Leaders in Cleantech

David Hunt

Leaders in Cleantech is a bi-monthly podcast hosted by David Hunt, founder of Hyperion Search.

Each episode features candid conversations with the founders, CEOs, and innovators driving the clean energy and mobility transitions.

We go beyond technology—diving into the human side of the journey. From early failures to funding wins, we explore what it really takes to lead: building teams, shaping culture, and navigating complexity in a fast-changing world.

This is a podcast about cleantech, but it’s also a podcast about leadership.

🎙️ Ranked in the top 1.5% of podcasts globally by ListenNotes.
📍 Topics: #Cleantech #Leadership #EnergyStorage #EMobility #SmartCities #Renewables #ClimateTech

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Top 10 Leaders in Cleantech Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Leaders in Cleantech episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Leaders in Cleantech for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Leaders in Cleantech episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Phil Caldwell, Ceres Power – 64

Leaders in Cleantech

10/21/20 • 51 min

What’s it all about?Hydrogen vs Batteries!! Not at all. We’re (Clean) technology agnostic here. The challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss are enormous, and we need all the tools in the armoury to stand a chance. That said, it’s important we use the right tool for the right job, and that’s something I discuss with Phil Caldwell, CEO of Ceres Power, what is the best use case for fuel cells and hydrogen. We touch on the different challenges and advantages of leading a listed company, and the critical importance of talent. About Phil Caldwell: Phil Caldwell was appointed Chief Executive of Ceres Power in September 2013. Under his leadership Ceres has grown into a world-class clean energy technology business addressing climate change and air quality. Ceres has grown from £50 million to more than £1 billion market capitalisation creating over 300 engineering and technology jobs in the UK. Phil has been instrumental in positioning Ceres as an asset-light licensing business; establishing partnerships with significant global engineering and technology players, such as Bosch in Germany, Weichai in China and Doosan in South Korea, using its proprietary Solid Oxide fuel cell technology which can use existing fuels such as natural gas, biofuels and also pure hydrogen to meet the urgency for low carbon power systems in industry, data centres, transportation and everyday living. Alongside its core fuel cell power applications Ceres is also developing Solid Oxide Electrolysers to produce high efficiency green hydrogen as a potential pathway to decarbonise industrial processes. Phil has worked in the fuel cell industry for 17 years. He started his career in the Electrochemical Technology Business within ICI. He has a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College and an MBA from IESE Barcelona. Prior to joining Ceres he was Commercial Director at Intelligent Energy developing PEM fuel cells for mainly automotive applications. About Ceres Power:Ceres Power is a world-leading developer of next generation solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and electrochemical technology. Its asset-light, licensing model has seen it establish partnerships with some of the world’s largest engineering and technology companies, such as Weichai in China, Bosch in Germany, Miura in Japan, and Doosan in South Korea, to develop systems and products that address climate change and air quality challenges for transportation, industry, data ce

About Hyperion Executive Search:
Hyperion are a specialist executive search firm working with some of the most innovative cleantech companies in the world, helping to find extraordinary talent to enable their growth and success. Partnering with leading cleantech VCs, as well as directly with founders and entrepreneurs in the sector. With our clients we are transforming business and growing a strong and prosperous cleantech economy.
If you want to grow your team, or move forward your career, visit www.hyperionsearch.com, or email [email protected]
Follow us online, write a review (please) or subscribe
I'm very keen to hear feedback on the podcast and my guests, and to hear your suggestions for future guests or topics. Contact via the website, or Twitter.
If you do enjoy the podcast, please write a review on iTunes, or your usual podcast platform, and tell your cleantech friends about us. That would be much appreciated.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-hunt-cleantech/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidHsearch
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Devrim Celal, CEO of Upside Energy - Episode 9

