impact.

Links:

Paul Martin Schwartz

Senarch

• Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!
• Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.
• Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!
• MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it.
• MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

Fabio Rosa, CEO and founder of TagoIO, talks about what it takes to build an IoT platform that scales globally while staying grounded in customer needs.

With over 1,000 supported devices and a GitHub-driven ecosystem for integrating LoRaWAN sensors, TagoIO has become a cornerstone in the IoT space. Fabio shares how his team prioritizes support for every user—whether it’s a student running a free account or a company deploying tens of thousands of devices.

He explains why TagoIO is designed not just for developers, but for the customers of their customers—making it easier to deliver value all the way down the chain. The conversation dives into the hidden costs of using AI in IoT, especially when querying massive datasets, and the steps TagoIO is taking to balance innovation with operational sustainability.

Fabio also reflects on key lessons from running the company: build fewer features, listen harder, and focus relentlessly on solving the right problems. He discusses how AI can be used not just to improve the developer experience, but to help end users extract actionable insights from their data—if it’s implemented thoughtfully.

Throughout the episode, Fabio emphasizes the importance of trust, transparency, and customer success obsession as guiding principles for long-term impact in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Fabio on LinkedIn

TagoIO Website

Brandon Dalida, Regional Sales Director at MultiTech, talks about how large-scale LoRaWAN deployments succeed when they're designed around cost-efficiency, business alignment, and network structure.

With over two decades in telecom and IoT, Brandon brings a deeply practical perspective on what makes LoRaWAN work for enterprise—especially when budgets, security, and data costs are on the line.

• Breaks down how LoRaWAN networks can be tailored to support different business models, comparing Capex-driven private networks with Opex-heavy cloud-based topologies
• Explains the value of edge intelligence and why Fortune 500 companies are increasingly turning to on-site LoRaWAN deployments for privacy, scalability, and WAN data cost savings
• Introduces MultiTech’s Conduit gateways and their BACnet/IP integration, enabling seamless LoRaWAN-to-building automation system communication for smart buildings
• Discusses the retrofitting opportunity: how LoRaWAN can be used in older buildings like museums and courthouses where wired infrastructure is not feasible
• Talks through the challenges of fragmented networks in multi-site deployments and how MultiTech is building tools for onboarding and orchestration to unify device management at scale
• Shares the vision for future integration between LoRaWAN and Bluetooth Low Energy, especially for mobile onboarding, firmware updates, and device configuration
• Highlights how different wireless technologies—LoRaWAN, LTE, BLE, NFC—can work together depending on the use case, cost, and scale requirements

Links:

Brandon on LinkedIn

Multi-Tech website

Olivier Hersent, founder and CEO of Actility, talks about the accelerating convergence of LoRaWAN and BACnet in building automation, and what that means for retrofits, logistics, and the future of wireless sensing. With BACnet still dominating 70% of the building automation market—even on brand new PLCs—Olivier explains why making LoRaWAN invisible to integrators is critical, and how Actility is bridging these two worlds one sensor at a time.

He also shares insights into the work Actility is doing with custom sensing and logistics tracking, including real-world deployments in automotive assembly lines, massive vehicle yards, and remote conservation areas. From RS485-era wired sensors to modern closed-loop logistics, Olivier points to a shift toward simplicity and targeted data collection, where most application layers are 99% noise and only one bit matters.

• Why BACnet remains the king of building automation—and what makes integrating LoRa so difficult
• How Actility is streamlining LoRaWAN-to-BACnet translation by mapping and testing each individual sensor
• The growing role of AI in simplifying sensor driver creation and semantic standards
• A new market segment in geolocation: closed-loop logistics and the return of valuable assets
• Why Africa is poised to be the next major IoT growth market, with utilities growing 50% year-over-year
• The cost advantages of LoRaWAN for emerging economies and remote infrastructure
• Why older, simpler wired protocols like RS485 are easier to port to LoRaWAN
• How LoRaWAN could reduce power grid strain by syncing appliances with real-time energy signals
• Olivier’s advice for new founders: help wired sensing companies go wireless

Olivier Hersent on LinkedIn

Actility

Orne Brocaar, founder and lead developer of ChirpStack, talks about building one of the most widely used open-source LoRaWAN network servers in the world. With over two million downloads across major versions, ChirpStack has become a foundational tool for developers, businesses, and governments deploying LoRaWAN infrastructure.

In this episode, Orne explains how ChirpStack grew from a side project in 2015 to a globally adopted platform, with early support from CableLabs and SIDN. He outlines the biggest technical challenges users face, especially around configuring gateways, Linux environments, and network firewalls—core steps that can make or break a LoRaWAN deployment.

The conversation dives into the practical business model behind open-source software in IoT, where ChirpStack generates sustainable revenue through consultancy, contracted development, and community sponsorships. Orne shares how this structure allows him to support enterprise users while continuing to improve the platform for everyone.

A highlight of the discussion is ChirpStack’s new gateway mesh feature, developed in collaboration with RAK Wireless and Smart Parks. These solar-powered relay gateways operate without direct internet connections and enable coverage in remote or rugged environments. Orne describes how the new mesh framework supports remote configuration and monitoring over LoRaWAN’s proprietary message types—providing valuable tools for managing decentralized infrastructure.

