Climate Cowboys

The founders and futurists building the hard-tech frontier.

Climate Cowboys | The founders and futurists building the hard-tech frontier. A generation of the most talented engineers built photo-sharing apps and SaaS on top of SaaS. None of it helped the power stay on, the supply chains hold, or the country make the things we need. The smartest people in tech are finally moving into real tech. Tech with a physical footprint: batteries, grid software, microbes that mine copper, and machines that pull carbon out of cement. This is the building business. The sovereignty business. The stewardship business. Hosted by Silas Mähner, we interview the elite founders, builders, and operators executing on the hard-tech frontier. No fluff—just peer-to-peer deep dives into what it actually takes to scale hardware, energy infrastructure, and industrial decarbonization. 💼 Building your team? If you need to staff the frontier, get in touch with Roosevelt Talent at roosevelttalent.com. climatecowboys.substack.com

  1. Jul 3

    #288 Why Your Apartment Building Doesn't Have EV Chargers (And How to Fix It) | Carter Li (SWTCH Energy)

    #288 Lessons from 25,000 EV Ports: Scaling SWTCH Energy with Carter Li How do you bring EV charging to the millions of renters who don’t have a private driveway or garage? In this episode, Silas Mähner sits down with Carter Li, CEO and Founder of SWTCH Energy, to unpack how they are cracking the hardest puzzle in EV adoption: multi-family housing. Discover how SWTCH bypassed expensive grid upgrades to scale to over 25,000 charging ports, and get a masterclass on navigating the real estate life cycle and transitioning from founder-led sales to a 100-person organization. 🎧 Listen Now Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts 📝 Key Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & Special Announcement: The CleanTechies AI Chatbot. 03:03 – Meet Carter Li and the origin story of SWTCH Energy. 07:41 – The Multi-Family Problem: Why apartments struggle with EV infrastructure. 12:43 – Avoiding Grid Upgrades: How smart energy management saves buildings thousands. 16:46 – The Hidden Costs: Why labor and connectivity make up 80% of the bill. 21:18 – Business Models: Hardware-as-a-Service vs. Owning & Operating. 25:23 – Real Estate Timelines: Why developers look past short-term noise toward 2035. 31:52 – Scaling up to 25,000+ ports and 100 employees. 33:39 – The Founder’s Journey: Product-market fit and stepping away from direct sales. 42:06 – Pitching Real Estate: Focusing strictly on ROI and Net Operating Income. 46:32 – The Future of EV Tech: Roaming, plug-and-charge, and avoiding stranded assets. 53:02 – Reliability Matters: The "No-Nonsense" 97% uptime score. 🤝 Connect & Learn More Connect with Silas Mähner on LinkedIn Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn ⭐ Our Sponsors Lehmann’s Terms: Prepare your message for high-stakes investor pitches and media appearances. Learn more at ltmediatraining.com. Climate Finance Solutions (CFS): Secure non-dilutive government grant funding with a 90%+ success rate. Visit ClimateFinanceSolutions.com. ErthSearch: Specialized talent recruitment for fast-growing CleanTech teams. Find your next key hire at ErthSearch. Disclaimer: This podcast is NOT investment advice. Please do your own due diligence. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climatecowboys.substack.com/subscribe

