Conversations in Cleantech

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Oct 2026

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Conversations in Cleantech offers insight into the opportunities, challenges and rewards of working in the cleantech space from the investors, leaders, entrepreneurs, accelerators & technologists within it. We talk all things cleantech, sustainability, renewables, agritech, solar, wind, e-mobilty, hydrogen & energy storage. The time for cleantech is now – join the revolution and live your purpose. Conversations in Cleantech is bought to you by Brightsmith, the cleantech search specialists.

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October 13, 2026Episode 10537 min

Vinnie Campo, Co-Founder & CEO at Haven Energy: on Building Distributed Energy, Scaling Through Change & the Power of Curiosity | Season Eleven, Episode Eight

Welcome to Season Eleven of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we're exploring the talent equation, examining the people, skills, and leadership required to accelerate the energy transition. From workforce strategy and culture, to talent development and organisational growth, we'll explore what it really takes to build the teams driving the sector forward. In this episode, Jenny Gladman and Chloe England are joined by Vinnie Campo, Co-Founder & CEO at Haven Energy, a climate tech company working to make electricity cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable through residential solar and battery systems. Some careers are built around knowing exactly what comes next. Vinnie’s has been shaped by being comfortable when nobody does. From leaving energy trading to help build Uber’s early Texas operations, to launching Bulb in the US and eventually co-founding Haven, he has repeatedly found himself drawn to the opportunity to build, experiment, and figure things out along the way. That same mindset sits behind Haven’s approach to one of energy’s biggest challenges. A battery in somebody’s home might seem small against rising electricity demand, grid constraints, and enormous new data centres. Multiply it by thousands, however, and the picture changes. Vinnie explores how connected home batteries could become genuine distributed infrastructure, keeping power on for homeowners while giving the wider grid greater flexibility when it needs it most. Building something new also requires people who are comfortable without a ready-made playbook. As Haven’s model has evolved, so have the roles, skills, and capabilities within its team. Vinnie shares why curiosity is one of the hardest qualities to hire for - and one of the most valuable - alongside the importance of low ego, high accountability, and learning from the things that don’t work. From a battery in the garage to the future of the US grid, this episode is ultimately about what becomes possible when people are willing to build before all the answers are obvious. 01:18 - Introduction to Vinnie 02:22 - What first attracted you to the energy industry, and what did energy trading teach you about electricity markets? 03:44 - What prompted you to leave energy trading and join Uber during its early expansion? 05:53 - What did Uber teach you about launching, scaling, and learning from failure? 08:50 - What attracted you back to energy to help launch Bulb in the US? 11:00 - What did Bulb teach you about getting consumers to engage with energy differently? 13:35 - What problem did you and your co-founders set out to solve with Haven Energy? 15:55 - How does Haven work from a homeowner’s perspective? 17:18 - How can solar and home batteries make electricity cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable? 19:15 - What is a virtual power plant, and how can thousands of home batteries operate as one power resource? 23:23 - Why is collaboration between utilities and distributed energy companies so important? 24:00 - What role can residential batteries play as electricity demand and pressure on the grid increase? 25:39 - How could distributed residential energy help meet growing power demand from AI and data centres? 27:57 - What does Haven’s recent funding allow the business to do next? 29:21 - How has Haven’s rapid growth and evolving business model changed its talent needs? 31:10 - What qualities do you look for when hiring, and how do you protect an entrepreneurial culture as you scale? 33:08 - What does success for Haven look like by 2030? 34:47 - What advice would you give your younger self about taking risks and making career decisions? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Chloe England, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Vinnie Campo, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith . This is a Loaded Hype production.