Other topics include advice for first-time users, the role of ChirpStack in the broader LoRaWAN ecosystem, and what’s next for the project.

• Common setup pain points and how to solve them
• Making open-source business models work in IoT
• The role of CableLabs and SIDN in scaling ChirpStack
• LoRaWAN deployment in rural and off-grid areas
• Gateway mesh architecture for extended coverage
• Using LoRaWAN to send commands to gateways
• Why ChirpStack continues to grow in adoption

Guest links:

Orne Brocaar on LinkedIn

Chirpstack

• Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!
• Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.
• Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!
• MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it.
• MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

Bob Blanchard, Senior Manager of Business Development at Klika Tech, talks about how creative vision and technical execution come together in successful LoRaWAN deployments. With a background that blends artistic insight and engineering precision, Bob shares how seeing what doesn’t yet exist is a critical skill in both invention and solution design.

In this episode, Bob explains Klika Tech’s role as more than just a system integrator—they are an enhanced solution provider, capable of co-creating with clients from concept through deployment. Backed by a premiere partnership with AWS and a deep bench of senior-level engineers, Klika Tech is known for delivering complex IoT and LoRaWAN projects in real-world environments like resorts, multifamily housing, and healthcare.

We explore use cases that haven’t been fully realized—like golf course management with LoRaWAN—and how Bob helps clients uncover untapped opportunities. He also breaks down why higher-frequency wireless technologies often create more headaches than LoRaWAN, and how this “it just works” quality makes LoRaWAN a strong fit for sprawling properties and low-bandwidth, long-range sensor applications.

Bob discusses the importance of partnerships and a developed ecosystem in LoRaWAN success, including how Klika Tech’s partner network drives sales and expands reach. He shares a behind-the-scenes look at project development, emphasizing Klika’s ability to work closely with customers to iterate, adapt, and build lasting value into every solution.

Topics covered:

• Why LoRaWAN avoids interference issues common in Wi-Fi-heavy environments
• The value of co-creation with experienced engineering teams
• LoRaWAN use cases that haven’t been deployed—yet
• Challenges of other wireless protocols and what LoRaWAN does differently
• Building a referral network through trusted partners

Links:

Bob Blanchard

Klika Tech

• Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!
• Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.
• Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!
• MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it.
• MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

Eric Lenington, founder and CEO of ObjectSpectrum, talks about the power of solving customer problems with LoRaWAN, and why the real strength of the technology lies not in theoretical performance, but in its thriving ecosystem. From commercial buildings to agricultural deployments and even vacation rental monitoring, Eric breaks down how his team delivers reliable, scalable IoT solutions using off-the-shelf devices and the flexibility of LoRaWAN standards.

He explains how ObjectSpectrum integrates with networks like Helium and Senet, and why, despite new protocols like Mioty entering the scene, LoRaWAN remains the dominant force because of its mature ecosystem and device availability. “Technology X might be better than LoRaWAN,” Eric says, “but I don’t care—there’s no ecosystem.”

Eric also shares the origin story behind Prism, the software platform ObjectSpectrum built when nothing else met their standards for high-availability, scalable IoT application infrastructure. Designed to be infrastructure-agnostic and support a variety of protocols beyond LoRaWAN, Prism reflects a telecom-grade mindset applied to IoT—delivering the uptime, flexibility, and performance that complex deployments require.

Looking forward, Eric highlights NTN (Non-Terrestrial Networks) as the next major frontier in IoT connectivity. He discusses how satellite LoRaWAN providers like Lacuna are beginning to open up new possibilities, offering standards-based options in space that rival terrestrial deployments in reach and resilience.

If you're evaluating how to deploy scalable IoT solutions, this episode offers clarity on where LoRaWAN wins, how to assess new entrants like Mioty, and what to watch as NTN infrastructure accelerates.

Eric on LinkedIn

Object Spectrum

• Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!
• Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.
• Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!
• MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it.
• MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

Henry Huang, CEO of Browan Communications, talks about Browan’s cost-effective, hybrid IoT strategies and real-world applications in Indoor positioning, Asset tracking, and IoT in Hospitals.

• Leverages existing Wi-Fi APs and LoRaWAN gateways to deliver Indoor positioning and Asset tracking while keeping customer costs down
• Demonstrates practical IoT in Hospitals with LoRaWAN-enabled mobile nursing station trackers integrated into hospital Wi-Fi environments
• Uses heat maps generated from Wi-Fi signals combined with LoRaWAN backhaul to enable zone-level Indoor positioning in semiconductor plants and airports
• Outlines precision tiers (±20 cm to ±50 m) to balance accuracy requirements with investment, ensuring solutions remain economical
• Shows how adding gateways improves coverage and feeds dynamic heat maps, allowing scalable expansion of Indoor positioning networks
• Emphasizes hybrid technology—combining LoRaWAN, Wi-Fi, UWB, Bluetooth, and Zigbee—to address diverse enterprise use cases and maximize ROI

Henry on LinkedIn

Browan

• Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!
• Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.
• Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!
• MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it.
• MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.