  2. Jun 18

    #287 How to Build a Kick-Ass Sales Team in CleanTech | David Reasenberg, Heliene

    #287 CleanTechies Pod: David Reasenberg | Heliene | U.S. Solar Manufacturing & Policy-Driven Sales How Heliene is leveraging "commercial curiosity," open-book pricing, and deep policy knowledge to scale a massive domestic solar supply chain. Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts About This Episode In the world of solar modules, price has become the main factor for many buyers. The products have nearly all become commodities. However, things changed when the Foreign Entity of Concern regulations were passed under the IRA. Now, domestic producers are heavily favored. However, it’s not an automatic sale. There is still a lot of nuance that goes into how you sell your product, even when you are a US-Based manufacturer. Our goal today is to learn those tricks from our guest, David Reasenberg. The Chief Commercial Officer at Heliene. One of (if not the) leading solar module manufacturers in the U.S. They have 1.3 GW of capacity, which has created hundreds of jobs. Today we cover how they have become so good at ‘policy cycle’ driven selling, opening their books, and hiring and motivating a team that can stick around during the ups and downs of the solarcoaster. Any company in CleanTech will get some value out of this discussion on how to build a kick-ass sales team. 🤝 Our Sponsors Lehmann’s Terms: Clear, concise media and communications training to help climate tech founders nail high-stakes moments with investors, on stage, or on TV. Climate Finance Solutions (CFS): A global consulting firm helping climate tech companies navigate the full funding lifecycle. CFS has secured over $1.6B in government grants with a 90%+ success rate. ErthSearch: Fast, accurate, and affordable CleanTech recruiting. Leverage a deep network to find specialized sales, engineering, and executive talent on a guaranteed placement basis. ⏱️ Key Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & The CleanTechies AI Chatbot 04:38 – David’s background & Heliene’s North American manufacturing history 07:16 – Scaling to 1.3 GW capacity & navigating multi-gigawatt deals 10:03 – How the IRA & Foreign Entity of Concern rules shifted the solar policy landscape 13:50 – Building a sales engine built around the "capital stack" 19:24 – Hiring for “commercial curiosity” and high-agency sales management 22:42 – Breaking silos and building open-source knowledge floors for reps 34:30 – Policy-driven sales cycles & IRS Safe Harbor rules 41:19 – The transparency moat: Why "open-book" pricing builds trust 45:57 – Training teams on adjacent experience over pre-existing Rolodexes 51:20 – Macro outlook: AI data centers and rising grid demands Connect with us: Connect with Silas on LinkedIn Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn Subscribe to our YouTube channel Disclaimer: This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climatecowboys.substack.com/subscribe

    #287 How to Build a Kick-Ass Sales Team in CleanTech | David Reasenberg, Heliene

  3. Jun 3

    #286 A Media Training Expert Gives Away His Most Powerful Secrets for CleanTech Founders | Michael Lehmann (Lehmann's Terms)

    Here is a scannable, engaging show description tailored for your RSS feed based on the episode details: #286 A Media Training Expert Gives Away His Most Powerful Secrets | Michael Lehmann (Lehmann's Terms) In clean tech, building a groundbreaking solution is only half the battle—you also have to know how to explain it clearly when it matters most. Whether you are pitching investors, taking the stage at a conference, or presenting on Capitol Hill, a wordy explanation can cost you massive opportunities. In this episode, we sit down with Michael Lehmann, founder of Lehmann’s Terms, a premier climate communications and media training firm. Michael has prepared leaders for hundreds of national media appearances and navigated high-stakes political landscapes. He shares his ultimate playbook on how founders can deliver potent, concise messages, avoid the "PhD-level explanation trap," and frame climate tech in a way that wins bipartisan support. 📝 Key Topics Covered: 00:00 – Intro & Special Announcement: The CleanTechies AI Chatbot. 03:58 – Getting to know Michael Lehmann and the origin of Lehmann’s Terms. 09:21 – Core Messaging: Why clarity and being concise are your ultimate weapons. 13:06 – Panel Tactics: Talk less, be potent, and stop reading bulleted lists. 16:04 – Bipartisan Growth: Why alienating half the political aisle prevents your startup from scaling. 21:18 – Adapting your framing for different audiences without losing your authenticity. 31:08 – The TV Formula: Hitting the 45-second sweet spot with a headline and a punchy close. 36:29 – Pitching Investors: Stop reading your slides and avoid the “PhD level” explanation trap. 41:21 – Surviving Capitol Hill: How to navigate lawmakers and defuse hostile questions. 55:06 – The ultimate bipartisan hook: Lowering emissions while making money and boosting American business. 01:01:01 – Optimism over Doom: Why building the future is a better pitch than climate fear. 🔗 Helpful Links: Connect with the Guest: Connect with Michael Lehmann or visit Lehmann's Terms to elevate your next media or pitch opportunity. Connect with Silas: Follow Silas Mähner on LinkedIn. Follow the Show: Join the community on the CleanTechies LinkedIn Page and subscribe to our YouTube Channel. 🤝 Check Out Our Sponsors: Climate Finance Solutions (CFS): A global consulting firm that has helped climate tech companies secure over $1.6 billion in government grant funding with a 90%+ success rate. ErthSearch: Fast, accurate, and affordable CleanTech recruiting. Leverage an unparalleled network to find specialized engineering, sales, and executive talent with a guaranteed placement model. Disclaimer: This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climatecowboys.substack.com/subscribe

