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Select Quotes From This Episode:
"Controlling loads... shutting off your air condition, technically great, but who wants their AC shut off on the hottest day of the year?" — Cole Ashman
"We're able to turn entire apartment complexes into batteries by coordinating up to hundreds of these distributed batteries." — Cole Ashman
"You just order it, shows up, plug it in, no electrician needed." — Cole Ashman
"We didn't wanna build a system that was dependent on tax credits and dependent on incentives. That's cream on top." — Cole Ashman
"If there's one thing to focus on, it's people, you know, you can have the best idea in the world... but if you don't have people to kind of support the journey, you know, it's not going [to work]." — Cole Ashman
(Pick your favorite and share it on Substack or other social media to bring more awareness to the episode — think of it as a tip that costs you nothing)
Today, we're speaking with Cole Ashman, the CEO and founder of Pila Energy.
Pila is democratizing access to battery backup systems through industrial-grade, consumer-priced batteries that are simply plug-and-play. No electricians, no permitting, just reliable power.
Pila's innovative approach is disrupting the home energy market, from enabling demand response programs to making backup power accessible and affordable for everyone. Listen today to hear how they are reshaping energy reliability and demand response access.
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📝 Show Notes:
Topics
0:48 Who is Cole Ashman and what problem is Pila Energy solving?
3:39 What does the Pila battery look like and what are its core features?
6:30 How quickly did Pila go from concept to shipping product?
8:37 How does Pila balance design and engineering constraints as a startup?
10:20 What is the user experience like for setting up and using a Pila battery?
14:04 How do Pila batteries enable participation in demand response programs and save money?
16:58 Why is Pila's approach about improving quality of life, not just climate tech?
18:41 Does Pila's solution require permitting, and how does it compare in size to a Powerwall?
22:26 What are the policy tailwinds and headwinds affecting the home energy market in the US and EU?
27:06 Does state or utility-level action primarily drive regulatory changes in the US?
29:00 Will utilities be able to solve future power outages, or will they worsen?
30:52 How do battery systems compare to traditional gas generators in terms of cost and convenience?
34:25 What is Pila Energy's go-to-market strategy, and what is the price of the base unit?
38:09 Is Pila's business model primarily hardware sales, subscriptions, or virtual power plants?
40:32 How are discussions progressing with utilities regarding Pila's technology?
42:50 What are the biggest challenges for scaling hardware production, and how is Pila approaching it?
44:48 What is Cole Ashman's philosophy on team building and managing burn rate?
46:39 Does a lean team lead to a sharper focus on the most important tasks?
47:49 Have network connections provided significant shortcuts in Pila's journey?
51:35 What are Pila Energy's core milestones and future vision for homes and businesses?
53:33 Where can people find more information and pre-order Pila products?
Links
Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn
This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast.
