The Dynamo Show: a Dynamo Ventures Podcast

The Future of Supply Chain: a Dynamo Podcast
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Capital is abundant. Understanding is scarce. The Dynamo show goes deep with the new industrialists rejuvenating industry and commerce. Brought to you by Dynamo Ventures. Learn more at dynamo.vc/podcast

  1. 4d ago

    Geothermal: The Unexpected Solution for Speed to Power

    In this episode, Madelyn O’Farrell talks with Mike Matson, Co-Founder and CEO of Birch Geothermal, about his journey from the US Navy and academia through oil and gas, carbon capture, and consulting at BCG to founding Birch. They unpack what Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are, why Birch is “rooted in speed,” and how geothermal can scale quickly to meet soaring power demand from data centers and AI infrastructure. Mike explains geothermal’s rare bipartisan appeal, the strong market signal from Fervo’s recent IPO, and how 80–90% of oil and gas subsurface skills transfer directly into geothermal. They also explore what must go right for geothermal to move from a rounding error to a meaningful share of the US power mix over the next decade, and where the biggest “picks and shovels” investment opportunities lie across drilling, subsurface design, monitoring, and modular power systems. Highlights from their conversation include: Mike’s Journey from Navy Service to Academia and Teaching (0:41) Midlife Rowing Expedition and Move into Drilling Operations (2:55) Shift from Oil and Gas to Carbon Capture and Clean Energy (3:42) Joining BCG and Discovering a Thesis Around Geothermal (4:31) Why Geothermal Has Unique Bipartisan Support in Politics (6:08) Market Signal from Fervo’s Landmark IPO and Debt Financing (10:36) Why the Mountain West Is Ground Zero for Early EGS Projects (13:55) How Oil and Gas Skills Transfer 80–90% into Geothermal Roles (16:27) Birch’s Thesis: Scaling Geothermal without a Green Premium (19:55) AI, Data Centers, and the 10-Year Outlook for Geothermal in the US Mix (23:19) Picks and Shovels Opportunities Across Drilling, Subsurface, and ORC Systems (25:51) Final Thoughts and Takeaways (29:37) Dynamo Ventures is a venture firm backing founders upgrading the physical economy. As intelligence moves into critical infrastructure and technology collides with physics, industry is entering a new era of transformation - the industrial renaissance. Born from the dirt and grit of supply chains and shaped by operations, not spreadsheets, Dynamo focuses on the complex realities of building in the real world. We invest in companies transforming infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and the systems that power global commerce. Dynamo works closely with founders who combine ambition with a bias to action, bringing a builder mindset to venture capital through deep operational insight, systematic pressure-testing and hands-on partnership. Our purpose is simple: to back the relentless shaping the industrial renaissance. Learn more at www.dynamo.vc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    30 min

  2. Jul 1

    Boardroom vs. Beijing vs. D.C.: Navigating the New Trade Cold War

    In this episode, Madelyn O’Farrell talks with Drew DeLong, Lead, Corporate Statecraft, Kearney Foresight, about how companies can navigate a new era of persistent geopolitical and economic volatility. Drew traces his path from engineering at Carnegie Mellon to policy roles in Congress, the White House, DOT, FAA, and State, and now advising global firms at Kearney Foresight. They discuss the shift from pure efficiency to resilience after COVID exposed supply chain vulnerabilities, the reality behind “reshoring” and what Kearney’s reshoring index actually shows, and how tariff volatility and sectoral tariffs are reshaping global manufacturing decisions. Drew explains how companies should think about capital planning, total landed cost, and automation in this environment, and explores China’s move up the value chain and the emerging race over semiconductors, critical minerals, and AI infrastructure. He closes by raising the open question of what a coherent, long-term American industrial policy should look like, and how the US government can realistically execute it. Highlights from their conversation include: From Engineering to Policy and Corporate Statecraft (0:47)   What Kearney and Corporate Statecraft Do for Clients (4:26)   Shift from Efficiency to Resilience after Covid (8:47)   What Kearney’s Reshoring Index Reveals about Imports (12:29)   How Sectoral Tariffs Signal US Industrial Strategy (17:10)   Capital Planning amid Tariffs and Geopolitical Volatility (21:12)   China’s Move up the Value Chain and Strategic Sectors (24:32)   What an American Industrial Policy Could Look Like (28:49)   Final Thoughts and Takeaways (29:30)   Dynamo Ventures is a venture firm backing founders upgrading the physical economy. As intelligence moves into critical infrastructure and technology collides with physics, industry is entering a new era of transformation - the industrial renaissance. Born from the dirt and grit of supply chains and shaped by operations, not spreadsheets, Dynamo focuses on the complex realities of building in the real world. We invest in companies transforming infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and the systems that power global commerce. Dynamo works closely with founders who combine ambition with a bias to action, bringing a builder mindset to venture capital through deep operational insight, systematic pressure-testing and hands-on partnership. Our purpose is simple: to back the relentless shaping the industrial renaissance. Learn more at www.dynamo.vc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    30 min