    #286 A Media Training Expert Gives Away His Most Powerful Secrets for CleanTech Founders | Michael Lehmann (Lehmann's Terms)

  4. May 20

    #285 CleanTechies Pod: 3D Printed Batteries w/ Robert Bagheri (Sakuu)

    00:00 – Intro & Sponsors: Lehmann's Terms, Climate Finance Solutions, and EarthSearch. 03:27 – Robert’s background: 30+ years in semiconductors to 3D printing batteries. 06:59 – Reinventing additive manufacturing: Printing multi-material active devices. 14:27 – Addressing the 5 battery pillars: Safety, cost, performance, longevity, and recyclability. 20:24 – The economics: Cutting production costs by 60% and waste to under 1%. 24:01 – Sakuu's asset-light business model and equipment licensing. 32:14 – Gigafactory vs. Microfactory: The extreme flexibility of 3D printing. 41:42 – Re-industrializing America and making onshoring a bipartisan issue. 52:19 – Team building: Why you should hire for attitude and train your replacement. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climatecowboys.substack.com/subscribe

  5. May 6

    #284 CleanTechies Pod: Luke Winston-Almanzar | Reservoir | Smart Water Heaters

    00:00 – Intro & Sponsors: Lehmann's Terms, Climate Finance Solutions, and EarthSearch. 03:19 – The Origin of Reservoir: Why target the water heater? 06:33 – The Data: Why heating water uses more energy than driving an EV. 16:06 – The Innovator's Dilemma: Why legacy appliance companies struggle to innovate beyond incremental updates. 20:20 – Pricing Strategy: How vertical integration allows Reservoir to stay cost-competitive while offering a premium product. 25:16 – Smart Features: Predictive recirculation (no-wait showers), freeze protection, and leak mitigation. 36:08 – "Party Mode": How an inline booster heater gives a 50-gallon tank the capacity of a 150-gallon tank. 40:58 – The Faucet Remote Control: Using an ultrasonic flow meter to operate your water heater by simply tapping your sink faucet. 44:24 – Building a Hardware Team: The Formlabs Mafia and why every startup employee needs the "take out the trash" mentality. 49:56 – Thermal Batteries & VPPs: How connecting 50,000 smart water heaters equals the capacity of a data center. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climatecowboys.substack.com/subscribe

  6. Apr 22

    #283 Reviving the Great American Night Train | Joshua Dominic (Dreamstar Lines)

    00:00 – Intro & Sponsors: Lehmann's Terms, Climate Finance Solutions, and EarthSearch. 03:48 – What is Dreamstar Lines?: Bringing overnight sleeper trains to the LA-SF route. 04:39 – The Strategy: Using existing Union Pacific tracks to bypass the nightmare of building new rail infrastructure. 08:03 – The Bottleneck: Why building new rail in the US is a million-variable problem. 14:38 – Making Trains Sexy: Why you must start with a premium product to change consumer behavior (The Tesla Model). 26:29 – Customer Discovery: Why they added an auto-ferry service and pet-friendly private accommodations. 31:28 – The Autonomous Future: How Robotaxi fleets will solve the last-mile problem for train travelers. 39:40 – Regulation vs. Innovation: Why the US needs a new generation of "builder" legislators. 46:52 – Zoning is Anti-American: The housing crisis and the case for creating special economic zones for experimentation. 55:09 – Sustainability: The carbon emissions of rail vs. flying, and the future of hybridized rail tech. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climatecowboys.substack.com/subscribe

