In this issue:
Martin’s journey of noticing the opportunity for commercial energy storage (high heat) and how he founded the company.
A masterclass on how to get customers to pay for your pilot project.
A summary of the energy storage landscape.
Listen Time: Full Show 57:21 (no ads) | Free Preview 34:49
On today’s episode, we’re speaking with Martin Schichtel, the CEO and Founder of Kraftblock, a thermal energy storage solution for industrial clients that use high heat.
Today, they’re delivering their 5th project. All of which have been paid for by their customers — yep, you read that right. They have not used equity to pay for these pilot and demonstration projects.
Their tech takes excess heat or electricity and turns it into heat, stores it in these engineered rocks. When demand is needed, they deliver the power. Reliable and affordable energy storage is the key to the energy transition.
Get the full episode today to hear….
How they managed to get their customers to pay for their pilots and demonstration projects
The role consumer demand for cleanly produced products is having on the world
The importance of validating the idea WITH CUSTOMERS before you build your pilot
The energy storage landscape globally
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📝 Show Notes:
Topics
(time stamps are accurate for the full episode and approximate for the free preview)
00:00 Market Education and Heat Storage Innovations
03:08 The Journey of Kraft Block and Its Technology
05:51 Transitioning from Technical to Commercial
09:12 Understanding the Customer Base and Revenue Models
11:56 Global Demand for Clean Products
15:11 The Evolution of Thermal Energy Storage
18:07 Prototyping and Development Challenges
20:57 The Current State of Energy Storage Industry
24:08 Market Conditions Driving Change
26:52 Sustainability and Waste Management in Technology
28:44 Innovative Material Development for Energy Storage
31:59 Validation Principles for Hardware Startups
35:07 Funding Strategies for Hardware Projects
—(Free Version ends here)—
39:41 Building Trust in Hardware Industries
42:30 Navigating Speed to Market in Hardware
45:22 Climate Tech Trends and Political Influences
49:58 Future of Energy Storage and Startup Opportunities
53:52 Underrated Climate Founders and Resources
Links
Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
William Kamkwamba (the CleanTech OG that Martin would love to have dinner with)
This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.
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