  3. Jun 24

    Scaling Physical AI to Deliver a Sentient Supply Chain

    In this episode, Madelyn O’Farrell talks with Oana Jinga, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Dexory, about her non-technical path into tech, how her experience at Telefonica and Google shaped her approach to “knowing the user and knowing the magic,” and how Dexory evolved from a home security robot to retail shelf scanning and ultimately to a global warehouse intelligence platform. They discuss why Dexory chose tall, ground-based robots over drones to safely and efficiently digitize warehouses in real time, what it really takes to win and support enterprise customers like Maersk, DHL, and GXO, and how a robotics-as-a-service model lets customers buy data and insights rather than hardware. Oana also dives into the ethics of robotics and unbiased AI, emphasizing transparency with workers, privacy-aware data practices, and building a diverse team, before painting a picture of the future: supply chains transformed into connected, predictive supply networks powered by distributed intelligence and shared best practices across global sites. Highlights from their conversation include: Oana’s Nontraditional Path Into Tech and Career at Telefonica and Google (0:43) What Dexory Is and How It Digitizes Warehouses in Real Time (2:44) Evolution From Home Security Robot to Retail Shelf Scanning to Warehouses (3:40) Why Dexory Chose Tall Ground Robots Instead of Drones (5:30) Selling Enterprise Robotics to Maersk, DHL, GXO, and Other Logistics Leaders (8:40) Robotics as a Service and Selling Data Instead of Hardware (11:51) Global Deployments Across the US, Europe, Australia, and Asia (12:30) Ethics of Robotics, Workforce Impact, and Unbiased AI Practices (15:00) Future of Connected, Predictive Supply Networks and Distributed Intelligence (17:44) Final Thoughts and Takeaways (20:17) Dynamo Ventures is a venture firm backing founders upgrading the physical economy. As intelligence moves into critical infrastructure and technology collides with physics, industry is entering a new era of transformation - the industrial renaissance. Born from the dirt and grit of supply chains and shaped by operations, not spreadsheets, Dynamo focuses on the complex realities of building in the real world. We invest in companies transforming infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and the systems that power global commerce. Dynamo works closely with founders who combine ambition with a bias to action, bringing a builder mindset to venture capital through deep operational insight, systematic pressure-testing and hands-on partnership. Our purpose is simple: to back the relentless shaping the industrial renaissance. Learn more at www.dynamo.vc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    21 min

  4. Jun 17

    Solar + Hydrogen: The New Backbone of the AI Economy?

    In this episode, Madelyn O’Farrell talks with Celadyne founder and CEO Gary Ong about how a new membrane material can unlock the full potential of electrochemistry for hydrogen, long-duration energy storage, and critical material separations. Gary shares his journey from PhD researcher to startup founder after big corporates passed on his invention, then explains how Celadyne’s membrane dramatically reduces hydrogen crossover, boosting fuel-cell durability and cutting critical materials in electrolyzers. They dive into the grid-capacity crunch facing hyperscalers, why hydrogen plus electrolyzers and fuel cells makes sense at 50–100+ MW scale, and how salt-cavern storage enables multi-day and even week-long clean power from solar. Gary also unpacks the geopolitical race over hydrogen technology between the U.S. and China, the strategic role of hydrogen for defense and fuel logistics, and closes by arguing that the real constraint to building next-generation energy and AI infrastructure in the U.S. is workforce development and the shortage of skilled trades. Highlights from their conversation include: Gary’s Journey From PhD to Energy Tech Founder (0:44) What Celadyne Does and Why Electrochemistry Matters (2:11) Reinventing Membranes and Unlocking New Markets (4:54) Grid Capacity, Hyperscalers, and Long Duration Storage (7:14) Electrolyzers Plus Fuel Cells for Multi Day Energy (10:45) Why Power Price Matters Less Than Compute Productivity (14:21) Geopolitics, China, and The Hydrogen Technology Race (15:29) Hydrogen’s Role in U.S. Energy Mix and Resiliency (19:59) Defense Use Cases, Submarines, and Synthetic Fuel (20:56) Air Force Funding and Early Defense Partnerships (25:27) Workforce Development as the Real Infrastructure Bottleneck (26:58) Closing Thoughts on Reindustrialization and Skilled Trades (28:58) Dynamo Ventures is a venture firm backing founders upgrading the physical economy. As intelligence moves into critical infrastructure and technology collides with physics, industry is entering a new era of transformation - the industrial renaissance. Born from the dirt and grit of supply chains and shaped by operations, not spreadsheets, Dynamo focuses on the complex realities of building in the real world. We invest in companies transforming infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and the systems that power global commerce. Dynamo works closely with founders who combine ambition with a bias to action, bringing a builder mindset to venture capital through deep operational insight, systematic pressure-testing and hands-on partnership. Our purpose is simple: to back the relentless shaping the industrial renaissance. Learn more at www.dynamo.vc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    30 min

