Energytech Startups

In this episode, we dive into the fast-evolving world of EV charging with the founder of Pangea Charging, a native Houstonian who left roles at Google and IBM to tackle climate change by building EV infrastructure in Houston. He explains how Pangea acts as the “Best Buy of EV charging,” helping customers, especially multi-tenant properties, navigate a crowded market, choose the right solutions, an...

In this episode of the Energy Technology Podcast, we talk with John Happ, CEO of Pressure Corp, and Mihir Desu, President, about how the company is generating zero-carbon, base-load power by capturing waste pressure in pipelines—similar to regenerative braking for energy systems. Joined by hosts Nada Ahmed and Jason Netier, the conversation explores how this technology is deployed, why it’s econom...

In this episode of the Energy Tech Startups Podcast, we sit down with Jeremy Pitts to explore the launch of Activate Houston, a nonprofit dedicated to turning breakthrough scientific research into real-world companies. As managing director, Jeremy shares Activate’s roots as Cyclotron Road at Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, its expansion to Houston, and why the city is uniquely positioned to lead...

In this episode, we sit down with Maciek Lukawski, VP of Strategy and Business Development at Amogy, to explore how the company is using ammonia as a clean, scalable energy source on the path to Net Zero. Maciek explains why ammonia is a compelling, energy-dense carrier for hydrogen, how Amogy’s modular power packs convert ammonia into electricity, and why this approach is especially suited for ha...

In this episode, we share the origin story of the Texas Climate Tech Collective, co-founded by Deanna Zhang, Taylor Chapman, and Gabe Malick after a chance meeting in a Brooklyn bar sparked a shared mission to turn Houston into a center for energy transition. We dig into insights from their 2023 Houston Climate Tech Ecosystem report, exploring Houston’s shifting reputation, generational changes in...

In this episode, we talk with Schaum Sethuram, CEO and co-founder of Emission Critical Technologies, about how his company is simplifying carbon footprint analysis through a SaaS platform that acts like a “carbon nutrition label” for products. Schaum explains how the platform delivers detailed, batch-level lifecycle analysis across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, especially for heavy industries like...

In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Lane, co-founder and CEO of Capwell Services, to explore how his company is tackling methane emissions from end-of-life oil and gas wells with a patented, cost-effective abatement solution. Andrew explains the scale of the abandoned well problem, the health and environmental risks of methane and associated gases, and how Capwell’s sealing systems can captur...

In this episode, we talk with Jason Beck from ZettaWatts about how the company is helping energy transition technologies reach the market by pairing innovation with smarter financial structures. Jason shares his personal climate journey, why Houston is becoming a major hub for energy transition, and how Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) fit into the broader decarbonization puzzle. We also break...

In this episode of the Energy Tech Startups Podcast, we sit down with Arsheen Allam, founder and CEO of GOLeafe, to explore how her background in material science and nanotechnology is unlocking new energy applications for graphene. Arsheen shares her journey from early ventures in India to earning an MBA at Duke, being named to Forbes 30 Under 30, and building GOLeafe’s breakthrough process for e...

In this episode of the Energy Technology Podcast, we talk with Manas Patak, CEO and co-founder of EarthEn, about the company’s thermo-mechanical energy storage technology built around supercritical CO₂. Manas explains how this compact, safe, and cost-effective approach enables long-duration energy storage, how it compares to traditional compressed air systems, and why using CO₂ unlocks new perform...

In this episode, Rawand Rasheed, CEO and founder of Helix Earth Technologies, shares how his background as a NASA space engineer led him to repurpose space-developed technology to decarbonize buildings and heavy industry. Rawand explains how work on life support and fire suppression systems evolved into retrofit devices that reduce energy loads in HVAC systems, along with the challenges of scaling...

In this episode, we sit down with Anas Al Kassas, CEO of INOVUES, to explore how the company is transforming building facades with energy-saving, smart glass solutions that upgrade windows without removal, replacement, or disruption. Drawing on his 15 years in architectural and facade engineering, Anas explains how INOVUES dramatically shortens payback periods, extends window life, and helps build...