Leaders in Cleantech

01/23/19 • 46 min

This week David talks to Devrim Celal, CEO of Upside Energy. Devrim is a highly successful, award winning entrepreneur with a career spanning leadership role in technology, finance and energy.Educated in Paris, London and Yale, where he was a Fulbright scholar, Devrim has since held senior roles at A T Kearney where he led strategy development, Sapient where he established the European operations and as a partner at Lansdowne Corporate Finance. He is now CEO of UK energy tech company Upside Energy, leading the organisation from its initial days as a start up to its dynamic growth in this fast-growing sector. He is an avid athlete having been a regular competitor in endurance running events. He runs to promote awareness of and raise funds for MS related charities.Working in the cloud, in real-time, the Upside Platform can respond rapidly to market signals and deploy new solutions as the energy system evolves. This means we can give our customers immediate visibility of their energy usage and device performance, identifying opportunities as they emerge. The Upside Platform can connect to a wide range of devices, including battery storage systems, electric vehicles, UPS and heating and cooling systems. Providing real-time data and advanced forecasting, it enables our customers to fully optimise their return on investment and market positioning, by dispatching demand-side flexibility in real-time.Devrim Celal on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcelal/ Upside Energy on Twitter https://twitter.com/upsideenergyUpside Energy https://upsideenergy.co.uk/Delta EE report on aggregators https://www.delta-ee.com/delta-ee-blog/demand-side-response-aggregators-the-race-to-profitability.htmlBOOK RECOMMENDATIONFrom good to great- Jim Collins - https://www.delta-ee.com/delta-ee-blog/demand-side-response-aggregators-the-race-to-profitability.htmlTwitter https://twitter.com/weekincleantechFacebook https://www.facebook.com/thisweekincleantech/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhunt2013/

Tomas Kemtys, Contrarian Ventures - 55

Leaders in Cleantech

06/10/20 • 41 min

I first met Tomas at an eMobility event in the UK a few years ago. His passion and enthusiasm, as well as the fact his firm, Contrarian Ventures are one of the most active cleantech VCs out there at the moment, made him an ideal person to share the views of the VC at this challenging time. The good news is deals are being done, and money is there to be deployed across the investor community. We share some passions about cleantech, emobility and working with awesome founders and entrepreneurs.About Tomas Kemtys: Tomas Kemtys is a Partner at Contrarian Ventures, having joined the firm in February 2019. He is responsible for overall fund strategy including fundraising, deal sourcing and execution, structuring, investment process and thesis building as well as recruiting, amongst others. Tomas sits on a number of Boards of Contrarian Ventures portfolio companies. Prior to Contrarian Ventures, he was an investment banker with Centerview Partners, a leading independent New York based investment banking and advisory firm. Having worked out of London, Tomas has focused mostly on healthcare and consumer retail but has also worked on transactions in energy, industrials and other sectors. He has executed transactions across various countries including UK, USA, Israel, Jordan, South Africa and others. Other relevant experiences include various positions in BNP Paribas, Société Générale and British Petroleum. Tomas is an alumnus of Finance program in ESADE Business School in Barcelona.About Contrarian VenturesContrarian Ventures is an early-stage European Venture Capital fund focusing on a major transition in energy sector. Contrarian Ventures is building the firm that defines this new energy category in Europe, where Seed and Series A funding gap is the most acute in the energy and electric mobility Sectors. The fund has already invested in 15 companies across the globe including the UK, Norway, France, the USA, Lithuania, Estonia and Israel. The team is comprised of investment professionals located in the UK, the Netherlands and Lithuania. Aside from the core activity of the Fund – investing, Contrarian Ventures has also founded a number of initiatives that is contributing to the fostering of energy community in Europe. Some of the initiatives include Energy Tech Summit, Energy Tech Network, Bye Fossil Fuels monthly newsletter and many others.Social linksTomas Kemtys on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomas-kemtys-0920ba22/C

Scott Shepard, Free2Move - Episode 12

Leaders in Cleantech

02/13/19 • 33 min

Scott Shepard, Chief Commercial Officer, Free2Move, is an urbanist, mobility expert, board advisor, and thought leader who is passionate about the intersection of cities, mobility, and innovation. Possesses a unique balance of technical, operational, and consulting experience, within the domains of shared mobility, sustainable transport, and urban strategy.Frequent public speaker on shared mobility, public transport innovation, mobility technologies, and urban transport policy. Implements and delivers complex mobility solutions, providing thought leadership, strategic planning, project delivery, and executive consulting to startups, investors, agencies, and corporations.Technical expertise in transport policy & strategies, urban planning & design, information & communication technology, and integrated payment systems. Skilled in international business development, strategic marketing, product launch, technical program management, and P&L responsibilityScott Shepard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-s-7482a7a/ Free2move on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Free2MoveApp Free2move: https://www.free2move.com/MOVE conference https://www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/move/index.stm Book recommendationsDavid Byrne – Bicycle Diaries https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bicycle-Diaries-David-Byrne/dp/0571241034 Upton Sinclair – The Jungle https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jungle-Clydesdale-Classics-Upton-Sinclair/dp/1945186046/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1550010611&sr=1-1Follow us onlineTwitter https://twitter.com/weekincleantechFacebook https://www.facebook.com/thisweekincleantech/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhunt2013/

