💡 What does it really take to sell green hydrogen in 2025? It’s not the tech — it’s the trust. In the new episode of Watts Up With Startups, host Emin Askerov (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ask-emin-greentech/) speaks with Casper Hadsbjerg (https://www.linkedin.com/in/casper-hadsbjerg-6a96202), founder of Deeptech VentureLabs and advisor to 20+ hydrogen startups. Together, they expose why the biggest hurdle to scaling green hydrogen isn’t innovation — it’s convincing anyone to actually buy it. 🧪 Casper pulls no punches: 🔹Why big names like Siemens win despite mediocre efficiency 🔹How hype sold the first units — but now only real business cases survive 🔹Who really needs hydrogen today (and who’s just pretending) 🔹Why most startups focus on the future — and die in the present 💥 A must-listen for anyone chasing climate tech success beyond the buzzwords. 🎧 Tune in! Check out our website and social networks: NEAH Website https://neahub.net/ NEAH Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nea_hub/ NEAH LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/nea-hub #WattsUpWithStartups #GreenHydrogen #CleantechStartups #HardSell #HydrogenRealityCheck #EnergyTransition

✈️ Why is it so hard to clean up aviation? Billions in funding, promising startups, flashy headlines—and yet, most flights still burn fossil fuels. In this episode of Watt’s Up With Startups, Emin Askerov (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ask-emin-greentech/) sits down with Dirk Singer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirktherabbit/), co-author of Sustainable Aviation: Volumes 1 & 2 and head of research at SimpliFlying (https://authory.com/dirktherabbit), to discuss: 🛩️ Why aviation remains one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize 💸 The three valleys of death every aviation startup must survive ⚡ What’s working: e-fuels, drones, autonomous cargo—and who’s leading the way 🔥 Why investors and founders should stop relying on “regulatory life support” We also dive into real case studies of failure, like Universal Hydrogen, and the unexpected role of the military in advancing green aviation. 📍 Whether you're in climate tech, policy, venture capital—or just curious about why your flight is still far from net zero—this episode brings an honest and grounded look at where aviation is headed. 🎧 Tune in! Check out our website and social networks: NEAH Website https://neahub.net/ NEAH Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nea_hub/ NEAH LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/nea-hub #WattsUpWithStartups #ClimateTech #SustainableAviation #StartupLessons #FutureOfFlight #GreenTech

In the latest Watts Up With Startups solo episode, Emin Askerov (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ask-emin-greentech/) unpacks the myth of the IP moat—why a shiny patent alone won’t keep competitors at bay and how real-world success hinges on operational know-how. From wind turbine failures to lithium-ion breakthroughs, this episode dives deep into: ⚙️ Why execution beats invention 🔬 Lessons from battery manufacturing 🌱 The truth about scaling cleantech 🚀 Whether you’re building in climate tech or scouting for investment, this one’s a must-listen. Stay updated - follow us and watch the hashtag #WattsUpWithStartups to learn about the next episodes! Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast on YouTube Music or Spotify and listen to energy transition startup success stories on the go! #WattsUpWithStartups #CleanTech #Innovation #IP #Scaling #BatteryTech #Startups #entrepreneurship Check out our website and social networks: NEAH Website https://neahub.net/ NEAH Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nea_hub/ NEAH LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/nea-hub

🏭 A startup… inside a silicon giant? That’s how Vianode began—then spun out, scaled up, and went independent. 🎙️ Hear the full story on Watt’s Up With Startups. How do you go from 10 kg of synthetic anode material in a lab to a FOAK (First-of-a-Kind) plant producing 2,000 tons per year? Emin Askerov (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ask-emin-greentech/) invited Andreas Forfang (https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreasforfang/) from Vianode to tell you how. Tune in to Vianode’s scale-up journey — from a corporate R&D initiative inside a leading silicon manufacturer, Elkem, to an independent clean tech company tackling EV battery supply chain challenges. Key takeaways: 🔹 Lab → Pilot → Demo → FOAK: Why scaling in iterations reduced technology risk and built trust with clients and investors 🔹 The Catch-22 of scaling: You need commercial-scale validation to attract funding — but need funding to build at scale 🔹 Investor–client compromise: How Vianode balanced capital constraints with customer readiness 🔹 Strategic spin-out: Why Vianode separated from Elkem in 2021 to raise funds and develop its own operational model 💡 One of the most critical decisions? Building the demo facility inside an existing factory — a choice that reduced costs but came at the expense of replicability. 🎙️ Listen now to explore the engineering, strategy, and decision-making behind scaling up battery materials innovation. #BatteryTech #ScaleUpStrategy #SyntheticGraphite #FOAK #CleanTech #CorporateSpinout #EnergyTransition #WattUpPod #Vianode #elkem Check out our website and social networks: NEAH Website https://neahub.net/ NEAH Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nea_hub/ NEAH LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/nea-hub