In this episode, we talk with Will Tope, Chief Commercial Officer at LiNa Energy, about the company’s novel battery technology designed for long-duration energy storage. Will explains how LiNa’s lithium-sodium chemistry and ceramic electrolyte address the safety, cost, and thermal limitations of traditional lithium-ion batteries, enabling simpler heat management and scalable, low-cost manufacturin...

In this episode, we sit down with Agustin Rios, COO of Lignium Energy, to explore how the company is turning cow manure into clean, carbon-neutral energy through a process that converts farm waste into standardized biomass pellets. Agustin shares his journey from Chile to launching Lignium’s U.S. operations, breaks down the technology behind their mobile pilot and plans for a pre-production plant,...

In this episode, we’re joined by Derek Adams and Gus Perez of EarthBridge Energy to discuss how their startup is rethinking long-duration energy storage by using the earth itself as the storage medium. Blending concepts from oil and gas, geothermal, and renewable energy, EarthBridge’s technology, validated by three National Labs—can store massive amounts of power for months, helping solve the mism...

This week, we sit down with Emma Konet, co-founder and CTO of Tierra Climate, to explore how her startup is decarbonizing the grid by creating a new revenue stream for grid-scale batteries. Emma explains how Tierra’s proprietary algorithms estimate and certify emissions reductions by shifting battery dispatch from high- to low-carbon periods, enabling the creation of carbon credits tied to battery...

This week we sit down with Rahel Abraham, CEO of ClimaGuard, a company dedicated to creating ultra-extreme weather protection systems for vehicles and other valuable assets. Rahel shares her personal experience with Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which inspired her to use her engineering skills to create solutions for climate-related challenges. Despite facing numerous setbacks, including supply chain...

In this episode, we chat with Sujatha Kumar, CEO, and Brandon Brown, VP of Business Development at Dsider, about how their platform is helping energy companies make smarter decisions on the path to net zero. They explain how Dsider combines physics-based models, machine learning, and generative AI into a user-friendly “leadership dashboard” that connects carbon management, financial returns, and i...

In this episode, we’re joined by Sergio Tuberquia, founder and CEO of equipcast, to discuss how the company is tackling the energy industry’s growing skills gap with its Digi Engineer platform. Sergio explains how Digi Engineer combines proprietary algorithms, modeling, real-time sensor data, and generative AI to embed subject matter expertise directly into asset operations—giving field operators...

In this episode, Nanotech CEO & co-founder Mike Francis and Chief Commercial Officer, Carrie Horazeck delve into their mission of bringing breakthrough materials for climate resilience to the market. They specifically discuss their growth into the Green Building space, where they have developed a roof coating based on their nanotechnology. They emphasize the importance of sustainability with a...

Ben Jawdat, Founder, and CEO of Revterra shares Revterra's groundbreaking energy storage solution using flywheel technology. Their modular system leverages spinning steel discs to store and release energy, with a primary focus on high-power electric vehicle charging. Flywheel energy storage technology has been around for decades and Ben highlights the environmental benefits of flywheel storage, th...

Rodolfo Elias Dieck, Managing Partner at Proeza Ventures, shares his journey into the mobility space and the factors that led to the launch of their mobility-focused fund. With a global scope, Proeza Ventures invests in ambitious founders transforming the mobility industry. They focus on early-stage startups, aiming for a good ownership stake, and seek alignment in vision and values when selecting...

Wootz is an advanced material startup based in Texas, pushing the boundaries of what's possible with carbon and nanotube supermaterials. The company is leading the charge in the energy space, exploring innovative use cases for combining conventional metals with carbon nanotubes to provide new capabilities essential for next-generation technologies and infrastructure. For example, the world's relia...

In this episode, we sit down with Jim Blackburn, environmental lawyer and CEO of BCarbon, to discuss how the nonprofit carbon registry—born out of Rice University’s Baker Institute—is building measurement-based carbon markets around soil, forest, and blue carbon. Jim explains why credible carbon sequestration depends on strong legal systems, active stakeholder communities, and transparent protocol...

In this episode, we sit down with Jhana Porter, founder and CEO of Frakktal, to explore how she’s building a materials company focused on replacing fossil fuel–based feedstocks with plant-based polymers, starting with PVC. Jhana shares how yoga inspired her founder journey, why material selection matters so much in the built environment, and how Frakktal’s novel materials are being piloted in real...