September 29, 2026Episode 10436 min

Sandhya Mutreja, Global Head (VP) of People at Yondr Group: on Creating Talent, Leading Transformation & Building Culture at Scale | Season Eleven, Episode Seven

Welcome to Season Eleven of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we're exploring the talent equation, examining the people, skills, and leadership required to accelerate the energy transition. From workforce strategy and culture, to talent development and organisational growth, we'll explore what it really takes to build the teams driving the sector forward. In this episode, Jenny Gladman is joined by Sandhya Mutreja, Global Head (VP) of People at Yondr Group, whose career has taken her from software development to leading people and transformation across technology, financial services, and the rapidly growing data centre industry. Sandhya began her career writing code. Then came an opportunity that changed its direction entirely: helping support a national workforce initiative as the UAE worked towards becoming a knowledge-based economy. It left her with an idea that has shaped the two decades since - technology may be built through architecture, but organisations grow through people. That distinction matters in an industry experiencing extraordinary growth. Data centres need more talent, but repeatedly competing for the same limited pool of people isn't a sustainable answer. Sandhya argues that the next challenge is to create talent rather than simply recruit it, while making sure onboarding, knowledge, culture, and development aren't sacrificed in the race to scale. The conversation also looks at what happens to culture when a company outgrows its startup roots, why transformation begins and ends with people, and how AI could redraw the boundaries between technology and human capability. For Sandhya, that future makes judgement, empathy, trust, and integrity more important, not less - and places people leaders much closer to the heart of business strategy. In an industry busy building the infrastructure for an AI-powered world, this episode asks an equally important question: who are we building to deliver it? 01:20 - Introduction to Sandhya 02:25 - How did you go from computer science to people and transformation leadership? 05:40 - Across different countries and cultures, what have you learned about what’s universal in people leadership, and what needs to be tailored? 07:12 - What are the key leadership principles you live by? 09:00 - Why do organisations sometimes underestimate the human side of transformation? 13:54 - When a company is scaling rapidly, what comes under pressure first from a people and culture perspective, and how do you manage it? 18:16 - As a company grows, how do you balance preserving its culture with allowing it to evolve? 23:00 - What attracted you to the data centre sector, and what surprised you when you entered it? 25:36 - Looking at how technology has evolved throughout your career, what feels genuinely different about AI? 32:42 - What advice would you give to someone looking to build a career in people leadership? Connect with your host, Jenny Gladman, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Sandhya Mutreja, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith . This is a Loaded Hype production.

September 1, 2026Episode 10337 min

Jordan Robison, CEO and Jill McWhirter, EVP & CLO at Natura Resources: on Building Advanced Nuclear, First-of-a-Kind Leadership & Rethinking the Talent Pool | Season Eleven, Episode Six

Welcome to Season Eleven of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we're exploring the talent equation, examining the people, skills, and leadership required to accelerate the energy transition. From workforce strategy and culture, to talent development and organisational growth, we'll explore what it really takes to build the teams driving the sector forward. In this episode, our hosts Jenny Gladman and Kate Treacher are joined by Jordan Robison, Chief Executive Officer and Jill McWhirter, Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer at Natura Resources, a Texas-based advanced nuclear company developing liquid-fuel molten salt reactor technology. Building first-of-a-kind technology means confronting first-of-a-kind problems. As Natura works towards deploying its demonstration reactor and bringing its commercial technology to market, there isn't always a precedent to follow - whether that's in legal and commercial strategy or finding people with the exact experience required. Jordan and Jill explore why that makes looking beyond traditional nuclear backgrounds essential, and what other industries can bring to a sector entering a new era of growth. Their own unconventional career journeys reflect that thinking, alongside a shared belief in adaptability, curiosity, and remaining open to opportunities you couldn't have planned for. Because proving the technology can work is only part of the challenge. The industry also needs the people and organisations capable of deploying it at scale. 01:27 - Introduction to Jordan and Jill 03:00 - Jordan, how did your career journey ultimately lead you into advanced nuclear and Natura Resources? 04:25 - Jill, how did you go from nuclear engineering to law and eventually back into nuclear? 06:30 - Jill, how did an unexpected phone call from Natura founder Doug Robison bring you into the business? 07:30 - Do we need to get better at showing people that careers don't have to be linear, particularly in nuclear? 10:20 - What is Natura Resources building, where is the company today, and what are you trying to change about how nuclear energy is deployed? 13:20 - Does today's renewed momentum around nuclear feel fundamentally different from previous nuclear renaissances? 16:50 - What does it take to build a company when the legal, commercial, financing, and regulatory playbooks are also first-of-a-kind? 20:10 - How do you balance challenge and governance without becoming the person who always says no? 21:25 - Is talent becoming as significant a constraint on nuclear deployment as capital, regulation, and technology? 23:50 - What should businesses look for when someone doesn't have the perfect nuclear background on paper? 26:25 - How important is attracting people who historically haven't seen nuclear as a career path? 28:00 - What leadership qualities will Natura need as it moves from demonstration towards commercial deployment? 29:50 - What does advanced nuclear need to get right over the next five years to ensure talent enables growth rather than creating gridlock? 32:00 - What does success look like for Natura, from its demonstration reactor to commercial deployment and scale? 33:35 - Jill, what advice would you give someone at the beginning of a career in the industry? 34:50 - Jordan, what advice would you give the next generation of engineers, entrepreneurs, and leaders taking advanced nuclear forward? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Kate Treacher, on LinkedIn. Find your guests, Jill McWhirter & Jordan Robison, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith . This is a Loaded Hype production.

