A different perspective I was on an introductory Zoom call with Alex Kosyakov, a founder of Natrion, an innovative lithium-ion battery tech startup from the USA. About 10 minutes into a conversation Alex casually mentioned that his solution, a special membrane enabling the production of higher energy density batteries, is a drop-in solution for existing lithium-ion battery manufacturers. This meant that any existing battery manufacturer could buy Alex’s product and immediately use it in their manufacturing process. By this point, I had met and talked with dozens of battery tech startups, but it was the first time I had heard the term - “drop-in solution.”  A couple of weeks later, I was listening to an interview with Yair Reem of Extantia Capital - a venture firm investing in scaling climate technologies. Explaining how Extantia evaluates clean tech scale-ups, he specifically mentioned that startups with a drop-in solution have a much higher chance of securing necessary investments. After hearing the term for a second time, I’ve started to look at the startups I worked with from a new perspective.  I realized that many successful startups offered drop-in solutions, even if they didn’t explicitly label them that way. Take my own experience, for example, the corporate startup I helped launch, Red Wind, a wind turbine manufacturer. After spending three years building it into a successful company, I had never thought of our technology or business model as a drop-in solution. But in hindsight, that’s exactly what it was. For Red Wind, we didn’t develop a wind turbine technology from scratch. Instead, we looked around for existing designs of wind turbines, that would match our criteria, specifically, we had to be able to localize manufacturing of up to 80% of its components. When we found one, we looked hard into each component and checked whether there was available capacity, skills, and willingness to make this component in Russia. While in the end, several of our suppliers had to develop manufacturing of specific components like towers or copper plates for the generator, none of these products were particularly complex. In the end, all were successfully made in Russia.  This “drop-in” characteristic of component manufacturing proved invaluable when I pitched the project to our investor—the state nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom. The investment committee was particularly concerned about localization risks. To address these concerns, we demonstrated that most components required for localization were already being manufactured in Russia. For completely novel parts, like wind turbine blades, we proposed continuing to source them from overseas. While some new manufacturing lines had to be established and certain equipment needed to be acquired, we assured the committee that localizing wouldn’t involve developing entirely new products from scratch. These drop-in characteristics ultimately helped me secure the necessary funding for the factory. So, how do you know you have a drop-in solution or how do you design a drop-in solution?  Let’s first start with a definition of a drop-in solution. A drop-in solution innovates on a single process or a piece of equipment, leaving the rest untouched. This single innovation however is sufficient to deliver 10x value for the customer.  The key question to ask when designing your product or service: How much does your solution require the target industry to change?  The less disruption it causes, the faster your product can be adopted. If you’ve built something that plugs into existing systems with minimal effort, congratulations—you’ve created a drop-in solution , and these tend to scale far more rapidly than disruptive tech that requires overhauling infrastructure or retraining entire production teams. The 4-step framework for drop-in solution By analyzing my experience in wind turbine and lithium-ion cell manufacturing, the experience of the startups I’ve interviewed and worked with, and listening to investor’s opinions, I’ve developed my four-step framework for understanding if your product or service is a drop-in solution: Step 1: Determine if you can leverage existing manufacturing to make your innovative product. How easy is it to integrate your process or equipment into existing manufacturing or supply chains? Let’s look at the example of drop-in innovation in hard tech. Heliorec, a floating solar startup, designed a specialized mold for a "floater"—a key component on which solar panels are mounted when deployed on water. But here’s the smart bit: Heliorec doesn’t manufacture the floaters themselves. Instead, they supply the mold to existing manufacturers, who can produce the floaters using their current setup.  