  7. Apr 15

    #282 The Real State of CleanTech Hiring & The "Digestion Phase" | Silas Mähner on Keep Cool

    00:00 – Intro & Sponsors: Lehmann's Terms, Climate Finance Solutions, and EarthSearch. 03:09 – Welcome to Keep Cool: Nick van Osdol flips the script and interviews Silas. 04:07 – The Evolution of Climate Tech: Shedding the 1.0 vibes and returning to "CleanTech." 08:52 – Silas’s Origin Story: From rural Wisconsin to renewable energy recruiting in NYC. 13:33 – Disrupting Recruitment: Why Silas founded EarthSearch to offer executive-level search for early-stage startups without the massive fees. 18:30 – The End of ZIRP: Why the hiring market has shifted to slow, intentional, and skills-based recruiting. 30:24 – Building Culture: Why early-stage startups shouldn't be afraid to hire bored, senior talent. 37:19 – The Call to Adventure: How to position your startup to attract highly motivated individuals. 43:59 – Companies to Watch: Silas shouts out Helix Earth Technologies and OptiGrid. 51:35 – Flipping the Table: Silas asks Nick what keeps him motivated to write and podcast about climate. 53:56 – The Value of Writing: Why authentic, human storytelling matters more than ever in the age of AI. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climatecowboys.substack.com/subscribe

  8. Apr 1

    #281 Simplifying Heat Pump Rebates | Samir Pendse (Coral)

    00:00 – Intro: Coral's $7.5M Seed Round and mission. 02:46 – What is Coral?: The FinTech platform for energy-efficient building upgrades. 04:46 – The Pain Point: Why HVAC experts don't want to be "rebate experts." 06:15 – The Financing Mechanism: How Coral advances funds to make the rebate instant. 08:19 – Contractor Benefits: Saving time, avoiding bad reviews, and winning more deals. 11:44 – The Economics of Rebates: Why most incentives come from local utilities trying to lower grid demand. 15:43 – The Origin Story: Quitting jobs to solve the $8,000 savings bottleneck for homeowners. 21:00 – Mission Alignment: Balancing climate goals with helping small businesses grow. 24:17 – The "Chicken and Egg" Funding: Using early VC dollars to prove the rebate float model. 31:24 – Depoliticizing Clean Tech: Leading with comfort, safety, and pure energy savings. 36:09 – Co-Founder Dating: How Samir and Nizar built trust before building a company. 42:37 – Pragmatism and Empathy: Why climate founders must be chameleons to succeed. 46:27 – Raising Capital: Why they pitched FinTech VCs instead of traditional Climate funds. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit climatecowboys.substack.com/subscribe

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4.7
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

Climate Cowboys | The founders and futurists building the hard-tech frontier. A generation of the most talented engineers built photo-sharing apps and SaaS on top of SaaS. None of it helped the power stay on, the supply chains hold, or the country make the things we need. The smartest people in tech are finally moving into real tech. Tech with a physical footprint: batteries, grid software, microbes that mine copper, and machines that pull carbon out of cement. This is the building business. The sovereignty business. The stewardship business. Hosted by Silas Mähner, we interview the elite founders, builders, and operators executing on the hard-tech frontier. No fluff—just peer-to-peer deep dives into what it actually takes to scale hardware, energy infrastructure, and industrial decarbonization. 💼 Building your team? If you need to staff the frontier, get in touch with Roosevelt Talent at roosevelttalent.com. climatecowboys.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    The founders and futurists building the hard-tech frontier.
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    289
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Climate Cowboys
  • Show Website
    Climate Cowboys

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