Tech. Cars. Machines.

Ali Tabibian, GTK Partners
  • 5.0 (7)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Executive interviews. We cover technology and energy transition in transportation and industry. More at www.gtkpartners.com

  1. 59. Brandon Sorbom, Co-Founder and CSO, Commonwealth Fusion Systems

    JAN 5

    59. Brandon Sorbom, Co-Founder and CSO, Commonwealth Fusion Systems

    Episode 59: The Cherry on Top of Decades of Fusion Development   Brandon Sorbom, Chief Science Officer and Co-founder of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, is helping spend $3+ billion to turn hydrogen into abundant, safe and readily available energy. In our fourth fusion episode, Brandon educates us on the most time-tested approach to fusion which uses powerful magnets. CFS hopes to deliver commercial energy by the early 2030s.  0:00 Introduction  02:33 The Journey from MIT to Commonwealth Fusion Systems  04:30 Securing Funding and Building Credibility  05:44 Understanding Fusion and Tokamaks  08:44 Brandon’s Personal Journey to Fusion  12:34 Explaining the Tokamak and Fusion Process  28:23 Neutrons and Energy Conversion  31:39 High Temperature Superconducting Material  39:26 Scaling Up Production and Cost Considerations  42:53 The SPARC Prototype and Its Challenges  48:23 Transitioning from Spark to ARC  01:04:59 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

    1h 6m
  2. 58. Will Regan, Ph.D., Co-Founder & President, Pacific Fusion

    11/11/2025

    58. Will Regan, Ph.D., Co-Founder & President, Pacific Fusion

    Episode 58: A Novel Path to Fusion Energy  Will Regan, President and Co-founder of Pacific Fusion, is helping spend $1+ billion to mimic the sun’s method for producing energy. In our third fusion episode, Will educates us on inertial confinement. He discusses the advancements that help smooth Pacific Fusion’s path to delivering commercial energy by the mid-2030s.  00:00 Welcome to Tech Cars Episode 58  04:09 Introduction to Pacific Fusion  07:24 Will Regan’s Journey to Pacific Fusion  10:57 Explaining Fusion and Inertial Confinement  19:12 The Engineering and Science Behind Fusion  21:15 Physical Description of Pacific Fusion’s Facility  26:03 Understanding Marx Generators  29:16 Fusion Chamber and Magnetic Compression  32:34 Energy Output and Power Plant Efficiency  35:17 Handling Neutrons and Chamber Protection  38:55 Manufacturability and Supply Chain

    46 min
  3. 57. Brian Berzin, Co-Founder & CEO, Thea Energy

    10/13/2025

    57. Brian Berzin, Co-Founder & CEO, Thea Energy

    “Twisty donuts” if you lean Republican, “French cruller” if you lean left. CEO and Co-founder Brian Berzin, describes how this shape and a focus on manufacturability will allow Thea Energy to deliver fusion energy in a cost-competitive manner.   Following up on last week’s episode with Dr. Scott Hsu of Lowercarbon Capital, Brian discusses the innovative approach Thea Energy is taking to commercialize fusion energy. The conversation covers the company’s origins in the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, and their groundbreaking ‘stellarator’ design. Brian explains how modularization, software and AI helps overcome the fiendishly difficult construction of stellerators. He shares insights into the company’s rapid iteration and development cycles, culminating in their goal to scale up to commercial levels.     00:00 Welcome to the Fusion Energy Series  01:06 Introducing Brian Berzin and Thea Energy  11:46 Technical and Financial Milestones  14:54 Understanding Fusion: A Simplified Explanation  23:58 Challenges and Breakthroughs in Stellerators  29:30 Innovations in Superconducting Magnets  34:52 The Role of Software in Magnet Control  41:07 Scaling Up to Commercial Relevance  48:45 First Walls and Blankets in Fusion Reactors  51:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

