The German Innovators Podcast – Breaking Barriers, Building the Future

Bettina B. Scheibe and Johannes P. Lehmann
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Welcome to The German Innovators Podcast—your go-to source for cutting-edge innovation, global market insights, and the stories shaping entrepreneurship worldwide. We dive into the minds of visionaries, disruptors, and industry leaders redefining success and pushing boundaries. From groundbreaking technologies to bold strategies, we explore how innovation is shaping industries and driving global impact. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or passionate about the future of business, join us for thought-provoking conversations that inspire action and challenge the status quo.

  1. 022 | Batteries, Policy & “Future Made in Australia” Vaulta’s Dominic Spooner on Building Local Energy Tech That Lasts

    JAN 8

    022 | Batteries, Policy & “Future Made in Australia” Vaulta’s Dominic Spooner on Building Local Energy Tech That Lasts

    In this episode of the German Innovators Podcast, host Johannes speaks with Dominic Spooner, Brisbane-based founder of Vaulta, about what’s broken in battery design—and what the next era of energy storage should look like. Dominic shares why he started Vaulta after seeing battery waste and “single-point-of-failure” pack design become an emerging problem as batteries scale across EVs, home storage, and consumer products. You’ll hear how Vaulta approaches modularity and repairability, and why Dominic believes the future will be driven by traceability, battery health data, and software—including Vaulta’s system Plainview, built to connect with existing battery systems and unlock deeper BMS insights for smarter lifecycle management. The conversation also dives into Australia’s fast-changing policy landscape and the impact of the Cheaper Home Batteries program—what it gets right, what it may be missing for local manufacturing, and how procurement and “Future Made in Australia” thinking could shape the next wave of industrial capability. We close with Dominic’s honest founder lessons on co-founders, sales, resilience, and giving yourself credit for progress. Topics: battery circularity • right to repair • battery passports • BMS data • AI/ML for battery health • Australian manufacturing • clean energy policy • founder lessons Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Volta and Battery Waste Concerns 04:01 Innovative Approaches to Battery Design and software solutions for battery management 07:53 Future Trends in Battery Technology 10:51 Impact of Government Policies on Battery Adoption 17:06 Australia's Position in the Global Battery Market 21:39 Learning from European Practices 24:50 Opportunities for Australian Startups 28:33 Volta's Vision for the Future 30:59 Advice for Aspiring Founders 34:58 Outro

    36 min
  2. 021 | From Cloud To Orbit: Building The Space Tech Layer

    11/14/2025

    021 | From Cloud To Orbit: Building The Space Tech Layer

    In this episode of the German Innovators Podcast, Johannes sits down with Jack Al-Kahwati—an entrepreneur working inside the U.S. government’s space innovation ecosystem—to unpack how the “space layer” is emerging much like cloud computing did a decade ago. Jack explains why the real bottleneck is data aggregation, how command-and-control and space situational awareness become foundations for a new application layer in orbit, and why “mission decision cycle” thinking is replacing older frameworks. We also explore what middle powers like Germany and Australia can prioritize—self-sufficiency, interoperable standards, and smart alliances—as space becomes an increasingly contested domain. Along the way, Jack shares lessons from SDA TAP Lab, a U.S. defense innovation accelerator, and sketches a near future where space-based compute, networking, and autonomy reshape both security and commercial markets. Highlights: • Cloud-to-orbit analogy: why the space layer mirrors the rise of AWS • Mission decision cycles, not “kill chains” • Data as the strategic bottleneck—and how to unlock it • Practical policy paths for Germany and Australia • What space-based compute + autonomy could enable next The views expressed are those of the speakers and do not represent official policy or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. Space Force. Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction to Space Ventures 01:28 The Evolution of Space Economics 04:16 Future of Space Infrastructure 05:55 Political Dynamics in Space Exploration 09:39 Advancements in Space Defense Technology 10:49 The Role of Data in Space Operations 13:55 The Vision of a Multi-Planetary Humanity 15:26 Recommnedations for Middle Powers in Space 17:28 The Importance of Space Superiority 19:31 Outro

