The Blue Couch Podcast By PowerLabs

PowerLabs
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  • TECHNOLOGY

The Blue Couch Podcast by PowerLabs is a show that explores the intersection of energy, technology, and how it impacts our daily lives. Each episode is designed to simplify the concept of energy for everyone. Join David Adebiyi, CTO at PowerLabs every last Friday of every month as they challenge how you think about energy.

Episodes

  1. 11/07/2025

    Energy Transition for the Global South

    The global energy transition isn’t one-size-fits-all. While the West is focused on replacing fossil fuels with renewables, the Global South, especially Africa, is playing an entirely different game. Here, the challenge isn’t just transitioning; it’s building, from unreliable grids to financing gaps to hybrid energy systems that blend old and new. In this episode, we unpack why Africa cannot simply copy Europe or the U.S.’s clean energy playbook, and what a “custom” transition could look like instead. From the technical to the economic, we break down what it really means to power up billions without repeating the North’s mistakes. Connect with us Website: powerlabstech.com Email: ⁠hello@powerlabstech.com⁠ Instagram: ⁠powerlabshq Twitter: ⁠powerlabshq LinkedIn: ⁠PowerLabs Inc YouTube: ⁠PowerLabsTech

    1h 24m

  2. 08/20/2025

    Rethinking the Energy Consumer

    Energy consumers aren’t just numbers on a meter. They are people with habits, needs, and choices that shape the future of power. In this episode, we explore how mindsets around energy are shifting, why old assumptions no longer work, and what businesses and policymakers can learn from the way people really think about energy. If you have ever wondered what drives energy choices today, this conversation will change the way you see the consumer behind the power. Connect with us   Website: powerlabstech.com Email: ⁠hello@powerlabstech.com⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠@powerlabshq⁠⁠ Threads: ⁠⁠@powerlabshq⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠@⁠powerlabshq⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠PowerLabs Inc⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠@PowerLabsTech⁠⁠

    1h 10m

  3. 06/25/2025

    Off The Grid - Live

    This special episode of Off The Grid was recorded live at the PowerLabs Offsite, themed Off The Grid where the entire team stepped away from strict schedules to reflect, reconnect, and reimagine energy in Nigeria. David Adebiyi, our CTO, sat down with different members of the PowerLabs team, not for a panel or pitch, but for a real conversation about what it takes to build energy hardware, software, and infrastructure that works here. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to be on the frontlines of fixing Nigeria’s energy crisis, this is the room. Sit back. Hit play. Welcome back to The Blue Couch Podcast by PowerLabs.

    44 min

  4. 05/05/2025

    How We Think About Founder Mode ~ Part 2

    In Part 2 of How We Think About Founder Mode, cofounders of PowerLabs, David Adebiyi and Tobe Arize return to The Blue Couch to go even deeper into the mindset and grit needed to build something great from ground zero. You should listen if you are: A founder figuring it out in real-time A team member curious about what drives leadership decisions A builder obsessed with systems, scale, and psychology A fan of honest and interesting conversations 🛋️ Sit back. Hit play. Welcome back to The Blue Couch Podcast by PowerLabs

    54 min

  5. 03/21/2025

    How We Think About Founder Mode

    What does it mean to be in Founder Mode? Is it just about working around the clock, wearing multiple hats, and making endless sacrifices? In this episode of The Blue Couch Podcast by PowerLabs, co-founders David (CTO, PowerLabs) and Tobe (CEO, PowerLabs) talk about the realities of Founder Mode, what it is, how it evolves as a company scales, and the biggest mindset shifts founders need to make to avoid burnout and build a high-functioning team. What We Cover in This Episode: What Founder Mode means, and why it’s different from just being a CEO.Common Founder Mode traps, like struggling to delegate, micromanaging, and staying too deep in daily operations.How to know when it’s time to step back, trust your team, and scale smarter. If you are a founder, startup team member, or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode will help you navigate the mental, strategic, and operational shifts needed to go from founder to leader. Don’t forget to follow The Blue Couch Podcast by PowerLabs so you never miss a new episode. Share this podcast with your friends, and leave us a review—your feedback helps us grow and bring more valuable discussions on tech, energy, and the future of energy. Learn more about our flagship product, Pai Enterprise ⁠https://pai.powerlabstech.com/⁠ Make sure to follow us on all social media platforms to stay connected with PowerLabs Email: ⁠hello@powerlabstech.com⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@powerlabshq⁠⁠⁠ Threads: ⁠⁠⁠@powerlabshq⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠@⁠powerlabshq⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠PowerLabs Inc⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: PowerLabs Tech

    1h 1m

  6. 01/31/2025

    Why is Renewable Energy Still Expensive in Nigeria?