Leaders in Cleantech #126 - Helen Czerski

Leaders in Cleantech

07/11/23 • 52 min

Helen Czerski
What’s it all about?
Letting lose my inner nerd! I’ve known Helen for some time, known in a loose sense, we shared a panel session at a Fully Charged event some years ago, and I’ve watched with enthusiasm much of her TV and Fully Charged presenting, When I saw she’d written a book about a gigantic solar powered machine, I needed to know more! But seriously, the topic of how our planet works has held my interest and curiosity since I was a child. Helen’s latest book, ‘The Blue Machine’ was a must read, and inviting her to the podcast to share more really is me indulging that inner nerd, and hopefully yours too. Enjoy the episode.
About Helen Czerski:
Helen was born in Manchester. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London. As a physicist, she studies the bubbles generated by breaking waves in the ocean to understand their influence on weather and climate.
Helen has been a regular presenter of BBC TV science documentaries since 2011. She also hosts the Ocean Matters podcast, is part of the Cosmic Shambles network, and is one of the presenters for the Fully Charged Show. She has been a science columnist for the Wall Street Journal since 2017 and she is the author of the bestselling Storm in a Teacup: The Physics of Everyday Life, Bubbles: A Ladybird Expert Book, and Blue Machine: how the ocean works.
Social links:
Helen Czerski on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-czerski-045b956/
Helen Czerski on Twitter: https://twitter.com/helenczerski
Helen Czerski on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helen_czerski/
Helen Czerski Website: https://www.helenczerski.net/
About Hyperion Executive Search:
Hyperion are a specialist executive search firm working with some of the most innovative cleantech companies in the world, helping to find extraordinary talent to enable their growth and success. Partnering with leading cleantech VCs, as well as directly with founders and entrepreneurs in the sector. With our clients we are transforming business and growing a strong and prosperous cleantech economy.
If you want to grow your team, or move forward your career, visit www.hyperionsearch.com, or email [email protected]
Episode Links:
Blue Machine: Blue Machine by Helen Czerski | Waterstones
The fascinating physics of eve

Leaders in Cleantech #127 - Christoph Berger - vilisto

Leaders in Cleantech

08/02/23 • 41 min

Christoph Berger - vilisto
What’s it all about?
Renewable Heat, as we’ve featured recently, so often the elephant in the room. Addressing the needs of decarbonising heat is critical to the clean energy transition. In this episode we address heating and inefficiency in commercial and public buildings as I speak to CEO and Founder of Vilisto, Christophe Berger. Having recently raised a £5m they are focused on scaling to bring their solutions to a wider audience.
About Christoph Berger:
Christoph Berger is Co-Founder and CEO of vilisto. During his studies of Energy Systems at the TU Hamburg and UC Berkeley, Christoph first came into contact with the topic of heat management. His scientific research focused on evaluating and implementing methods of predicting future energy demand in buildings. He soon realised that especially non-residential buildings are often heated inefficiently and that the solutions available on the market were not able to comfortably solve this challenge. Backed up by the results of his study and based on his expertise in energy systems, Christoph then founded vilisto in 2016 with co-founders Christian Brase and Lasse Stehnken.
About vilisto:
vilisto digitizes the heat management of non-residential buildings and in turn helps companies and public clients reduce their heating costs and CO2 emissions by up to 32%. At the heart of their digital heat management solution is the intelligent thermostats with an integrated, patented presence detection and learning algorithms that automatically manages the individual room temperature. In addition, a connected online platform allows for a central and efficient management of property portfolios. So far vilisto has optimized a wide range of customer buildings across the DACH-region with convincing savings results and won prestigious awards like the German Innovation Prize for Climate and Environment, demonstrating an essential path that realizes both – the ecological and the economic dimension of a sustainable energy transition.
Social links:
Christoph Berger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christoph-berger/
vilisto on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vilisto/
vilisto website: https://www.vilisto.de/
About Hyperion Executive Search:
Hyperion are a specialist executive search firm working with some of the most innovative cleantech companies in the world,