August 18, 2026Episode 10235 min

Stephanie Ahearn, Director of Talent at Scale Microgrid Solutions: on Building Teams That Scale, Hiring Through Change & the Human Side of the Energy Transition | Season Eleven, Episode Five

Welcome to Season Eleven of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we're exploring the talent equation, examining the people, skills, and leadership required to accelerate the energy transition. From workforce strategy and culture, to talent development and organisational growth, we'll explore what it really takes to build the teams driving the sector forward. In this episode, Jenny Gladman and Chloe England are joined by Stephanie Ahearn, Director of Talent at Scale Microgrid Solutions, a business developing distributed energy infrastructure for commercial and industrial customers while expanding into the rapidly evolving world of AI and data centre power. When people talk about scaling the energy transition, the conversation usually centres on technology, investment, or policy. But every ambitious growth plan eventually runs into the same question: who's going to build it? For Stephanie, talent isn't simply an HR function operating behind the scenes. It's one of the biggest competitive advantages a business can have. Drawing on nearly two decades in recruitment, she explains why hiring quickly isn't the same as hiring well, why protecting culture becomes harder as organisations grow, and why accountability, communication, and adaptability often matter more than the perfect CV. The conversation explores what it means to build teams during periods of rapid expansion, from navigating shortages of specialist engineering talent to identifying transferable skills in unexpected places. Stephanie also shares how Scale's evolution into AI and data centre infrastructure is reshaping hiring priorities, why leaders should resist compromising on culture under pressure, and how AI is already changing both sides of the recruitment process. Ultimately, it's a reminder that every microgrid, battery project, and data centre begins long before construction starts. It begins with the people capable of making it happen. 01:30 - Introduction to Stephanie 02:30 - What prompted your move from agency recruitment into an in-house talent leadership role? 04:430 - Which lessons from agency recruitment still shape the way you lead today? 05:30 - What attracted you to Scale Microgrid Solutions, and what stood out about the opportunity? 07:25 - What does Scale Microgrid Solutions do, and what makes the business different within distributed energy? 09:00 - How has your hiring strategy evolved alongside the company's rapid growth? 10:00 - How do you attract talent in one of the industry's most competitive hiring markets? 12:00 - How do you preserve company culture while scaling so quickly? 14:25 - What hiring mistakes do leaders commonly make during periods of rapid growth? 17:05 - Where are the biggest talent challenges facing the energy industry today? 18:25 - Which technical and leadership skills have become most valuable in recent years? 21:45 - How has EQT's investment influenced Scale Microgrid Solutions’ growth and talent strategy? 23:35 - Why is Scale Microgrid Solutions expanding into AI infrastructure and data centres? 24:42 - What new skills and experience have become priorities for your dedicated data centre team? 26:00 - Are you seeing talent move naturally between energy and digital infrastructure, and where are the biggest opportunities over the next few years? 27:47 - How is AI transforming recruitment and talent acquisition? 32:26 - What is one interview question everyone should ask? 33:05 - What is the best piece of career advice you've ever received? 33:35 - If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self starting out in recruitment, what would it be? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Chloe England, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Stephanie Ahearn, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith . This is a Loaded Hype production.