Other technologies require building entirely new supply chains. Take hydrogen for transport, for instance. First, clean, cheap power sources need to be developed. Next, electrolyzers, that make hydrogen from electricity, must be designed and manufactured. Then, you need specialized transport and storage vessels capable of handling hydrogen. And finally, you’ll need good quality fuel cells to convert hydrogen into electrical energy. Any technology in the hydrogen value chain depends on the successful development and scaling of multiple other technologies. If the industry you’re working in faces similar challenges, it will be difficult to create a drop-in solution. Step 2. Determine if you can use existing equipment to offer innovative services or solutions.  Now let’s look at an example of process innovation. JR Energy Solution, a startup from Korea, built a dedicated lithium-ion electrode factory. Electrodes are the main components of lithium-ion batteries and the most difficult ones to make. There is zero innovation in JR’s manufacturing. What they do differently, is that they offer to make electrodes for anyone. In the battery industry, IP for battery cells is closely guarded. Companies build gigafactories that run 24/7, dedicated to making their special type of chemistry. JR stands this model on its head by offering to make electrodes for anyone interested while not having its proprietary battery recipe. They provide manufacturing-as-a-service to those who need to make electrodes at a small scale - like innovative startups, established companies R&D, or small-volume clients. Both examples, Heliorec and JR, demonstrate the successful application of the drop-in principle. Heliorec makes just the mold, and everything else is done by existing suppliers. JR provides novel services using state-of-the-art equipment. Sometimes, like in the case of JR, you don’t need to develop new technologies, but instead, you can develop novel applications, that are themselves a drop-in solution for existing processes in the value chain.  Step 3. Determine if you are the disruptor or in the disrupted space.  The drop-in solution is possible if there exists a value chain, into which the solution can be parachuted. Such a value chain usually takes a long time to establish, so the industry that you will be operating is likely to be well-established and not overly innovative. Think legacy automotive OEMs, transformers, oil, and gas. Presenting a drop-in solution in such an industry can be a quick and easy win. However, by playing in the existing industry, you are vulnerable to the same risks as its incumbents - being disrupted by truly innovative startups that will put you out of business. That’s why I don’t see much point in innovating for the industries, that are clearly in their decline - ICE cars, oil and gas.  Now, there could be a big and innovative industry where your drop-in solution will be welcomed and will likely survive in the long term. Think of the lithium-ion battery, solar, wind, or emerging electric heating industry. These are fast-growing markets with established value chains. By offering drop-in solutions in these industries, you are riding the rising wave, helping new technologies scale and reduce costs. Being in the right industry is the best way you can make sure that your drop-in solution will not drop out!  Step 4. Evaluate how easy it is for a customer to “drop in” your solution.  Here is the deal. The ease of the drop-in rests on two factors: the ease of technical integration and the ease of regulatory integration. Technical integration is pretty straightforward. How easy would it be to bolt your technology onto existing factory lines? How much training would the factory workers need? Can existing equipment manufacturers make your device?  For example, 8inks is a startup revolutionizing electrode coating technology for lithium-ion batteries. Its innovation enables to increase in coating speed and allows to simultaneously coat several layers of different chemicals. This is highly valuable for battery manufacturers. 8inks innovation is a combination of “coating line upgrades”, allowing for simultaneous and high-speed coating of several layers of chemicals. 8inks business model is Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS)  allows 8inks customers to apply new technology with minimum risks and minimum time. The regulatory integration is a little more complicated. If your drop-in solution requires prolonged certification, permitting, testing, and regulatory approval, then it will be highly problematic to “drop in”. First, consider whether there are any health and safety issues that you will have to manage. Corporate customers are far less likely to buy something, that is a health and safety hazard and hasn’t been tried/approved. Investors will not be very patient with protracted regulatory approval procedures, as every day spent on getting the paperwork in order means a day with no sales and operational costs financed out of investors’ pockets.  