Free Daily Podcast Summary
Energytech Startups: Daily Summaries Delivered
by collide.
They say everything's bigger in Texas, including climate change. That's why Houston is leading the energy transition. Here in H-Town, the fourth largest city in the United States, entrepreneurs from across Texas and around the world are gathering to work with titans of industry to build the technology that will reduce emissions and power a low carbon future. Welcome to Energytech Startups with Nada Ahmed and Jason Ethier. We sit down with those change makers and wildcatters who are solving the toughest energy challenges with trillions of dollars on the line. We dig into how Houston will bring technology to market on a massive scale. Join us as we talk with the leaders of the energy capital of the world as they show us how the energy transition gets done.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Today44 min
Nishadi Davis from Wood
Nishadi Davis went from wireline field engineer at Schlumberger to Director of Strategic Advisory, Americas at Wood, and she has watched plenty of energy projects live or die on the numbers. She explains what Wood actually does, why some hydrogen megaprojects never stood a chance, how community pushback can sink carbon capture, and why microbes turning old wells into cheap hydrogen has her excited. Plus real talk for founders trying to land their first big partner.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 Intro01:14 What Wood does04:53 Wood's history05:52 From wireline to Wood09:43 Life as a woman in the field13:19 14 years at Wood15:02 The hydrogen hype17:16 Delivering bad news22:42 Community risk and permitting26:13 Why decarbonization28:23 Comparing carbon capture31:28 Eclipse Energy and microbial hydrogen38:57 How startups land partners43:10 What startups needhttps://twitter.com/collide_aihttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai
- 2 weeks ago58 min
Dr. Mathias Schlecht from ColdStream Energy
Burning rich field gas in compressor engines wastes valuable NGLs, and Dr. Mathias Schlecht, President and CEO of ColdStream Energy, has a better idea. Jason and Nada dig into how ColdStream’s adsorption system cleans up fuel gas, why midstream contracts split who pays from who profits, and what 22 years at Baker Hughes taught him about should cost, ROI goal posts and building products. Plus a rough first commercial install, microgrids, and how operators are spending capital right now.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 Intro01:16 What ColdStream Energy does05:21 Flaring rules and a pivot08:10 The ROI for operators10:46 Size, cost and how it works13:30 Convincing a conservative industry18:05 Partners and the first pilot20:11 Scaling pains and transparency23:33 From Baker Hughes to ColdStream30:15 Balance of plant and should cost36:57 Setting ROI goal posts41:53 Building a product mindset team45:50 Smaller systems and a lease business47:50 Gas demand and microgrids51:31 How operators are spending capital55:29 Advice for new foundershttps://twitter.com/collide_aihttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai
- 4 weeks ago39 min
Janice Tran from Kanin Energy
Waste heat is the most boring thing on an industrial site until someone turns it into clean baseload power and hands you the savings. Janice Tran, co-founder of Kanin Energy, joins Jason to break down how her team builds and finances waste heat to power projects, why their biggest competitor is a customer doing it themselves, the fresh $100 million raise, project finance capital stacks, and why heavy industrials with spare land are suddenly prime real estate for data centers.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 Intro01:20 Meet Kanin Energy02:27 Baseload power and project size04:07 Why waste heat projects are hard07:25 The real competition09:06 Phillips 66 and Tallgrass projects11:16 The $100M raise14:34 Project finance and capital stacks19:57 Infrastructure vs venture returns25:23 Learning project finance28:05 The founding story31:02 Building for climate impact34:03 Data centers on industrial sites38:52 Wrap uphttps://twitter.com/collide_aihttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai
- Aug 25, 202648 min
Dana Vazquez from Coflux Purification
One drop of PFAS can contaminate an Olympic sized swimming pool, and 90 percent of us are carrying it in our blood. Dana Vazquez, cofounder and Chief Commercial Officer at Coflux Purification, explains why the current industrial fix is basically a giant Brita filter headed for a landfill, and how her team built a material that captures forever chemicals and destroys them in one step. Plus the liability bill coming for companies that wait, and what it takes to get a first skid into the field.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 Intro01:14 Meet Dana Vazquez02:04 What PFAS is and why it never leaves06:23 From consulting to co-founding09:12 How the technology works13:44 Scaling up and staying modular16:47 The regulation picture18:40 Liability is the real driver23:30 Home filters and what actually works26:45 Funding the build30:46 Why this one is personal32:25 The first field deployment37:03 Scientists and business people42:43 What the fall looks like45:36 The trouble with testing47:15 Where to find Cofluxhttps://twitter.com/collide_aihttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai
- Aug 4, 20261h 5m
Jacob Vizinat & Jason Harry from Iron Stag Advisory & Pontem Analytics
Two engineers who spent years driving innovation inside a major oil company get honest about why the offshore world will land a robot at 20,000 psi but won't swap the pen and paper. Jacob Vizinat of Iron Stag Advisory and Jason Harry of Pontem Analytics unpack the corporate immune system, why the real value lives in the rock, the black magic of flow assurance, and how the right advisor can turn a single pilot into a real shot for energy tech founders.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 Intro00:46 Meet Jacob and Jason02:34 Life as a petroleum engineer05:55 Driving innovation inside a major operator08:26 Trading pen and paper for iPads11:35 The corporate immune system16:20 Why the value lives in the rock26:32 Flow assurance and black magic32:46 How short-term thinking kills innovation36:00 Building advisory firms after the merger38:35 Drones, robots, and the rare orchestrators46:31 What it takes to go offshore48:00 Reading the 2025 market53:25 Why founders avoid the gold mine56:02 Advice for early stage founders1:01:12 Where to find themhttps://twitter.com/collide_aihttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai
- Jul 22, 202650 min
Gabe Cuadra from Powerhouse Ventures