August 4, 2026Episode 10138 min

Dr John Heinlein, Chief Marketing Officer at Sonatus: on Recognising Potential, Career Reinvention & the Power of Staying Curious | Season Eleven, Episode Four

Welcome to Season Eleven of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we're exploring the talent equation, examining the people, skills, and leadership required to accelerate the energy transition. From workforce strategy and culture, to talent development and organisational growth, we'll explore what it really takes to build the teams driving the sector forward. In this episode, Jenny Gladman and Joe Riley are joined by Dr John Heinlein, Chief Marketing Officer at Sonatus, a company developing AI-enabled technology for software-defined vehicles. John's career didn't follow the path his qualifications might suggest. With a PhD in electrical engineering from Stanford, he began by leading engineering teams before a CEO spotted something John hadn't yet recognised in himself: he was a natural marketer. That unexpected intervention changed the direction of his career. It's a story that opens up a much bigger conversation about how we recognise talent. What happens when leaders look beyond the job someone is doing today and consider what they could become? And how can people be given the space to test unexpected strengths without making every career move feel like an irreversible leap? John reflects on the mentors, critics, and opportunities that have shaped his own journey, from learning to find value in difficult feedback to deliberately remaining a student as his career has progressed. He also explores why diversity of thought produces better answers, why storytelling matters when bringing complex innovation to market, and why technical and human skills are far from competing strengths. Against the backdrop of AI and the rapidly evolving automotive ecosystem, the conversation is a reminder that innovation depends on more than technology. Sometimes, it begins with someone recognising potential that hasn't yet found its job title. 01:28 - Introduction to John 03:07 - How would you describe Sonatus, the problems you’re solving, and your role in the automotive ecosystem? 05:32 - What does deployment look like in practice, and what can manufacturers do differently with Sonatus? 07:21 - How do software-defined vehicles change the traditional automotive business model? 08:16 - What ongoing value can manufacturers create after a vehicle leaves the factory? 10:35 - What real-world problems can the Fastlane platform help automotive manufacturers solve today? 13:15 - What does a successful automotive technology ecosystem look like, and where is greater alignment needed? 15:44 - How can the automotive supply chain keep pace with the speed of software and AI innovation? 16:50 - How has your experience across semiconductors, software, and vehicle intelligence shaped the way you think about innovation? 19:20 - You started as an electrical engineer before moving into marketing - what prompted that transition? 21:55 - How important is it for leaders to recognise someone’s potential beyond the role they’re in today? 24:10 - How can leaders create space for people to explore unexpected strengths without making the move feel too risky? 27:01 - Why is storytelling so critical to whether an innovation succeeds? 28:33 - How do you build trust between technical and commercial teams without oversimplifying the technology or making it unnecessarily complex? 30:12 - When has the phrase “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear” proved particularly true in your life? 33:34 - What keeps you curious and willing to become a student again, even at a senior leadership level? 35:28 - If you could speak to yourself just before moving from engineering into marketing, what would you tell him? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Joe Riley, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, John Heinlein, Ph.D, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith . This is a Loaded Hype production.