  5. Jun 10

    Re-Air: Killing Spreadsheets & WhatsApp: The New Era of Freight

    From time to time, we’ll re-air a previous episode of the show that our newer audience may have missed. In this episode, Cargado founder Matt Silver joins Madelyn O’Farrell to unpack the future of cross-border freight between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. He shares his journey from Coyote Logistics and Forager to launching Corgado, a marketplace and pricing tool built specifically for freight brokers. They dive into why WhatsApp and spreadsheets break down collaboration across the 8–12 parties in a typical cross-border shipment, how better-structured data and workflow tools can replace today’s manual copy-paste work, and where AI fits in as more than just a band-aid on legacy TMS systems. Matt also explains why Mexico has become strategically critical for U.S. supply chains, the impact of NAFTA/USMCA, trade tensions with China, and pandemic-driven nearshoring, as well as remaining challenges in Mexican infrastructure and politics. Key takeaways: brokers should focus on relationships and problem-solving, not data entry; modern tools will blur the line between system of action and system of record; and long-term, supply chain collaboration will happen on shared, AI-augmented platforms that connect brokers, carriers, and shippers across North America. Highlights from their conversation include: Matt’s Background in Freight and the Origin of Corgado (0:46)   Building a Cross-Border Marketplace and Pricing Tool for Brokers (3:52)   Why WhatsApp and Spreadsheets Break Cross-Border Collaboration (6:46)   Brokers Should Manage Relationships, Not Copy and Paste Data (11:15)   Balancing Automation and Human Relationships in Brokerage (17:29)   Why Mexico Has Become Strategically Critical to U.S. Supply Chains (20:12)   Political and Infrastructure Challenges for Mexico as a Logistics Hub (24:58)   The Future of Supply Chain Collaboration Across North America (28:55)   Closing Thoughts and Episode Wrap-Up (30:33) Dynamo Ventures is a venture firm backing founders upgrading the physical economy. As intelligence moves into critical infrastructure and technology collides with physics, industry is entering a new era of transformation - the industrial renaissance. Born from the dirt and grit of supply chains and shaped by operations, not spreadsheets, Dynamo focuses on the complex realities of building in the real world. We invest in companies transforming infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and the systems that power global commerce. Dynamo works closely with founders who combine ambition with a bias to action, bringing a builder mindset to venture capital through deep operational insight, systematic pressure-testing and hands-on partnership. Our purpose is simple: to back the relentless shaping the industrial renaissance. Learn more at www.dynamo.vc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    31 min

  6. Jun 3

    Freaks About Leaks: Inside the Future of Medical Devices with Keith Smith of Vonco Products

    Highlights from their conversation include: Keith Smith’s Journey into Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering (0:49)   Overview of Vonco Products as a Medical Device Contract Manufacturer (1:53)   Single Use Fluid Bags, Horizontal Services, and Turnkey Offering (2:06)   Being “Freaks About Leaks” and the Liqui Lock Guarantee (4:16)   RF Welding vs Heat Seal Welding for Different Polymers (5:39)   The Spark Program and On-Site Rapid Prototyping with Customers (7:03)   Enter Lock Innovation for Enteral Feeding and Customer Adoption (8:21)   Geopolitical Shocks, Iran Conflict, and Plastic Supply Volatility (9:32)   Reshoring, Near Shoring, and Rethinking Global Supply Chains (12:18)   COVID, Panic Buying, and Stockpiling Risk in Medical Devices (14:34)   Automation Priorities, Staffing Challenges, and Failed Experiments (17:01)   Diversification Strategy, Customer Mix, and Supply Chain Resilience (19:28)   Parting Thoughts and Takeaways (20:46)   Dynamo Ventures is a venture firm backing founders upgrading the physical economy. As intelligence moves into critical infrastructure and technology collides with physics, industry is entering a new era of transformation - the industrial renaissance. Born from the dirt and grit of supply chains and shaped by operations, not spreadsheets, Dynamo focuses on the complex realities of building in the real world. We invest in companies transforming infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and the systems that power global commerce. Dynamo works closely with founders who combine ambition with a bias to action, bringing a builder mindset to venture capital through deep operational insight, systematic pressure-testing and hands-on partnership. Our purpose is simple: to back the relentless shaping the industrial renaissance. Learn more at www.dynamo.vc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    21 min