Drop-In Solutions—A Smarter Path to Scaling Innovation isn’t just about flashy new technology; it’s about creating something valuable that people can adopt quickly and easily. That’s what makes the concept of a drop-in solution so powerful. If your product can integrate seamlessly into existing processes, systems, or infrastructure, you’ve drastically improved your chances of scaling successfully. The framework I’ve outlined—leveraging existing manufacturing, offering innovative services, operating in the right industry, and ensuring ease of integration—provides a clear pathway for determining whether your product qualifies as a drop-in solution. If it does, you’re well on your way to overcoming some of the hardest challenges in scaling hardtech or climate tech startups. In today’s competitive landscape, scaling up isn’t just about proving your technology works—it’s about ensuring that adoption is as frictionless as possible. The less you ask your customers to change, the faster they’ll embrace your solution. The road to success is rarely smooth, but with a drop-in approach, it can certainly be faster. #dropinsolution #manufacturing #scaleup #greentech #cleantech #framework

“I hired a Chief Production Officer, and can finally focus on business.” Those were my client's words, Duke Oh, as we drove through Germany on a two-week business development trip. Just six months ago, such a trip would have been unimaginable. Back then, Duke was knee-deep in launching his lithium-ion electrode factory—juggling production issues, firefighting problems, and figuring out operations. That’s what scaling up means: changing how you make your product. You can’t keep playing around like you did during R&D. Scaling demands you lock in product specs and shift focus to repeating the same process flawlessly, over and over again. 🚧 But here’s the catch—this isn’t a job for your R&D team. Scaling introduces new challenges: Health & safety protocols Organizing shift work Assembly line design & management Quality control Supply chain coordination, etc. These aren’t skills your startup’s scrappy R&D team typically brings to the table. That’s why scaling is hard. It’s also why many startups hit a wall—they don’t realize they need different people, with different expertise, to lead their production efforts. Elon Musk wasn’t exaggerating when he called scaling “production hell.” Building your first industrial-scale operations takes dedication, discipline, and a whole lot of time.  It’s a trap many founders fall into—getting so bogged down by production headaches that they have no time left for what matters most: Securing new clients Working with investors Growing their team The solution? Hire the right person to lead production.  Someone who thrives on process, consistency, and execution. Someone who can take “production hell” off your plate, so you can focus on scaling the business. What was your “production hell” experience, and how did you deal with it? Comment and follow me for more cleantech scale-up tips and tactics! #ScaleUp #Cleantech #HardTech #StartupGrowth #Manufacturing #OperationsLeadership #Scaling

Kicking off 2025 by giving back! This January, I’m offering 20 free one-hour online consultations  to startups and investors in the cleantech and climate tech space. If you’re wading into the messy world of scaling hardware, I’ve been there, done that, and want to help. Here’s who I can help: 1️⃣ You’re scaling up —either planning or already deep in the process.2️⃣ You’re building something real —a hardware cleantech/climate tech startup (batteries, renewables, hydrogen, EVs, etc.).3️⃣ You’re tackling a critical scale-up challenge , like: Crafting a scale-up strategy or business plan Negotiating offtake agreements with customers Preparing for your next fundraising round Growing your team or solving a specific operational issue Anything else that comes to mind How to get a free consultation: Send me a brief presentation of your company  and a short description of the issue  you’d like help with. No fluff—just what you’re working on and where you’re stuck. I’ll pick the 20 that fit best and schedule time for a deep dive into your scaling journey. Whether it’s aligning with investors, structuring deals, or avoiding common scaling pitfalls, let’s work through your toughest challenges together. Interested? Drop me a note, and let’s make 2025 the year your startup takes off! 🚀 #Cleantech #ClimateTech #ScaleUp #StartupGrowth #HardTech #Consulting #EnergyTransition

In climate tech, successful innovation isn’t always about inventing brand-new technology. More often, it’s about cleverly combining existing tech in a way that delivers real value. Why? Because new tech doesn’t operate in a vacuum. It needs components, raw materials, and supply chains—all of which already exist in your target industry. The more of those things you can leverage without requiring radical change, the higher your chances of scaling successfully. The key question when designing your product or service: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲? The less disruption it causes, the faster your product can be adopted. If you’ve built something that plugs into existing systems with minimal effort, congratulations—you’ve created a drop-in solution, and these