The Techne Connect

In this episode of TECHNE Connect To Visionaries, we speak with Sanjay Vijendran, Co-Founder & CTO of TerraSpark, about his journey from Mars exploration to building the future of space-based energy.

Sanjay shares his career journey, from working on NASA’s Phoenix Mars Mission, helping develop technology that explored the Martian surface, to spending over a decade at the European Space Agency developing future Mars exploration concepts.

After recognising the potential of space-based solar power, Sanjay moved from ESA into entrepreneurship and founded TerraSpark, a company focused on delivering clean and reliable energy from space to Earth.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Sanjay’s journey from NASA Mars missions to founding a space energy company
• Why space-based solar power could become a future source of clean energy
• How advances in reusable rockets, satellite manufacturing and commercial space have changed what is possible
• TerraSpark’s approach to proving the technology at smaller scale before building larger orbital energy systems
• The engineering skills needed for the next generation of space companies
• How startups are creating opportunities for engineers to work across multiple disciplines

Sanjay also shares his vision for the future of space infrastructure, the growth of commercial applications in orbit, and what success looks like for TerraSpark over the next decade.

A great conversation for engineers, founders and anyone interested in the future of space, energy and the companies building the next generation of orbital infrastructure.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The future of aviation is changing, and the next generation of aircraft is being built today.

In the latest episode of TECHNE Connect to Flight, we sit down with Marina Hutter, Head of People at VÆRIDION, to discuss the journey of building a fully electric regional aircraft and scaling a deep tech company from the ground up.

Marina shares:

• How VÆRIDION is developing a fully electric nine-seater passenger aircraft for regional aviation
• Why the transition from software-led health tech into deep tech hardware created a completely different experience
• What it takes to build teams and culture inside an ambitious aerospace startup
• Why electric aviation is moving from a question of “if” to “when”
• The challenges and opportunities of bringing a new aircraft through testing, industrialisation and certification
• Why joining an early-stage aerospace company offers a rare opportunity to help build an aircraft programme from day one

A fascinating conversation about electric aviation, company building and the people behind the technology shaping the future of flight.

Watch the latest episode of TECHNE Connect to Flight with Marina Hutter, Head of People at VÆRIDION.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to build and scale teams capable of solving the world’s hardest problems?

In the latest episode of TECHNE Connect to Visionaries, we sit down with Matt Gjertsen, Founder of Built, to discuss his journey from US Air Force pilot to SpaceX training leader and now helping hard tech companies build the leadership capability needed to scale.

Matt shares insights from his time at SpaceX, including the culture, mindset and operating principles that helped the company achieve some of its biggest milestones, from landing rockets to building a reusable launch system.

We discuss:

• What it was like joining SpaceX during its early growth phase
• The importance of staying focused on the right problems, not just solutions
• Why many technical companies struggle when scaling from engineering-led teams into larger organisations
• The leadership gap that appears when great engineers become managers
• How founders can build teams capable of executing at scale
• Where Matt sees the space industry heading over the next 3–5 years

A conversation on leadership, entrepreneurship and the people needed to shape the next generation of aerospace and hard tech companies.

Watch the latest episode of TECHNE Connect to Visionaries with Matt Gjertsen, Founder of Built.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of TECHNE Connect to Health Tech, we speak with Abhi, VP of Engineering at Bunker Hill Health.

Abhi shares his journey from studying computer vision and robotics at Stanford to building AI-powered healthcare technology. With a background shaped by both engineering and healthcare, Abhi discusses how his experiences led him to Bunker Hill Health and the mission of helping healthcare organisations bring ideas from concept to clinical impact.

Bunker Hill Health is building CareBricks, a platform designed to help health systems use their data, workflows and AI capabilities to turn ideas into practical solutions that improve patient care.

In this episode, we explore:

• Abhi’s journey from computer vision research to healthcare technology
• Why healthcare needs to move beyond a scarcity mindset
• How AI is changing what is possible within healthcare delivery
• Why fundamentals and adaptability are critical skills for engineers
• The challenges of bringing healthcare ideas from research into real-world use
• How CareBricks enables health systems to build and deploy AI-powered workflows
• The importance of ownership, initiative and technical excellence when building health tech teams
• Why now is one of the most exciting times to build in healthcare

A conversation about AI, engineering leadership and the future of healthcare innovation.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of TECHNE Connect to HealthTech, we speak with Jeffrey Durmer Chief Medical Officer at Happy Health.

Jeffrey discusses the importance of sleep health, the scale of sleep disorders, and why improving our understanding of sleep is critical for the future of healthcare.

With a background in sleep medicine and neuroscience, Jeffrey shares his perspective on why sleep problems are so widespread and how technology is creating new opportunities to detect, understand and address these challenges.