  7. May 27

    Time to Power: How Critical Loop Keeps Industrial America Switched On

    In this episode, Madelyn O’Farrell sits down with Bala Ramamurthy, CEO and Co-Founder of Critical Loop, to explore how his journey from NASA and SpaceX led him to tackle one of today’s most urgent problems: industrial access to reliable, scalable power. They discuss why the electricity grid is an underutilized, aging asset facing soaring demand from reindustrialization, data centers, and EV fleets, and how bottlenecks like multi-year wait times for utility upgrades can cripple factories and logistics operators. Bala explains Critical Loop’s solution: modular, relocatable microgrids that combine battery energy storage, generation, and autonomous controls to dramatically shorten “time to power,” including a high-stakes deployment that kept a factory running for nine months during a utility outage. He also covers how Critical Loop works behind the meter and with utilities, the importance of reliability borrowed from aerospace engineering, navigating shifting policy and supply chains, and why industrial operators shouldn’t give up on their preferred locations just because the grid says “no” at first. Highlights from their conversation include: Welcoming Bala Ramamurthy to the Show (0:29) What Critical Loop Does for Industrial Power (1:35) Why the Grid Is Complex, Underutilized Infrastructure (3:05) How Grid Bottlenecks Impact Industrial Operators (4:41) How Critical Loop Analyzes Sites and Designs Solutions (7:21) High Stakes Deployment During Nine-Month Outage (10:18) Where Critical Loop Sits in the Grid Stack (12:03) Deployment Scale Today and Ambition to Reach Gigawatts (14:19) Navigating Policy, Regulation, and Market Tailwinds (17:20) What Rockets and Industrial Power Systems Have in Common (21:59) Advice for Operators Facing Energy as a New Constraint (24:09) Parting Thoughts and Takeaways (25:05) Dynamo Ventures is a venture firm backing founders upgrading the physical economy. As intelligence moves into critical infrastructure and technology collides with physics, industry is entering a new era of transformation - the industrial renaissance. Born from the dirt and grit of supply chains and shaped by operations, not spreadsheets, Dynamo focuses on the complex realities of building in the real world. We invest in companies transforming infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and the systems that power global commerce. Dynamo works closely with founders who combine ambition with a bias to action, bringing a builder mindset to venture capital through deep operational insight, systematic pressure-testing and hands-on partnership. Our purpose is simple: to back the relentless shaping the industrial renaissance. Learn more at www.dynamo.vc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    26 min

  8. May 20

    1.4M Jobs Unfilled: Inside America’s Skilled Trade Crisis

    In this episode, Madelyn O’Farrell speaks with Santosh Sankar about the broken skilled trades pipeline and its impact on America’s push to reindustrialize. Santosh traces the problem back to the 1983 “A Nation at Risk” report and subsequent policy shifts that de-emphasized vocational education, fueled stigma around trades, and dismantled employer-school partnerships. He highlights looming shortages in critical industrial roles such as welders, pipefitters, millwrights, industrial electricians, and CNC machinists, noting that most current hiring is just replacing retirees and that training timelines make quick fixes impossible. The conversation explores why these industrial trades are hard to automate, the cultural and structural barriers to attracting new talent, and the urgent need for employer-led, modernized vocational training models—potentially even “vocational training as a service”—to close the skills gap and unlock the promise of America’s industrial renaissance. Highlights from their conversation include: Historical Roots of the Skills Trade Pipeline Crisis (0:26) How 1980s Education Policy Undermined Vocational Trades (1:09) Optics, Stigma, and Cultural Bias Against Skilled Trades (5:30) The Big 5 Industrial Trades Driving Reindustrialization (6:28) Aging Workforce, Replacement Demand, and Automation Limits (7:53) Rethinking Vocational Ed Capacity, Equipment, and Instruction (11:30) Role of Employers in Rebuilding Training and Apprenticeships (15:28) Vertically Integrated Training Models and Credentialing (15:50) Investment Case and “Vocational Training as a Service” (19:04) Regional Labor Constraints and Final Thoughts on Opportunity (21:27) Dynamo Ventures is a venture firm backing founders upgrading the physical economy. As intelligence moves into critical infrastructure and technology collides with physics, industry is entering a new era of transformation - the industrial renaissance. Born from the dirt and grit of supply chains and shaped by operations, not spreadsheets, Dynamo focuses on the complex realities of building in the real world. We invest in companies transforming infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and the systems that power global commerce. Dynamo works closely with founders who combine ambition with a bias to action, bringing a builder mindset to venture capital through deep operational insight, systematic pressure-testing and hands-on partnership. Our purpose is simple: to back the relentless shaping the industrial renaissance. Learn more at www.dynamo.vc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    23 min
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4.9
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61 Ratings

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Capital is abundant. Understanding is scarce. The Dynamo show goes deep with the new industrialists rejuvenating industry and commerce. Brought to you by Dynamo Ventures. Learn more at dynamo.vc/podcast

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