July 21, 2026Episode 10029 min

Tony Burkart, Senior Vice President, Public Policy & Public Affairs at Beale Infrastructure: on Community, Trust & Building Digital Infrastructure | Season Eleven, Episode Three

Welcome to Season Eleven of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we're exploring the talent equation, examining the people, skills, and leadership required to accelerate the energy transition. From workforce strategy and culture, to talent development and organisational growth, we'll explore what it really takes to build the teams driving the sector forward. In this episode, Jenny Gladman and Chloe England are joined by Tony Burkart, Senior Vice President of Public Policy & Public Affairs at Beale Infrastructure - a leader helping shape how digital infrastructure is developed, communicated and integrated into local communities. As demand for data centres continues to grow, Tony argues that success depends on far more than power, land, and capital. The future of infrastructure will be determined by trust: how developers engage with communities, communicate their purpose, and create lasting local value long before construction begins. The conversation explores why workforce development, community partnerships, and public policy have become essential parts of infrastructure delivery, and why attracting the right talent means looking beyond technical expertise alone. From skilled trades to public affairs, Tony explains why people remain at the heart of every successful project. This episode offers a fresh perspective on one of the industry's biggest challenges: as digital infrastructure scales at pace, how do we ensure the communities hosting it grow alongside it? 01:34 - Introduction to Tony 02:55 - What’s been the common thread behind your career decisions? 03:50 - After working at some of the world’s largest hyperscalers, what motivated you to join a much smaller, earlier-stage platform? 04:46 - You often speak about community trust and long-term impact - where does that personal commitment come from? 07:19 - Beale takes a community-first approach - what's changed that makes early community engagement so essential? 09:30 - Do you see the wider industry adopting this community-first approach, or is it still slow to change? 10:28 - From your perspective, what are the biggest talent bottlenecks in the industry today? 13:19 - Are the workforce bottlenecks you first saw at AWS now emerging at a much larger scale across digital infrastructure? 15:00 - Is workforce strategy now just as important as power and land strategy in data centre development? 16:40 - From your experience, what type of person thrives in a smaller, high-impact environment, and what does it take to succeed? 18:45 - How do you build a strong culture in a smaller, distributed team? 21:30 - Do you think people today are increasingly looking for impact and autonomy in their work? 24:13 - Do you think the traditional hyperscale playbook still works, or are we entering a new era of infrastructure development? 23:55 - Do you think the companies that succeed over the next decade will be those that engage communities best? 26:55 - Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of the industry? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Chloe England, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Tony Burkart, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith . This is a Loaded Hype production.

July 7, 2026Episode 9940 min

Karl Andersen, Founder & CEO at Lektra: on AI Growth, Decentralised Energy & Rethinking the Grid | Season Eleven, Episode Two

Welcome to Season Eleven of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we're exploring the talent equation, examining the people, skills, and leadership required to accelerate the energy transition. From workforce strategy and culture, to talent development and organisational growth, we'll explore what it really takes to build the teams driving the sector forward. In this episode, Jenny Gladman and Chloe England are joined by Karl Andersen, Founder & CEO of Lektra - an entrepreneur operating at the intersection of AI, energy, and digital infrastructure. As excitement around AI continues to accelerate, Karl poses a different question: what happens when our energy systems can no longer keep up? He argues that the future of AI won't be limited by computing power, but by something far more fundamental - access to electricity. The conversation explores why ageing grids are struggling to support the next wave of technological growth, why decentralised energy could reshape the way communities interact with power, and what a more resilient 'Grid 2.0' might look like. But beyond the technology itself, this episode is ultimately about people: the leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers needed to build entirely new systems from the ground up. Karl also shares a refreshingly human perspective on leadership, entrepreneurship, and the importance of bringing together diverse thinkers who are willing to challenge assumptions and embrace complexity. This episode offers a thought-provoking look at one of the biggest questions facing the energy transition: if AI is moving at extraordinary speed, can our infrastructure - and our workforce - evolve quickly enough to support it? 01:18 - Introduction to Karl 02:25 - Have you always had an entrepreneurial mindset? 04:30 - What is it about high-growth, fast-paced environments that energises you? 07:40 - You’ve said it’s not just about money, but about building something meaningful - where does that mindset come from? 12:10 - You’ve said the grid was never built for AI - can you unpack what that means and its implications for the future? 15:30 - Do you think society has fully grasped the scale of infrastructure needed to support AI? 20:00 - Does AI fundamentally change the economics of distributed energy by making compute a more valuable offtaker than the grid? 27:47 - How are you building diverse teams and fostering diversity of thought within Lektra, especially amid today’s talent challenges? 31:36 - What have you learned about leadership and people while scaling Lektra so far? 35:15 - If your vision of Grid 2.0 becomes a reality, how different will that world look? 38:18 - What advice would you give your younger self, and those following in your footsteps? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Chloe England, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Karl Andersen, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith . This is a Loaded Hype production.