    20 min
  3. 020 | From NASA to AI-Native Talent Development

    08/13/2025

    020 | From NASA to AI-Native Talent Development

    In our latest German Innovators Podcast episode, Bettina B. Scheibe and Johannes P. Lehmann sit down with Robert Abbanat, CEO & Founder of GloCoach. Rob went from helping explain Mars Pathfinder to the world to building a global platform that’s redefining how enterprises assess and develop talent. Highlights: • Engineering + storytelling: How translating complex NASA missions into clear visuals shaped Rob’s product mindset (MVP → iterate) and design obsession. • New space race reality: Why SpaceX’s pace matters—and what public–private models could teach Europe about dual-use innovation and procurement. • Beyond coaching: GloCoach’s evolution into an integrated talent OS—AI for coach matching, SMART-goal creation, competency mapping, and Lance, an AI “talent consultant” that runs multilingual 360s at a fraction of traditional costs. • Global by design: Building across APAC, Europe, and the U.S. with truly multilingual experiences—useful lessons for any company scaling across markets. • Future of work: Personalized, lower-cost learning at scale; humans-in-the-loop still matter. Rob’s line: “People who use AI will replace people who don’t.” What European & international tech leaders can learn: • Build multilingual, multi-market products from day one—distribution advantages compound. • Use LLMs to compress time-to-value; don’t over-engineer proprietary ML where off-the-shelf models excel. • Design isn’t decoration—UX clarity drives adoption and outcomes. • In platform categories, scale beats niche; partner early with global customers to validate. • Make AI fluency a core capability across roles, not just in the data team.

    38 min
  4. 019 | From Goa to Silicon Valley to China’s Innovation Frontier

    06/26/2025

    019 | From Goa to Silicon Valley to China’s Innovation Frontier

    From Goa to Silicon Valley to China’s innovation frontier — Kapil Kane’s journey is anything but ordinary. In the latest episode of the German Innovators Podcast, Bettina and Johannes speak with Kapil Kane, former Apple Product Designer and Intel China Innovation Leader, about: How Zen principles secretly shaped Apple’s product cultureWhy compartmentalization — not open innovation — was the secret weapon behind the iPadThe Intel GrowthX accelerator: empowering intrapreneurs to act like startup foundersWhy ASICs might overtake GPUs — and how China’s AI chip strategies are flipping the scriptWhat Silicon Valley, China, India, and Africa each uniquely contribute to global innovationA powerful reminder that culture eats structure for breakfast — especially when scaling innovationHis take on quantum computing’s real-world limitations (spoiler: diamond NV centers may win) Last but not least, Kapil shares actionable advice for innovators: "Be excellent in one thing — but understand many. The best ideas often come from adjacent knowledge collisions.” Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 00:14 – Getting to know Kapil: his background and journey 01:31 – How did your educational path shape your trailblazing roles at Apple and Intel? 05:07 – What were some of the key challenges and lessons from those projects—and how can today’s innovators apply them? 13:00 – Can startups benefit from adopting a secretive, stealth-style culture? 16:28 – What made the Intel accelerator you worked in stand out from other major programs—like those from Fortune 500 companies or in China? 21:08 – In today's geopolitical climate, how critical are secure and resilient supply chains? 27:35 – What possibilities do you see emerging from quantum computing technologies? 32:31 – Do you think China's current innovation trends will influence the rest of the world—possibly turning the tables, with others emulating China this time? 37:05 – How have different cultural contexts shaped your approach to innovation and leadership, particularly during your time at Apple and Intel? 42:43 – What advice would you share with professionals who want to lead innovation in fast-changing industries and turbulent times? 46:21 – Closing thoughts Discover more about Kapil on his Linktree: https://linktr.ee/kapil_kane