tend to scale far more rapidly than disruptive tech that requires overhauling infrastructure or retraining entire production teams. Drop-In Solutions Scale Faster Let’s take Heliorec, a floating solar startup, as an example. Instead of reinventing the wheel, they designed a specialized mold for a "floater"—a key component on which solar panels are mounted when deployed on water. But here’s the smart bit: Heliorec doesn’t manufacture the floaters themselves. Instead, they supply the mold to existing manufacturers, who can produce the floaters using their current setup. This approach does three things: 1️⃣ 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀. Heliorec doesn’t need to build factories or production lines—they leverage existing ones. 2️⃣ 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀-𝘂𝗽 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴. Manufacturers already know how to use molds, so there’s minimal learning curve or equipment change. 3️⃣ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. Heliorec can concentrate on deploying floating solar farms, not managing production headaches. New Tech vs. Drop-In: Which Should You Build? If your climate tech requires a major overhaul of how things are currently done—new supply chains, production methods, or user behavior—you’re facing a long, expensive road to scale. That’s not necessarily bad, but you’d better have deep pockets or a rock-solid plan to derisk the transition for your customers. If, on the other hand, your solution seamlessly integrates into what’s already there, you’ve drastically improved your odds of success. Industries love innovations that require little to no change in their operations while offering significant gains in efficiency, cost, or performance. And by the way, investors love drop-in solutions too! Key Takeaway Not every startup needs to build something that disrupts the entire market from the ground up. Sometimes, the real game-changer is a solution that fits into the existing puzzle with minimal friction. Whether you’re building next-gen batteries, new green fuels, or solar systems like Heliorec, ask yourself: 𝘈𝘮 𝘐 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘶𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯? If the answer is yes, then you’ve got a drop-in solution—and a head start in the race to scale. So, what’s your approach—drop-in or disruption? Let me know in the comments, or reach out if you want to brainstorm scaling strategies for your climate tech startup! 🚀 Picture credits: Heliorec #climatetech #scaleup #dropinsolution #disruption #manufacturing #FOAK

I’ve just picked up my New Year read—a collection of solarpunk short stories. If you’re wondering, what is solarpunk, and why does it matter?  Here’s the heart of it: “Solarpunk is about finding ways to make life more wonderful for us right now, and more importantly for the generations that follow us—extending human life at the species level, rather than individually.” This line, from the article Solarpunk: Notes Toward a Manifesto,  hits home for me. Whether you’re in renewables, EVs, batteries, heat pumps, or sustainability, this is what we do. Every day, we’re working to make life better now and for the future. We’re cleaning up transportation, clearing smog from our skies, and creating sustainable ways to live. We believe in a world that doesn’t self-destruct—a world that can and should, be better. But let’s not forget the “punk” in solarpunk. This isn’t just about optimism; it’s about rebellion, about challenging the status quo. Sustainability is still on the fringe or worse, co-opted by bureaucracy and vested interests. Just glance at the latest COP headlines to see how progress can get bogged down. Solarpunk isn’t only about technology—it’s about values. Freedom, ingenuity, mutual respect, independence, community—these are the counterpoints to the individualistic quantification of life on one end and the encroaching digital surveillance state on the other. To all my fellow solarpunks out there: keep going! Keep building, innovating, and dreaming of a better world. Let’s make 2025 a year of progress, creativity, and hope! Happy New Year! #Solarpunk #Sustainability #EnergyTransition #Renewables #EVs #Cleantech #Community

The title may not win Christmas cheer awards, but let’s channel a bit of Scrooge to debunk a growing myth: nuclear as the savior for AI’s energy appetite. In my year-end post, I dubbed small modular reactors the “fad of the year,” but I missed the deeper story—the energy implications of the AI revolution. Then I came across Michael Liebreich’s article on AI-driven energy demand and its ripple effects. It’s a must-read, packed with sharp insights and Liebreich’s signature wit. Here are the highlights (but trust me, the full article is worth your time): 💸 𝗧𝗵𝗲 $𝟲𝟬𝟬𝗕 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 That’s the revenue AI needs to justify the billions poured into it. So far, only a fraction of this number has a clear roadmap. ⚡ 