June 23, 2026Episode 9832 min

Arne Weinig, Managing Partner at Tauber Solar & Tauber Energy: on Career Reinvention, Leadership & Building the Teams Behind the Energy Transition | Season Eleven, Episode One

Welcome to Season Eleven of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we're exploring the talent equation, examining the people, skills and leadership required to accelerate the energy transition. From workforce strategy and culture to talent development and organisational growth, we'll explore what it really takes to build the teams driving the sector forward. In this episode, Jenny Gladman and Paul Mazalov are joined by Arne Weinig, Managing Partner at Tauber Solar and Tauber Energy - a renewable energy business focused on solar, battery storage and energy infrastructure across Germany. After spending more than two decades in financial markets, Arne made the move into renewables to help build something tangible and impactful. He reflects on that career transition, the lessons learned from leading in highly regulated industries, and the realities of scaling a growing business in a market defined by constant change. The conversation explores the role talent plays in the energy transition, from attracting adaptable people and balancing experience with potential, to building teams capable of navigating new technologies, evolving market conditions and increasing grid complexity. Arne shares why curiosity, flexibility and a willingness to learn may be more important than ever in a sector where yesterday's solutions won't necessarily solve tomorrow's challenges. Alongside insights into Germany's renewable energy market, battery storage growth and grid constraints, Arne also discusses leadership, communication and the importance of embracing change. This episode offers a thoughtful perspective on the people behind the transition, and what it will take to ensure talent becomes a catalyst for growth rather than a cause of gridlock. 01:33 - Introduction to Arne 02:47 - Could you please tell us a little bit more about you? 03:50 - What motivated your move into renewables, and what were you hoping to find there? 06:32 - What lessons or skills from your earlier career have most shaped the leader you are today? 08:07 - What do Tauber Solar and Tauber Energy do, and what role do they play in the energy transition? 11:22 - What are the biggest lessons from scaling a renewable energy business? 13:40 - What has been the most rewarding moment since joining Tauber? 16:55 - How important are people and leadership to the success of the energy transition? 23:15 - What happens if the industry gets talent wrong? 27:48 - What gives you optimism about the future of renewables, and the people driving it? 30:05 - What advice would he give his younger self at the start of his career? Connect with your hosts, Jenny Gladman and Paul Mazalov, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, Arne Weinig, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith . This is a Loaded Hype production.

May 26, 2026Episode 9733 min

John Belizaire, CEO at Soluna: on Renewable-Powered AI, Curtailment & Building the Future of Sustainable Compute | Season Ten, Episode Nine