We explore:

• Why sleep disorders are more common than many people realise
• The impact sleep health has on overall human health and wellbeing
• Why sleep apnea remains an under-recognised healthcare challenge
• How technology is helping create better insights into sleep patterns
• The opportunity to make sleep health more accessible and personalised
• What the future of digital health could look like as we better understand the role of sleep

A conversation about healthcare innovation, sleep science and building technology that helps people live healthier lives.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of TECHNE Connect to Health Tech, we speak with Abhi, VP of Engineering at Bunker Hill Health.

Abhi shares his journey from studying computer vision and robotics at Stanford to building AI-powered healthcare technology. With a background shaped by both engineering and healthcare, Abhi discusses how his experiences led him to Bunker Hill Health and the mission of helping healthcare organisations bring ideas from concept to clinical impact.

Bunker Hill Health is building CareBricks, a platform designed to help health systems use their data, workflows and AI capabilities to turn ideas into practical solutions that improve patient care.

In this episode, we explore:

• Abhi’s journey from computer vision research to healthcare technology
• Why healthcare needs to move beyond a scarcity mindset
• How AI is changing what is possible within healthcare delivery
• Why fundamentals and adaptability are critical skills for engineers
• The challenges of bringing healthcare ideas from research into real-world use
• How CareBricks enables health systems to build and deploy AI-powered workflows
• The importance of ownership, initiative and technical excellence when building health tech teams
• Why now is one of the most exciting times to build in healthcare

A conversation about AI, engineering leadership and the future of healthcare innovation.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Connect to Visionaries, Harrison is joined by Sophia Hummelman, Co-Founder and CCO of Remedium Energy, to explore her journey from investment banking into climate tech entrepreneurship. Sophia shares how an early interest in entrepreneurship led her to co-found a direct air capture company before turning her attention to the energy sector.

Sophia discusses Remedium Energy’s approach to decarbonising heavy industry through a heat battery that can deliver high-temperature heat while also capturing CO₂. She explores the challenges of bringing deep-tech innovations to market, the importance of validating ideas with customers early, and why AI fluency, technical expertise and strong human skills will be critical to the future of climate tech.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Connective Visionaries, Tom is joined by Brett Velicovich, Co-Founder and President of Powerus, to explore his journey from the military into entrepreneurship and defence technology. Brett shares how his experiences working with drone technology and humanitarian efforts in Ukraine exposed significant gaps in the US defence industry and ultimately inspired him to build PowerUs.

Brett discusses PowerUs’ mission to rebuild American drone manufacturing and develop low-cost, scalable drone systems for modern warfare. He explores the rapid evolution of drone technology, the growing role of AI and automation in defence, and why manufacturing, engineering and supply chain expertise will be critical to the industry’s future. Brett also shares insights into building a high-performance company culture, raising investment, scaling a defence technology business and the mindset required to succeed as an entrepreneur.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of TECHNE Connect, Joe Reed sits down with Mel Torrie, CEO and Founder of Autonomous Solutions Inc. (ASI), to discuss his journey through robotics, entrepreneurship and building autonomous systems for real-world industries.

Mel shares how growing up on a farm in Canada inspired his interest in automation, eventually leading him from electrical engineering into robotics and founding ASI over 25 years ago.

The conversation covers:

• The evolution of robotics from early concepts to today’s AI-driven systems
• Building a robotics company through the challenges of hardware, software and adoption
• Why trust, humility and culture are central to building successful teams
• The importance of hands-on engineering experience for the next generation
• How AI and labour shortages are accelerating robotics adoption
• The future of autonomous systems across agriculture, construction, mining and logistics

Mel also shares lessons from his entrepreneurial journey, including why founders need resilience, how setbacks create stronger companies and why putting people and customers first has been central to ASI’s growth.

A conversation on robotics, leadership and the people building the next generation of autonomous technology.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Connect to Orbit: Visionaries, we speak with Mark Keremedjiev, CEO & Co-Founder of Orbital Sentry.

Mark shares his journey from studying astrophysics at Cornell and building infrared cameras for black hole research, to working within the US intelligence community on advanced satellite programmes, before moving into the commercial space sector with Planet.

Now, as the founder of Orbital Sentry, Mark is building a new approach to Earth observation, focused on delivering persistent, real-time data from geosynchronous orbit.

We explore:

• Why current Earth observation systems struggle to provide timely data
• The challenges of monitoring rapidly changing events from space
• How Orbital Sentry plans to support defence, wildfire detection and commercial applications
• Why successful space companies need to solve customer problems, not only build impressive technology
• The lessons Mark has taken from government, startups and building a company from the ground up
• What the next 3–5 years could look like for the space industry

A conversation about entrepreneurship, space innovation and building the infrastructure needed for the next era of Earth intelligence.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.