Charlotta Holmquist, Blixt – Episode 45

Leaders in Cleantech

01/29/20 • 44 min

I first saw Charlotta pitch Blixt at Ecosummit and was subsequently introduced via my friends at BayWa Ventures. I loved her enthusiasm, and I take my hat off to anyone that has founded, exited and founded companies on many occasions. I’m sure you’ll be inspired by her story. About our guestCharlotta has been an entrepreneur for 20 years and active in several roles setting up businesses in various sectors from e-Commerce to gaming and later deep tech in transformative energy. She loves entrepreneurship for the opportunity to constantly learn and navigate through challenges and opportunities. As a seasoned serial entrepreneur Charlotta started learning about the climate crisis and strongly felt she must use her accumulated experience to try to make a difference.Blixt was founded in 2018 with the goal of bringing grid-edge data intelligence to the energy supply market through the introduction of digital circuit breaker technology.Mechanical circuit breakers have been the gatekeepers of household electricity supply for around 150 years, but our digital alternative will be a game changer for the future of electricity management. Software is appearing in all aspects of every industry today, and it just doesn’t make sense to have an analogue, mechanical device in something so central as the entry point for electricity in a home.The solid state circuit breaker is a response to emerging trends in global energy markets and aims to satisfy growing demand for “grid-edge intelligence” from both consumers and power network infrastructure. Blixt is so far the most ambitious challenge I have ever taken on. On the other hand, our innovations spark for an entirely new energy paradigm. On Women’s Day 2019 Charlotta was awarded “No 1 Female Entrepreneur of the Year Globally” by the UK rating institute Earlymetrics which was of course a great honor.About BlixtBlixt is the first and only company to develop miniature, solid state circuit breakers for the residential market. Unlike conventional mechanical breakers, the Blixt Breaker can collect real time data and remotely control all loads - all via one small connected device that fits standard fuse boxes. The new Blixt Breakers are a game changer for the electrical system. It will enhance performance of renewable energy solutions, battery storage solutions and demand-side management at grid edge. GUEST LINKSBlixt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bl-xt/Blixt web page: https://bli

Toddington Harper, Gridserve – 81

Leaders in Cleantech

07/14/21 • 48 min

Toddington’s is a fascinating story, if you want to know about his childhood of TV powered by Solar in the deserts of Bahrain, or why he’s named after a service station, listen to our first conversation (episode 15- link below), but on this episode we focus on the concept of ‘Sun to wheel’, using solar power and batteries to power fast charging of electric vehicles through Electric Forecourts and Electric Highway hubs. The Gridserve story is a great one, enjoy the episode.About Toddington HarperToddington is a second-generation solar energy and energy storage professional, whose parents pioneered some of the world’s first commercial deployments of solar energy and battery storage systems more than 45 years ago. He has spent virtually his entire career focused on delivering sustainable energy solutions, including creating five successful sustainable energy and low carbon businesses which he has led as CEO over the last 19-years. Prior to establishing GRIDSERVE Sustainable Energy Ltd, Toddington was co-founder and CEO of BELECTRIC UK (2010 & 2011 solar world market leader), responsible for the development, construction and financing of c.350 MWp of utility scale solar farm & solar rooftop projects, including a 3.5MWp 20-acre solar rooftop project for Rolls-Royce.At BELECTRIC UK Toddington built a multi-award winning team that delivered a fully integrated development, construction, financing, operation, maintenance, asset management solar energy & energy storage business. The business was successfully sold to RWE Innogy (largest European utility) in December 2016.Toddington created GRIDSERVE to deliver sustainable energy and move the needle on climate change. GRIDSERVE’s first major success was winning the highest price battery storage enhanced frequency response contract with National Grid, where GRIDSERVE was awarded one of only seven successful contracts out of 208 tendered. Since then GRIDSERVE has grown from strength to strength. In 2019, against the odds of a year dominated by Brexit, GRIDSERVE pushed through, pioneering and delivering the UK’s largest and most technically advanced hybrid solar projects, and becoming the UK solar energy and technology market leader.About GRIDESERVEGRIDSERVE® is a tech-enabled international sustainable energy business, whose purpose is to #deliver sustainable energy and move the needle on climate change. We develop, build, own and operate ‘sun-to-wheel’ hybrid solar, energy storage,