What does it really take to turn a battery breakthrough into a factory? 💥 In the latest episode of WattsUpWithStartups, Emin Askerov (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ask-emin-greentech/) sits down with Ewout Lubberman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ewoutlubberman/) of LeydenJar (https://www.linkedin.com/company/leydenjar/) to unpack the rollercoaster of scaling up cutting-edge battery tech. 🔋 Here's what they dive into: – Customer buy-in: Do you need an off-take agreement, or is a solid sales funnel enough? – Tech scouts: Who they are and how they might help secure your first deals. – FOAK sizing: How LeydenJar decided how big to go with their first-of-a-kind plant. – The battery shakeout: Why the wave of bankruptcies may be just beginning. – Scale-up hiring: How talent needs shift as you move from startup to scale-up. If you're navigating the path from lab to launch in battery or cleantech, this episode is your roadmap. Tune in! Check out our website and social networks: NEAH Website https://neahub.net/ NEAH Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nea_hub/ NEAH LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/nea-hub

💥 De-Risking FOAK: Dancing on the Minefield Building a first-of-a-kind (FOAK) project is the ultimate test of resilience—where unproven technology meets market uncertainty, and investors demand answers to every imaginable risk. In the latest solo episode of Watt’s Up with Startups, host Emin Askerov shares firsthand insights from scaling high-stakes projects. From convincing skeptical committees to navigating billion-dollar decisions, he breaks down what it really takes to secure FOAK financing. And here’s a spoiler: it’s not just about raising money—it’s about mastering execution, de-risking technology, and proving commercial viability. This episode is a must-listen for anyone building the next gigafactory or launching a climate tech breakthrough! 🎧 Tune in now! #WattsUpWithStartups #ClimateTech #FOAK #ScaleUp #StartupSuccess #BatteryIndustry #RiskManagement

🚀 Three critical steps before scaling up🚀 Scaling up isn’t just about great tech—it is about nailing down the process, securing customers, and building a supply chain from scratch. It’s a wild ride, and for hardware startups, it’s nothing short of “production hell.” But how do you know when your startup is truly ready to go big? Tune into our new series of solo episodes in Watts Up With Startups where Emin Askerov breaks down the 3 critical steps to scaling up: ✅ Mapping your manufacturing process (because no battle plan survives first contact!) ✅ Securing your first customers (commitments = confidence) ✅ Aligning with your suppliers (without them, you’ve got nothing to ship) Want to know if your startup is scale-up ready or just daydreaming? Tune in for real-world lessons, pitfalls to avoid, and insights from Emin’s own journey scaling wind turbine production. 🎧 Ready to scale? This episode is your blueprint. Listen now! Check out our website and social networks: NEAH Website https://neahub.net/ NEAH Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nea_hub/ NEAH LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/nea-hub Emin Askerov LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ask-emin-greentech/ #StartupScaling #HardwareStartups #ManufacturingTips #ScalingUp #StartupJourney #FirstCustomers #SupplyChainManagement #StartupLessons #WattsUpWithStartups #RenewableEnergy #CleanTech #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Innovation

🌍 2024 in Review: Lessons from Climate Tech’s Most Defining Year This year, climate tech had it all—big wins, hard lessons, and game-changing moments. But as the dust settles, one question lingers: Are we finally learning how to scale? In this special episode of #WattsUpWithStartups, we reflect on the highs, the lows, and the surprises that shaped 2024. From the rise of FOAK projects to the shifts in investor behavior and the lessons every founder must heed, this year has been nothing short of transformative. 🔍 What went wrong? What went right? And what’s next for climate tech in 2025? 🎧 Tune in for insights, reflections, and a look ahead that you won’t want to miss. Catch the episode now! ________ 1) Epitaphs on climate tech companies in 2024: https://www.askerov.pro/post/arrival-what-happened https://www.askerov.pro/post/halloween-horror-story-the-rise-and-fall-of-redflow https://www.askerov.pro/post/universal-hydrogen-a-20-min-or-100m-lesson 2) CTVC article on climate tech finance in 2024: https://www.ctvc.co/a-slimming-stack-of-86bn-in-dry-powder-for-climate-2/ 3) On the “missing middle” in climate tech financing https://www.askerov.pro/post/navigating-the-capital-stack-from-lab-to-noak 4) Podcast Episode 6 with Duke Oh, JR Energy Solution: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1wyEtF60GMWSDtkm247eRh?si=9frKaNY0SMWRS_dBOb2_Ng 5) My best post on scaling battery manufacturing: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ask-emin-greentech_batterymanufacturing-cleantech-innovation-activity-7249331066287644672-bPNH 6) Why SMR’s are the Fad of the year: https://www.askerov.pro/post/_____ 7) “The Innovator’s Dilemma” book review: https://www.askerov.pro/post/facing-the-innovator-s-dilemma 8) Climate Insiders Podcast on Hydrogen: https://open.spotify.com/episode/08dEn1yNXNoHMBujtwbMRp?si=ymD5RUYpTROEEkYBffAuwA 9) My review of the Climate Insiders podcast: https://www.askerov.pro/post/be05694d 10) My dedicated blog section to Scaling Up Climate Tech: https://www.askerov.pro/blog/categories/scale-up 11) New Energy Advancement Hub website: https://neahub.net/ #ClimateTech #ScaleUp #FOAK #EnergyTransition #startup #podcast #greenenergy