    Nigeria is a country blessed with abundant sunlight, wind, and other renewable resources—so why does clean energy still feel so expensive? In this episode of The Blue Couch Podcast by PowerLabs, David Adebiyi, the CTO of PowerLabs is joined by Tobe Arize, the CEO of PowerLabs as they explore the real reasons why renewable energy in Nigeria is still beyond reach for many Nigerians. If you have ever wondered why Nigeria isn’t fully embracing green energy, this episode is for you! Don’t forget to follow The Blue Couch Podcast by PowerLabs so you never miss a new episode. Share this podcast with your friends, and leave us a review—your feedback helps us grow and bring more valuable discussions on tech, energy, and the future of energy. Learn more about Pai Enterprise ⁠https://pai.powerlabstech.com/⁠   Make sure to follow us on all social media platforms to stay connected with PowerLabs   Email: ⁠hello@powerlabstech.com⁠  Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@powerlabshq⁠⁠⁠ Threads: ⁠⁠⁠@powerlabshq⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠@⁠powerlabshq⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠PowerLabs Inc⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠PowerLabsTech⁠

    1h 3m

  7. 12/19/2024

    Breaking Down Optimization

    “Given a finite set of choices, what is the best choice to make? That is the high level optimization goal.” - Eghonghon   In this episode of The Blue Couch Podcast, David sits down with Eghonghon-Aye Eigbe, the Engineering Team Lead at PowerLabs to explore:   What optimization really means and why it is essential.   How optimization models work and the art and science of it.   The famous adage, "All models are incorrect, but some are useful," and how this perspective shapes their approach to engineering challenges.   Whether you're a curious thinker, engineer, or a data enthusiast, this episode will give you a fresh perspective on what the basics of optimization are.   Bonus: Read Eghonghon-Aye's research paper on Sequence and Time-Dependent Maintenance Scheduling in Twice Re-Entrant Flow Shops : https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10256167   Learn more about Pai Enterprise https://pai.powerlabstech.com/   Make sure to follow us on all social media platforms to stay connected with PowerLabs   Email: ⁠hello@powerlabstech.com⁠   Instagram: ⁠⁠@powerlabshq⁠⁠   Threads: ⁠⁠@powerlabshq⁠⁠   Twitter: ⁠@⁠powerlabshq⁠⁠   LinkedIn: ⁠⁠PowerLabs Inc⁠⁠   YouTube: ⁠PowerLabsTech

    44 min

  8. 11/22/2024

    The National Grid

    In Nigeria, the national grid has collapsed 13 times in the past 17 months. This had led a lot of the populace to start asking the big question, What is this national grid and why does it keep failing? In this episode of the The Blue Couch Podcast by Powerlabs, we answer this big question and explore the heart of Nigeria’s power system: The National Grid.  In this episode, David and Folakemi explain the technical side of things and provide answers to questions like:  How does power travel from generation plants to your neighborhood?  Why does the national grid sometimes fail?  And most importantly, how can these issues be fixed to make life easier for everyone? Whether you are an engineer, a business mogul, a student, or just someone tired of unpredictable power supply, this episode about The National Grid will light up your mind. Make sure to follow us on all social media platforms to stay connected with Powerlabs Email: ⁠hello@powerlabstech.com⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠@powerlabshq⁠⁠ Threads: ⁠⁠@powerlabshq⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠@⁠powerlabshq⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠PowerLabs Inc⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠@PowerLabsTech⁠⁠