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿-𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗿𝘆 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 A single ChatGPT prompt consumes 2.9 watt-hours. Compare that to 0.3 watt-hours for a Google search. Scale this across billions of users, and you’re looking at serious energy consumption. ↔️ 𝗔𝗜 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 - 𝗔 𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁  Deploying AI not only increases energy consumption but also helps to reduce it by optimizing power generation, transmission and consumption. Mr. Liebreich estimates 30 GW of new dispatchable capacity will be needed in the US by 2030, with 15 GW more globally. ☢️ 𝗡𝘂𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗜𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 Despite the buzz around SMRs, nuclear won’t power the AI boom. It’s too slow to deploy and too expensive. ☀️ 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 Solar, wind, batteries, and some backup gas plants will shoulder the load—delivering the power AI needs at a fraction of the cost and time nuclear requires. For your last weekend read of 2024, dive into Michael Liebreich’s article—equal parts thought-provoking and entertaining. And as always, I’m curious to hear your thoughts: Is AI a boon or bane for energy systems? Drop your take in the comments below, and follow me for more green tech scale-up insights! #AIRevolution #EnergyTransition #NuclearEnergy #Renewables #GenerativeAI #Cleantech

The Challenge of FOAK Financing I stared at the big screen in the conference room, watching the decision on financing my FOAK lithium-ion cell plant being postponed for at least another two months. Rosatom’s Investment Committee had just ruled that before approving the $200M investment for our first gigafactory, we needed to secure approval from their Science Committee. The Investment Committee members remained unconvinced about the technological risks of the project—particularly our choice of chemistry. It was summer, and with the August lull and everyone on holiday, it would be September before I could get the Science Committee together. If I was lucky. FOAK (First-of-a-Kind) financing is a minefield. These projects come with a laundry list of risks: technological, engineering, execution, commercial, safety—you name it. They represent a perfect storm: unproven technology and markets combined with the need for major upfront investments in steel and cement. To complicate matters, the investor pool is diverse, including VCs, PEs, impact funds, government agencies, family offices, and strategic investors—all with their own risk appetites and vocabularies. It’s no surprise that few startups successfully secure financing for their FOAK projects. Aim Beyond Investor Expectations In martial arts like boxing or karate, you’re taught to aim your punches beyond the surface of the bag to deliver a powerful, knockout strike. This philosophy applies when preparing for conversations with FOAK investors. Aim beyond their expectations. Aim for the bank. Banks are the most risk-averse financiers. Securing a bank loan for your FOAK project is a badge of honor, signifying that you’ve evolved from a startup to an established business. While bank loans for FOAK projects are rare, they’re not impossible. I once worked on a project that raised $1B in debt for a FOAK plant. Even then, we had to address every question about risk. Whether or not you plan to seek a loan, preparing as if you are can be a valuable exercise. Engage Investors to Build a Risk Profile To identify the risks relevant to your FOAK project, the best approach is to engage with potential investors. Arrange meetings to pitch your project with the sole aim of eliciting as many objections and questions as possible. Be upfront about not providing immediate answers—this isn’t the time for debate. Record every objection and question, then head back to the drawing board. Prioritize the Most Critical Risks The resulting list of risks may feel overwhelming. Your job isn’t to address them all but to focus on the most critical ones for each investor. The Pareto principle applies: addressing the key 20% of risks often resolves the other 80% by default. Pay attention to the person who remains quiet throughout the discussion, only to ask one piercing question at the end—they often reveal the true priorities. Four Common FOAK Risks From my experience and that of startups I’ve worked with, four risks frequently emerge as critical: Technology risk.  Your technology works in the lab, but will it become obsolete before your FOAK plant is operational? Competition risk (a.k.a. “China risk”).  How likely are competitors to replicate and scale your technology before you can secure your market? Commercial risk.  Is there a demand for your product? If so, will customers accept the price from your FOAK plant? Execution risk.  