    53 min
  4. 56. Dr. Scott Hsu, Fusion Partner, Lowercarbon Capital

    09/24/2025

    56. Dr. Scott Hsu, Fusion Partner, Lowercarbon Capital

    Episode 57: $10 billion and the Universe’s Most Powerful Energy Source: Fusion  Why have the biggest names (such as Bill Gates, Lowercarbon Capital, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Google and Sam Altman) put billions into dozens of fusion energy companies? An engaging, accessible discussion with Dr. Scott Hsu on the fascinating world and private company ecosystem of the fusion energy. Scott was with with the DOE where he helped allocate $100MM of fusion R&D investment. He is now Partner at Lowercarbon Capital. We explore the fundamentals of fusion, compare magnetic and inertial confinement methods, and discuss innovative companies like Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Pacific Fusion, Thea Energy, Xcimer and Avalanche Energy. Scott explains why there’s new hope for making fusion commercially viable in the coming years. He highlights the challenges and opportunities in building the necessary infrastructure.    00:00 Introduction  01:42 Scott’s Background and Career  02:39 Lowercarbon Capital and Fusion Investments  10:42 Fusion Basics and Scientific Principles  19:57 Magnetic and Inertial Fusion Approaches  22:52 Understanding the Magnetic Confinement (Commonwealth, Thea)  23:35 Challenges of Plasma Confinement  25:31 Innovations in Modern Tokamaks  29:17 Exploring Alternative Fusion Devices (Pacific Fusion, Avalanche)  32:40 Laser Inertial Confinement Fusion (Xcimer)  41:26 Future of Fusion Energy

    46 min
  5. 55. Mike Zukerman, President and CEO of CSAA Insurance Group

    09/10/2025

    55. Mike Zukerman, President and CEO of CSAA Insurance Group

    Protecting $500 billion dollars of real estate value: Mike Zukerman, CEO of CSAA, an $8 billion carrier of insurance distributed through AAA Clubs, tells how technology helps protect that massive asset. He tells us how enterprise technology can “surprise and delight” CSAA’s 3 million policy holders, and how self-driving cars will change insurance strategy.    00:00 Introduction to Mike Zukerman & CSAA  01:40 Understanding CSAA and Its Business  04:24 Remote Work and Employee Satisfaction  08:30 Mike Zukerman’s Background and Career Journey  11:57 The Future of Auto Insurance and Autonomous Vehicles  18:51 Understanding Auto and Home Insurance Regulations  20:10 Challenges of Homeowners Insurance in California  21:55 Innovative Wildfire Mitigation Technologies  29:16 Leveraging AI for Customer Delight in Insurance  35:03 Why CSAA is a Great Place to Work

    37 min
  6. 54. Jeff Huebner, EVP at Mobilitas Insurance

    07/16/2025

    54. Jeff Huebner, EVP at Mobilitas Insurance

    Jeff Huebner, Head of Mobilitas, discusses how he helps his commercial transportation networks manage their second-high expense: insurance. Ride sharing networks, last-mile delivery networks, and autonomous vehicle companies are his customers, and an enormous amount of customization and data ingestion and processing is involved.  00:00 Introduction  00:53  Jeff Hubner’s Background and Reconnection  01:48  Understanding AAA, CSAA, and Mobilitas  04:33  Mobils’ Mission and Services  06:25  Jeff Hubner’s Career Journey  08:35  Risk Management and Commercial Insurance  11:16  Market Trends and Innovations  24:21  Data Integration and Risk Management  32:37  Advances in Vehicle Technologies  34:47  Final Thoughts

    18 min
  7. 53. Alan White, Global Head of Emerging Transportation Platforms at Siemens Smart Infrastructure

    06/12/2025

    53. Alan White, Global Head of Emerging Transportation Platforms at Siemens Smart Infrastructure

    Episode 53: Making fleet electrification easy, with Alan White of Siemens.  Alan details Siemens Depot 360’s comprehensive offerings to provide a turnkey, commercially attractive path for electrifying vehicle fleets.     00:00 Introduction to Siemens   02:08 Introduction to Depot 360  02:37 Benefits and Challenges of Electrification  03:30 Siemens Smart Infrastructure  05:26 Alan White’s Background and Career  07:36 Depot 360’s Operational Insights  16:25 Global Electrification Trends and Challenges  30:22 Predictions and Closing Remarks

    17 min
  8. 52. Anja van Niersen, CEO, Milence

    05/15/2025

    52. Anja van Niersen, CEO, Milence

    Episode 52: Building the Future of Electric Trucking with Anja Van Niersen Anja Van Niersen, CEO of Milence, discusses plans to establish a charging network for European long-haul trucking. Milence is a 500MM Euro joint venture amongst Daimler, Traton and Volvo trucks. 00:00 Introduction to Milence 03:04 Anja’s background and career 03:10 Milence’s mission and operations 12:41 The profile of a charging hub 16:47 Future of heavy-duty/long-haul trucking 23:15 Geographical footprint and infrastructure development 30:00 Future enablers 37:26 The role of consumers and market demand 40:03 Optimism for adoption

    21 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Executive interviews. We cover technology and energy transition in transportation and industry. More at www.gtkpartners.com

Information

  • Creator
    Ali Tabibian, GTK Partners
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 Tech. Cars. Machines.
  • Show Website
    Tech. Cars. Machines.