Welcome to Season Ten of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we’re deconstructing digital infrastructure - one of the fastest-growing and most influential parts of the energy transition. From hyperscalers and AI demand to talent, capital, software and sustainability, we’ll explore how data infrastructure gets built, powered, financed, staffed and scaled. In this episode, Chloe England is joined by John Belizaire, Founder and CEO at Soluna - a company rethinking how AI infrastructure and renewable energy can work together. John shares the story behind Soluna’s model: co-locating modular data centres with renewable energy projects to utilise otherwise curtailed power behind the meter. By bringing compute directly to stranded renewable generation, Soluna is helping unlock new economics for clean energy while supporting the rapid growth of AI and digital infrastructure. The conversation explores grid congestion, renewable-powered compute, the growing energy demands of AI, and why data centres could become a catalyst for accelerating clean energy deployment rather than competing with it. John also reflects on his journey from Intel and multiple successful technology ventures to building Soluna, alongside his views on entrepreneurship, innovation, and the importance of diversity within the technology sector. As Season Ten comes to a close, this episode offers a fascinating look at one of the industry’s most ambitious intersections: the future of energy and the future of compute. 01:13 - Introduction to John 01:52 - You’ve had a fascinating journey from early renewables to building Soluna - what’s been the common thread driving your career? 05:11 - From your first startup to building Soluna, what’s the biggest lesson you carried forward into your later ventures? 07:40 - Was there a specific moment that led to the idea behind Soluna and pairing energy with compute? 13:08 - For those less familiar with the space, can you explain how Soluna pairs renewable energy with compute - and what’s happening behind the scenes? 20:30 - You’re not just building data centres, but an integrated energy and compute platform - is that how you think about Soluna internally? 25:43 - Are you primarily focused on the US market right now, or are you also expanding into Europe and other regions? 26:41 - Why has diversity been so important to you as a leader? 30:29 - How do you see Soluna evolving over the next few years, and what key milestones are you focused on? Connect with your host, Chloe England, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, John Belizaire, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith . This is a Loaded Hype production.

May 12, 2026Episode 9632 min

David Miller, Chief Commercial Officer at Gridmatic: on AI, Grid Flexibility & Powering the Data Centre Boom | Season Ten, Episode Eight

Welcome to Season Ten of Conversations in Cleantech! This season, we’re deconstructing digital infrastructure - one of the fastest-growing and most influential parts of the energy transition. From hyperscalers and AI demand to talent, capital, software and sustainability, we’ll explore how data infrastructure gets built, powered, financed, staffed and scaled. In this episode, our hosts Joe Riley and Chloe England are joined by David Miller, Chief Commercial Officer at Gridmatic - an AI-powered energy company helping to optimise supply, demand and market participation across an increasingly complex grid. As data centre demand accelerates and electricity systems face mounting pressure, the conversation explores how AI, storage and flexible load could reshape the way power is bought, balanced and delivered. Drawing on experience across energy consulting, grid-scale storage and energy trading, David shares how the grid is evolving from a one-way system into a far more dynamic network of generation, demand and real-time optimisation. From the rise of controllable load resources to the growing role of battery storage and flexible demand, this episode unpacks how digital infrastructure and energy markets are becoming increasingly intertwined - and why smarter coordination may be just as important as new generation capacity. For anyone interested in where energy software, AI and data centre growth collide, this is a conversation well worth your time. 02:05 - Introduction to David 02:38 - Could you walk us through your journey across energy consulting, the grid, large-scale storage, and AI-driven energy markets - and how it led you to Gridmatic? 05:16 - What was the defining moment that pulled you into the energy transition and the opportunity to make an impact at scale? 06:35 - Outside of work, what keeps you busy, and what are you passionate about? 07:01 - At Brightsmith, we talk about “living your purpose” - what does that mean to you personally? 08:06 - What do you do at Gridmatic? 11:56 - How do you define Gridmatic in the value chain - an energy company, a software company, or both? 13:38 - When you were scaling grid-scale energy storage at Wärtsilä, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced? 15:30 - How did moving to Shell and stepping into a global energy company change your perspective? 17:07 - What has been the most rewarding moment of your journey so far? 18:19 - Texas has strong momentum in the energy transition - do you see that continuing? 19:45 - As clean power and digital infrastructure increasingly overlap, what challenges are data centres creating for the grid today? 25:46 - Could you explain what controllable load resources are - and why they’ve become so relevant in today’s data centre boom? 26:34 - Looking ahead, what’s next for you, Gridmatic, and the broader energy system? 29:09 - What markets excite you most right now? 30:22 - What’s one piece of wisdom you’d share with others looking to build in this space? Connect with your hosts, Jow Riley and Chloe England, on LinkedIn. Find your guest, David Miller, on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening to Conversations in Cleantech brought to you by Brightsmith . This is a Loaded Hype production.

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