Can you complete your FOAK plant on time and within budget? What degree of error can your project tolerate before facing bankruptcy? Each FOAK project comes with its unique risks. The four examples above represent the challenges I and other founders have repeatedly encountered. How to Address Risks: A Case Study Back to Moscow. After the committee’s directive to seek Science Committee approval, I got to work. My chief R&D officer and I prepared a 40-page PowerPoint presentation detailing various battery chemistries, comparing their properties, and assessing their technological and manufacturing readiness. We delivered this presentation via Zoom (COVID was still raging). After the R&D presentation, we spent the next hour and a half addressing… business and commercial risks. By the end, I had secured the Science Committee’s approval and gained unexpected training in handling questions about competition and commercial risks. De-risking FOAK projects is an exercise in thoroughness and adaptability. It’s about understanding that each investor, from VCs to banks, has unique concerns. Your job is to anticipate these concerns and come prepared with solutions. FOAK projects may represent the “valley of death” for startups, but with the right approach, it’s possible to emerge on the other side—stronger, smarter, and funded. Let’s Talk If you’re navigating the complex terrain of FOAK financing or scaling your climate tech solution, I’d love to hear from you! Share your challenges, and let’s explore how to build and scale together! #ClimateTech #FOAK #ScaleUp #BatteryIndustry #RiskManagement #startups

Imagine it’s 2008, and Tesla is unveiling the Roadster—a sleek electric car that doesn’t ask you to compromise. It’s fast, luxurious, and—surprise—doesn’t cost more than a comparable sports car. Tesla didn’t market it as a “green vehicle” with a hefty price tag to save the planet. Instead, it sold status, performance, and design while quietly slipping in a climate solution. That’s the power of a 10x value proposition versus relying on a green premium. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲? * 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺: Charges extra for being environmentally friendly, relying on customers’ willingness to pay more to “do the right thing.” The reality is that it’s an added cost that most people avoid unless required by regulations. A good example is solar and wind energy in the past few decades. Their prices were often fixed in so-called power-purchase agreements, and they were several orders of magnitude higher than prices from conventional energy sources like coal and gas.  * 𝟭𝟬𝘅 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲: Offers a product or service that’s 10 times better in performance, cost, or experience than existing options. Customers flock to it because it solves a problem or enhances their lives or their business in a clear, undeniable way. Tesla succeeded because it understood this fundamental truth: People don’t buy products just because they’re green—they buy them because they’re better. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝟭𝟬𝘅 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? 1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀: Does your product elevate your customer’s position or prestige? Tesla nailed this by making EVs a luxury symbol. Leonardo DiCaprio ditched his Prius the moment Roadster became available. 2️⃣ 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆: Can your product make customers feel safer or more secure? Think of energy-as-a-service or manufacturing-as-a-service business models that avoid CAPEX or disaster-proof technologies. 3️⃣ 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: The basic one - does it deliver 10x financial returns? In Climatetech this would usually mean cost savings or a completely new market opportunity. I’ve seen a lot of startups offering 30% cost savings, that got nowhere.  You have a scalable value proposition if your cleantech startup can deliver 10x in one of these areas. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 So, what would it be - A Christmas tree or presents? If your climate tech startup leans heavily on green premiums, rethink your strategy. Focus on delivering a 10x value proposition in status, safety, or wealth. That’s how you’ll attract mainstream customers, secure investor confidence, and achieve scale. Want more insights on scaling cleantech? Follow me here for deep dives into what makes scaleups work. Merry Christmas, and let’s build the future—10x better! #Cleantech #ScaleUp #GreenPremium #10xValue #Innovation #EnergyTransition