Flat load growth is dead, and AI just flipped the whole power sector on its head. Gabe Cuadra of Powerhouse Ventures gets into what that means for founders chasing capital in climate and energy, why algorithms alone never make a real moat, and how to actually pitch an early stage VC without wasting the room. Plus the messy truth about selling into utilities, spotting founder market fit, and why Houston is quietly turning into a place worth building.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 Intro00:45 What keeps a climate investor up at night01:55 How Powerhouse Ventures invests05:20 AI, load growth, and a changing grid08:30 What traction looks like at early stage10:25 Finding founder market fit12:00 Houston vs the coasts18:13 How to pitch early stage VCs19:18 Why algorithms are never the moat25:04 The reality of selling into utilities28:17 Gabe's winding road into energy VC34:40 Inside the investment process37:02 Founder red flags42:21 Standing out when you pitch43:30 What has him excited next46:27 The case for Houston48:50 How to reach outhttps://twitter.com/collide_aihttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai
- Jul 7, 202659 min
Arindam Bhattacharya from Tailwind Futures
Most climate money chases decarbonization while a bigger problem piles up: two thirds of the losses from extreme weather and disasters go completely uninsured. Arindam Bhattacharya spent 30 years at SLB before launching Tailwind Futures to back startups hardening infrastructure, supply chains, and workforce against a changing climate. He argues resilience is a growth story, not just damage control, and walks through a portfolio from corrosion-proof rebar to a material that could replace copper.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 0:00 Intro0:28 Meet Arindam and Tailwind Futures2:07 30 years at SLB and the jump to venture4:06 The insurance gap nobody talks about7:05 Where the capital for resilience isn't going12:11 Playing offense: resilience as a growth story15:29 Government pullback and the opening it creates18:22 The portfolio and how the fund invests19:02 DexMat and replacing copper25:20 Allium and solving steel corrosion29:17 Water, heat, and flooding bets33:30 Sourcing deals across the US and Europe35:00 What makes a company worth backing40:17 Giving founders honest feedback44:27 How pitching differs around the world47:36 Finding the best companies theme by theme50:20 Cooling, wildfire, and parametric insurance54:11 Pitching Arindam and Houston's role57:16 Where to find Tailwind Futureshttps://twitter.com/collide_aihttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai
- Jun 18, 20261h 14m
Mitra Miller from Houston Angel Network
Writing the check is the easy part. The marriage that comes after is what nobody warns founders about until they are five years deep. Mitra Miller, President and Board Member of the Houston Angel Network, gets into what actually makes a startup investable, why she hunts for red flags fast, and how being a founder herself rewired the way she writes checks. Plus where Texas capital needs to go next, why AI is quietly soaking up all the oxygen, and how 25 years reshaped the Houston ecosystem.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 0:00:00 Intro0:00:28 Inside the Houston Angel Network at 250:02:12 From the dotcom boom to angel investing0:05:44 Why being a founder makes a better investor0:09:43 How new angels learn the game0:13:38 Pitching HARN and what makes a company investable0:18:18 Why investing is a marriage, not a check0:27:25 Reading founders and spotting red flags0:36:48 What has changed in 25 years0:42:01 When venture money is not the answer0:46:29 Houston, Texas, and the energy transition0:51:25 All of the above: data centers, the grid, and fusion0:58:02 Public vs private capital in Texas1:02:44 The capital outlook and AI's pull on funding1:09:16 Secondary markets and finding liquidityhttps://twitter.com/collide_aihttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai
Get Energytech Startups summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
Clean Power Hour
Experts discuss clean energy innovations and strategies to accelerate the transition to renewable power and decarbonize the economy.
Catalyst with Shayle Kann
Shayle Kann interviews experts on energy technologies, markets, and policies shaping decarbonization.
The Green Blueprint
Profiles founders, investors, and leaders building climate technologies and scaling solutions for a clean economy.
Tech Won't Save Us
A critical look at the tech industry’s influence on society and the political consequences of its promises.
The Restless Ones
Executives at the intersection of technology and business discuss innovation, leadership, and driving change in fast-evolving industries.
TechStuff
TechStuff explores how technology, AI, and the internet reshape culture, identity, and power, from Silicon Valley to everyday life.
Energy Policy Now
Experts discuss current energy policy challenges and their societal and environmental impacts.
The Power Hour
Experts discuss energy, climate, and environmental policy with a focus on domestic energy, federalism, and science-based approaches.
Boomtown
A journalist follows the lives of people caught up in a West Texas oil boom, from billionaires to laborers, and its impact on the planet.
Intelligence Squared: Business
Discusses the future of capitalism and major economic trends with business leaders, authors, and economists.
The Clean Energy Weekly Brief
PodcastAI
Wrenches n Robots
A practical guide for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors using AI and automation to streamline operations and grow their businesses.
About Energytech Startups
They say everything's bigger in Texas, including climate change. That's why Houston is leading the energy transition. Here in H-Town, the fourth largest city in the United States, entrepreneurs from across Texas and around the world are gathering to work with titans of industry to build the technology that will reduce emissions and power a low carbon future. Welcome to Energytech Startups with Nada Ahmed and Jason Ethier. We sit down with those change makers and wildcatters who are solving the toughest energy challenges with trillions of dollars on the line. We dig into how Houston will bring technology to market on a massive scale. Join us as we talk with the leaders of the energy capital of the world as they show us how the energy transition gets done.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Energytech Startups in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Energytech Startups daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Energytech Startups as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Energytech Startups podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Energytech Startups product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by collide..
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts, any in the catalog. Basic raises that to 15, Pro to 40 and Max to 100. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Energytech Startups release new episodes?
Energytech Startups publishes biweekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Energytech Startups cover?
Energytech Startups covers topics including Business, Investing. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Energytech Startups summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.