    47 min
  5. 018 | From Fleet to Grid: The Smart Charging Playbook

    05/25/2025

    018 | From Fleet to Grid: The Smart Charging Playbook

    From Fleet to Grid: The Smart Charging Playbook The future of electric mobility isn’t just about cleaner cars—it’s about smarter energy systems. In this episode of the German Innovators Podcast, Bettina B. Scheibe and Johannes P. Lehmann sit down with Claudio Geyken, CEO of RiDERgy, to explore the transformative power of fleet electrification, smart charging, and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology. From outdated grid infrastructure to AI-powered forecasting, this conversation dives deep into how EVs are shifting from energy consumers to energy assets. Expect insights on: ✅ How cloud-first, hardware-agnostic platforms revolutionise charging networks ✅ The real challenges of scaling V2G—tech, regulation, and business models ✅ AI’s pivotal role in predicting weather, charging demand, and energy pricing ✅ Why Europe is leading the way—and how China & the US are catching up ✅ What’s stopping OEMs from embracing bidirectional charging ✅ The policy shifts and field pilots needed to drive innovation ✅ A surprising link between autonomous vehicles and energy optimisation. If you're passionate about mobility, energy, and AI, this episode is a must-listen! 🎧 Tune in now.

    40 min
  6. #17: Bridging the gap: How to succeed in China’s consumer market

    05/08/2025

    #17: Bridging the gap: How to succeed in China’s consumer market

    In the latest episode of the German Innovators in China (GINN) podcast, my Bettina and Johannes have the pleasure of speaking with Daisy Tang, founder of Hola Daisy. Daisy is a Hong Kong native with over 15 years of experience in branding, design, and marketing, having led national campaigns in China for brands like Starbucks, Nespresso, Oatly, and AB InBev .   In their conversation, Daisy shares invaluable insights on how foreign brands can successfully enter and thrive in the Mainland Chinese market. Here are some key takeaways: 1. Product Placement Matters: Ensure your product is strategically placed in stores to attract maximum attention. 2. Localize Your Brand Name: Choose a Chinese name that’s easy to pronounce and resonates with local consumers. 3. On-the-Ground Experience: Don’t rely solely on remote research; visit Mainland China to understand the market dynamics firsthand. 4. Engage with Chinese Social Media: Stay updated on trending topics and consumer preferences through platforms like WeChat and Douyin.  5. Leverage Live Commerce: Understand the power of live-streaming in driving massive revenue and brand engagement. 6. Adopt Online-to-Offline Strategies: Learn from China’s seamless integration of online and offline channels to boost foot traffic and sales. Daisy’s expertise has been instrumental in helping foreign brands navigate the complexities of the Chinese market. If you’re looking to make a mark in China, reaching out to her could be a game-changer. Reach out to Daisy on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/holadaisy/

    25 min
  7. #16: AI in motion: From self-driving to process automation

    04/07/2025

    #16: AI in motion: From self-driving to process automation

    In the new podcast episode of German Innovators in China (GINN), Johannes and Bettina sit down with AI and automotive expert Ke Zhu. Key Highlights: Accelerating Autonomous Driving: Discover how cutting-edge generative AI models are revolutionizing the development of self-driving cars by creating realistic driving scenarios for enhanced safety and efficiency.Journey Towards AGI & singularity: Listen to a thought-provoking discussion on the advancements steering us closer to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and the implications for industries and governments worldwide.Process Automation Revolution: Learn how AI-driven automation is reshaping business processes, boosting human efficiency, and redefining operational standards across various sectors and regions. About our guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ke-zhu/

    25 min
  8. #15 Beyond borders: Creating thriving German Chinese Teams

    03/12/2025

    #15 Beyond borders: Creating thriving German Chinese Teams

    Join Bettina and Michael Maeder, Partner at the renowned executive search firm August Leadership, as they uncover the secrets to building and scaling high-performing Chinese-German teams. From what startups need to thrive in an intercultural setup to identifying the right mindset in potential partners, this episode is packed with actionable insights and expert advice for anyone navigating the global business landscape.

    31 min
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Welcome to The German Innovators Podcast—your go-to source for cutting-edge innovation, global market insights, and the stories shaping entrepreneurship worldwide. We dive into the minds of visionaries, disruptors, and industry leaders redefining success and pushing boundaries. From groundbreaking technologies to bold strategies, we explore how innovation is shaping industries and driving global impact. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or passionate about the future of business, join us for thought-provoking conversations that inspire action and challenge the status quo.

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