🤔𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆? 𝗕𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.  How to make a wind turbine? In 2016, I had to figure out how to build 400 of them in just four years. I signed a licensing agreement with Lagerwey, a Dutch startup with great designs but limited production experience. Lagerwey could make a dozen turbines a year, all slightly different, thanks to their tinkering engineers. But we needed to build one turbine at scale. I was sure we could do it - all three key questions had answers. How do you know when your startup is ready to scale? In my experience, and that of startups I’ve worked with three critical factors tell you it’s time to go big: 🔧 𝟭. 𝗠𝗮𝗽 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 Before you build a factory, map out your production flow in obsessive detail. * How will materials arrive and be stored? * What equipment will you use? * What skills will your team need? Visit similar factories, talk to the people on the floor, and learn from their challenges. Understanding your process inside out doesn’t just prepare you—it helps identify bottlenecks and risks before they become problems. 🤝 𝟮. 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 Before raising funds, lock in future buyers. Whether it’s a soft commitment (MOU) or a hard contract, this shows investors—and you—that demand exists. Customers willing to discuss quality standards, delivery dates, and prices are signaling they trust you to deliver. For example, our turbines had guaranteed buyers—our sister company had secured long-term power purchase agreements. This gave us the confidence to move forward. 🏗️ 𝟯. 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 No supply chain, no scale-up. You need suppliers who can meet your quality, cost, and timeline requirements. When sourcing wind turbine parts, we had to build half the supply chain from scratch. Towers, for instance, required specialized machines from a global supplier and local production expertise. Meanwhile, we secured blades at half the market price by partnering with an overseas factory. Suppliers aren’t just vendors—they’re partners. Ensure they’re ready to grow with you. 𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆:  Scaling hardware is as much about aligning supply chains and securing customers as it is about the product itself. Once you’ve nailed these three main pillars, you’re ready to go big. Building wind turbines wasn’t just a manufacturing challenge—it was a masterclass in scaling up from scratch. Whether it’s turbines, batteries, or new climate tech, the principles are the same. 👉 What’s your biggest challenge in scaling hardware? Let’s discuss. Follow for more insights into scaling cleantech! #Cleantech #ScaleUp #Manufacturing #Hardware #WindTurbines #SupplyChain #ScalingStartups

Twice in my career, I’ve dealt with intellectual property (IP). Both times, I came out with one big realization: IP isn’t the holy grail investors think it is—especially when scaling hardware. The first time, I was buying a license to manufacture wind turbines. It looked promising: a ton of encrypted files, sent to our HQ with much fanfare. But when we finally cracked open the IP treasure chest, we discovered it only explained how to build one  wind turbine. The know-how to manufacture 100? Nowhere to be found. That, we had to figure out ourselves. The second time, I was acquiring a lithium-ion cell company. This time, the IP was valuable—not because of patents alone but because the company had spent years running a factory, mass-producing cells using that IP. Here’s the thing about IP: 🔑 It’s Not Manufacturing Scaling isn’t about inventing—it’s about perfecting. Making something 1,000 times consistently, with high quality and low cost, is a skill that no patent can teach. This is where Chinese manufacturers dominate: not through flashy patents, but through relentless practice and operational expertise. 💸 Protecting IP Is Expensive The more patents you file, the more likely you’ll face legal challenges. Patent trolls and competitors alike can bleed your company dry in court. Unless your IP is both groundbreaking and indispensable, the costs can far outweigh the benefits. So, Is IP Useless? No, not entirely. It has value in two cases: 1️⃣ When you’ve made a fundamental technological breakthrough —the kind that took millions to develop. 2️⃣ To boost your valuation at fundraising . Investors love a well-pitched “IP moat,” even if it won’t solve your scaling challenges. The Takeaway IP might impress investors, but it won’t build your factory or scale your startup. The real moat isn’t a stack of patents—it’s the skill, know-how, and operational mastery that comes from rolling up your sleeves and making things work at scale. Are you navigating the tricky waters of IP, scaling, or manufacturing? Let’s talk! #Cleantech #ScaleUp #IPMyth #DeepTech #Innovation #Manufacturing #ClimateTech