    1h 6m

  9. 08/09/2024

    The Invisible Grid

    In our modern world, we often take electricity for granted. We flip a switch, expecting instant light or power, without considering the complex process behind it. We're simply focused on having electricity available to carry out our daily activities. In this episode, David and Folakemi pull back the curtain on the extraordinary journey of electricity. They explore how power travels from distant plants to the palm of your hand, revealing the intricate systems and processes that make our everyday electrical conveniences possible. Give it a listen! Chapters   [00:00] Introduction [01:41] The most fascinating thing about the grid [08:44] Types of energy generation in Nigeria [17:08]  Why it is called the invisible grid [23:15]  How the grid manages demand fluctuation [24:08]  How SCADA system works [32:47]  Why we think our energy systems should be more like jazz [34:20]  Problems the modern grid is facing [51:24]  How smart grid is changing power distribution Resource Links: DisCos announce new electricity tariff increase for Band A customers Power Outage As National Grid Collapses Again Physiology, Adenosine Triphosphate   Best Conductor of Electricity: Choosing the Right Metals How Much Power Loss in Transmission Lines Step-up and Step-down Transformers   Connect with us   Email: ⁠hello@powerlabstech.com⁠ Instagram: ⁠@powerlabshq⁠ Threads: ⁠@powerlabshq⁠ Twitter: @⁠powerlabshq⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠PowerLabs Inc⁠ YouTube: ⁠@PowerLabsTech⁠ WhatsApp: PowerLabs

    1 hr

  10. 06/21/2024

    Life Before Electricity

    In this episode, David Adebiyi and Folakemi Ajayi discussed the recent NERC tariff hike, uncovering its impact. We also traced the origin of electricity and explored how it became the driving power source behind modern human life as we know it. This episode is filled with so many insights, you should listen to it. Chapters [00:00] Introduction [01:20] Senator's reaction to tariff band categorization [04:56] Canada's electricity landscape [09:39] Thoughts on Band A electricity tariff reduction [18:35] How electricity came to be [23:04] First electricity in Lagos [23:55] Electricity and Whaling [35:34] How electricity has evolved [53:55] Major shifts and disruptions in the energy space [01:14:15] The Future of EVs in Nigeria References of Links: NERC increases tariff for Band A customers Band A tariff reduction Senator’s reaction to tariff band categorization ⁠The Spark Of Life: Electricity in the Human Body by Frances Ashcroft⁠ ⁠Electricity in Colonial Lagos⁠ ⁠Whales and Whaling ———————————————— Connect with us: Email: ⁠hello@powerlabstech.com⁠ Instagram: ⁠@powerlabshq⁠ Threads: ⁠@powerlabshq⁠ Twitter: ⁠@powerlabshq⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠PowerLabs Inc⁠ YouTube: ⁠@PowerLabsTech⁠ WhatsApp: PowerLabs

    1h 29m

  11. 05/07/2024

    Introduction to PowerLabs

    In this episode, Folakemi interviews David on why PowerLabs exists. They talked about the urgent need for change in how we fundamentally think about electricity and the critical role it plays in the future of energy. This episode gives you an insight into the PowerLabs team and the main reason behind their approach to providing energy solutions. Chapters [00:00] Welcome and introduction [01:00] What PowerLabs is about [07:45] Why electricity is important [12:00] The fundamental energy problems to be solved [13:45] PowerLabs' reason for team co-location [17:14] PowerLabs' story [26:31] Overview of Pai [29:45] Why PowerLabs started with Pai [38:38] What to look out for in upcoming episodes Resource links powerlabstech.com pai.powerlabstech.com ———————————————— Connect with us: Email: hello@powerlabstech.com Instagram: @powerlabshq Threads: @powerlabshq Twitter: powerlabshq LinkedIn: PowerLabs Inc YouTube: @PowerLabsTech Join our community to know other ways energy can be fun.

    40 min
  • 11 Episodes

About

The Blue Couch Podcast by PowerLabs is a show that explores the intersection of energy, technology, and how it impacts our daily lives. Each episode is designed to simplify the concept of energy for everyone. Join David Adebiyi, CTO at PowerLabs every last Friday of every month as they challenge how you think about energy.

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