Leaders In Cleantech #144 Joachim Rupp – Detra Solar

Leaders in Cleantech

06/12/24 • 37 min

What’s it all about?
Solar, and moving from corporate life to a start up. I first met my guest today, Joachim Rupp at a start-up within a corporate, building Viessmann’s Photovoltaic business, before that he’d been in some big corporate roles, more recently we helped him secure the CEO role at a Lithuanian solar scale-up, Detra Solar. We talk solar evolution and trends, but also the challenges and rewards of a career transition. Enjoy the episode.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction and Backgrounds
00:03:43 - The Role of Engineering in Solar Projects
00:07:37 - Consistency and Documentation
00:11:53 - Collaboration and Unity across a Growing Team
00:15:39 - Human Resources
00:23:56 - Transitioning from Corporate to Startup
00:27:56 - Concerns and Excitements in the Solar Industry
00:36:14 - Closing Words
About Joachim Rupp:
Joachim Rupp has a strong background in Electrical Engineering and Business, with over 20 years of experience in the renewable energy field. His expertise covers Solar Energy, Energy Storage, EV Charging, Heating and Cooling Systems, Energy Management, and Systems Integration.
Throughout his career, Joachim has made significant contributions to leading companies like Hitachi and Samsung. He uses his technical and business skills to drive innovation and improve operations. Joachim is deeply committed to the Energy Transition and actively works to reduce CO2 emissions, promoting a cleaner and more sustainable planet. His dedication helps address current energy challenges and lays the foundation for a sustainable future.
About Detra Solar:
Detra Solar is a leading ISO 9001:2015 certified Solar & Storage design, engineering, and consulting firm. Over the 13 years of our experience we have delivered 45 GWp worth of projects across 50+ countries which equals to providing power to over 21 million households. Proudly, we are the birthplace of PVcase, the industry-standard solar engineering software.
Specializing in Solar & Storage designs, we prioritize quality offering a unique blend of short-term savings and long-term profitability. Through our boutique approach, we provide highly optimized, tailor-made solutions, setting us apart in the solar engineering landscape.
Social links:
Joachim Rupp on LinkedIn

Vaitea Cowan, Enapter – 72

Leaders in Cleantech

03/10/21 • 35 min

Green Hydrogen! It’s hard to do or read anything in the sustainable technology sector without hearing about Green Hydrogen at present. What part does hydrogen have to play in the clean energy and mobility transitions? I’ve been working recently with hydrogen founders and entrepreneurs and I’m really intrigued as to where and how we could or should utilise hydrogen in the decarbonisation mission we share in the sector. Having had CEOs of fuel cell and hydrogen flight companies on the podcast recently, this week we hear from a hydrogen electrolyser start up founder about her opinion and her areas of focus, as well as her journey and experience as a leading woman in the cleantech sector.About Vaitea CowanVaitea Cowan believes green hydrogen is the future of energy. After being named "Women Leader" in the World Bank Intern Program, and winning case competitions in University, she moved to Thailand. She met her cofounders in Chiang Mai and helped make the Phi Suea House a communication and collaboration platform for hydrogen in Southeast Asia. Shortly after, they cofounded Enapter, which scales the production of hydrogen generators. The team has grown from 11 to over 130 in 3 years. She has the clear intention of inspiring and hiring more women. She is on the Forbes Under 30 in Energy 2020 list and has won several awards for Enapter. Today, she spearheads the communications efforts from Berlin. As a Pacific Islander, her personal mission is to provide clean energy independence to Polynesia.About EnapterEnapter is an award-winning company manufacturing highly efficient, modular hydrogen generators based on Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) electrolysis technology. Its patent-protected core technology has a 10-year proven track record and allows for the creation of unique, low-cost, and compact electrolysers. They are used in more than 30 countries, in industries like energy, mobility, telecommunications, heating and more. Enapter has offices in Italy, Germany, Thailand and Russia.Social linksVaitea Cowan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaiteacowan/ Enapter Website: https://www.enapter.com/ Enapter on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Enapter_ Enapter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/enapter/ About Hyperion Executive Search:Hyperion are a specialist executive search firm working with some of the most innovative cleantech companies in the world, helping to find extraordinary talent to enable their growth and succe

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How many episodes does Leaders in Cleantech have?

Leaders in Cleantech currently has 149 episodes available.

What topics does Leaders in Cleantech cover?

The podcast is about Entrepreneurship, Podcasts, Clean Energy, Business and Careers.

What is the most popular episode on Leaders in Cleantech?

The episode title 'Jules Besnainou, Cleantech for Europe – 88' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Leaders in Cleantech?

The average episode length on Leaders in Cleantech is 43 minutes.

How often are episodes of Leaders in Cleantech released?

Episodes of Leaders in Cleantech are typically released every 13 days.

When was the first episode of Leaders in Cleantech?

The first episode of Leaders in Cleantech was released on Nov 14, 2018.

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Leaders in Cleantech

David Hunt

Top 10 Leaders in Cleantech Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Leaders in Cleantech have?

What topics does Leaders in Cleantech cover?

What is the most popular episode on Leaders in Cleantech?

What is the average episode length on Leaders in Cleantech?

How often are episodes of Leaders in Cleantech released?

When was the first episode of Leaders in Cleantech?

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