You have to choose between your ego and your fees. This was a phrase I heard while listening to the Redefining Energy podcast episode “Northvolt - Epitaph.” It sums up perfectly the choice Europe is facing in the battery industry. Here is why.  This year, I’ve actively traveled around Europe, meeting with battery industry players. I was representing my client, a Korean company specializing in the most difficult part of battery manufacturing - making anode and cathode electrodes. While I’ve struggled to get my EU counterparts to listen, my colleagues were doing fine in the US, where potential customers quickly saw the benefit of cooperation.  We’ve discussed this between us and wondered why we struggle in Europe, where battery manufacturing has historically been more active than in the US. And then I read a quote in an article about Northvolt, that exemplifies the attitude that Europe has towards making batteries: “Europeans don’t perceive their battery industry as weak. They believe they just haven’t tried yet, and if they did, they would undoubtedly do better.” Since I joined the battery industry in 2019, I’ve looked up to EU battery manufacturing. I was expecting that by the time I complete my gigafactory, the EU producers would churn out gigawatt hours. They do, but all are owned by Asian players. None of the names I learned in 2019 - Freyr, Morrow, Verkor, and, of course, Northvolt, are making anything giga, except, of course, Northvolt - a gigafailure.  The European battery industry was in for a rude awakening this year. There is a way to make European batteries, but European engineers and managers would have to learn a bit of humility first.  #ScaleUp #batteries #gigafactory #EnergyTransition #Execution #manufacturing

As 2024 wraps up, it’s time to reflect on a year that was anything but dull for the climate tech world. A buzzword dominated this year— FOAK (First-of-a-Kind).  It symbolizes the growing realization that proving your tech in a lab is one thing, but scaling it to a factory is a different beast. Many startups found themselves stuck in the dreaded Valley of Death  between proving a pilot and scaling up. I’ve written a few epitaphs on those who didn’t make it this year ( here , here , and here ), the biggest corpse left lying in this valley in 2024 is undoubtedly, Northvolt’s, but more on this later.  Let’s break down the year—the highs, the lows, and everything in between. The Big Picture: Maturing Investments 2024 saw investors waking up to the reality: scaling hardware is hard. According to CTVC , private equity investors started stepping away from FOAK startups, leaving the space for long-term climate-focused funds. Assets Under Management (AUM):  Climbed 20% to $164B—steady, not spectacular growth. Dry Powder:  $86B ready for deployment in 2025—a promising setup for startups that truly know their game. Despite this, the “ missing middle ”—financing FOAK projects—remains an unresolved challenge. Most investor advice stops at fundraising, offering little on actual execution. Success of the Year 📈 JR Energy Solution  (Korea): Launched a 500MWh electrode factory in just 9 months. They focus on manufacturing-as-a-service,  helping battery startups scale without building costly factories. Their execution offers a blueprint for FOAK success. Catch my interview with their founder, Duke Oh, here . Failure of the Year 📉 Northvolt: From EU climate darling to bankruptcy, Northvolt’s collapse underscores the mantra: Execution is everything. Vision is nothing. The fallout shook the industry, as insiders scrambled to reassure investors that they won’t follow the same fate. My best post  of the year was also about the perils of battery manufacturing, raking up almost 700 reactions on LinkedIn and a few dozen comments from industry insiders.  Fad of the Year 🍿 Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): With hydrogen hype deflating, SMRs became the new bubble. Fueled by energy-hungry AI firms, SMRs are soaking up investments. My prediction? Watch them incinerate another pile of cash. Get your popcorn, and read my take on it here .   Book of the Year 📚 The Innovator’s Dilemma  by Clayton Christensen: Though two decades old, its lessons on disruptive innovation are eerily relevant, especially for legacy industries like automotive. My review  of the book was one of the best-read posts on my website, scoring 137 views. If you haven’t read it yet - grab a copy, and read over your holidays. Your view on innovation will never be the same.  Podcast of the Year 🎙️ Is Hydrogen the Fuel of the Future? by Climate Insiders: Ben James offers sharp, balanced insights into hydrogen—a rare treat in a divisive debate. My review is here . Adventure of the Year ⛵ Three Seas, One Sail: This October, I fulfilled a childhood dream, sailing across the Marmara, Aegean, and Mediterranean Seas. 35-knot winds? Bring it on! Achievement of the Year 📬 Growing This Community: My LinkedIn EcoPunk newsletter grew from 200 to over 1,000 subscribers in 2024. Thank you for joining me on this journey! What’s Next? I’m dedicating 2025 to scaling climate tech. My dedicated blog section  already features 39 posts on the topic, and I aim to expand this into a hands-on FOAK guide. Packed with founder insights, investor strategies, and operational know-how, it’ll be your roadmap through the Valley of Death. 🎄 Happy Holidays and a Successful 2025! Emin Askerov, your ecopunk  and scaleup consiglieri. #ClimateTech #FOAK #ScalingStartups #EnergyTransition #cleantech #scaleup