In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett sits down with Johanna Wolfson, Co-founder and General Partner at Azolla Ventures, about the critical role of catalytic capital in scaling hardware climate solutions. Johanna explains why traditional VC models often fail to support breakthrough technologies and how Azolla's mission-driven approach helps tackle high-risk projects aimed at cutting super pollutants. Whether you're a founder or climate enthusiast, this episode sheds li...
Jun 19, 2025•48 min•Ep. 81
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett sits down with Jason Chua, Chief Product Officer at Range Energy, about a breakthrough in sustainable trucking. Discover how Range's electrified trailer retrofit cuts emissions by up to 70%, without replacing existing trucks. Jason shares how this smart, cost-effective solution helps fleets reduce fuel costs, extend electric range, and meet climate goals today. Learn why retrofitting trailers may be the fastest path to decarbonizin...
Jun 05, 2025•41 min•Ep. 80
What if highly contaminated land could be safely and efficiently restored for productive use? In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett talks with Randol Aikin, founder of Remedy Scientific, about revolutionizing land remediation. With over 500,000 contaminated sites across the U.S., Aikin explains how robotics, AI, and containerized systems are accelerating the cleanup of toxic “forever chemicals.” This innovative approach not only enables faster, localized treatment but ...
May 22, 2025•41 min•Ep. 79
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett talks with Cole Ashman, CEO and founder of Pila Energy, about how his company is making home energy resilience affordable and accessible. Their innovative mesh battery system provides backup power during outages, enhances solar energy usage, and supports grid stability, all at a fraction of the cost of traditional home systems. Whether you rent or own, discover how smart, distributed batteries could reshape our homes and contribute...
May 08, 2025•41 min•Ep. 78
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett talks with Nehali Jain, Chief of Staff at Antora, a company on a mission to decarbonize heavy industry with thermal batteries. They explore how renewable electricity can be stored as heat in carbon blocks reaching 2,400°C—cheaper and more scalable than fossil fuels. Learn how this breakthrough tackles industrial emissions, supports grid reliability, and offers a practical path to gigaton-scale CO2 reduction through modular, cost-ef...
Apr 24, 2025•38 min•Ep. 77
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett talks with Scott Mercer, Founder and CEO of Focused Energy, about the future of nuclear fusion. They explore how laser-driven fusion, inspired by breakthroughs at Lawrence Livermore Labs, could offer limitless clean power by the 2030s. From physics to commercialization, Mercer shares how Focused Energy plans to bring fusion to the grid—and why this could be a game-changer for climate tech and global energy.
Apr 10, 2025•51 min•Ep. 76
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett talks with Greg Williams, VP of Product at Sublime Systems, about their groundbreaking low-carbon cement. They discuss how Sublime’s electrochemical process eliminates fossil fuel kilns and limestone-derived emissions, tackling 8% of global CO2 output. Greg shares insights on scaling their technology, industry partnerships, and the path to making sustainable cement the new standard.
Mar 27, 2025•48 min•Ep. 75
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett talks with Luke Iseman, founder of Make Sunsets, about tackling climate change through stratospheric aerosol injection. They explore the challenges of scaling hardware solutions, the urgency of immediate climate action, and the ethical debates around geoengineering. Luke shares his vision for using sulfur dioxide balloons to cool the planet, sparking a thought-provoking discussion on innovation and sustainability.
Mar 13, 2025•57 min•Ep. 74
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett sits down with Curtis VanWalleghem, Co-Founder and CEO of Hydrostor, to discuss how compressed air energy storage can revolutionize renewable energy. Hydrostor's innovative underground caverns store air and water to provide long-duration, cost-effective energy storage—solving the intermittency challenge in renewable grids. The conversation dives into engineering breakthroughs, economic advantages over batteries, and the policy shif...
Feb 27, 2025•44 min•Ep. 73
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett interviews Allan Adams, founder and CEO of Aquatic Labs, about revolutionizing ocean measurement technology. Allan shares his journey from theoretical physics professor to climate tech innovator, inspired by the urgent need to protect marine ecosystems.
Feb 13, 2025•54 min•Ep. 72
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett sits down with Ross Bonner, CTO and co-founder of Transaera, to discuss cutting-edge approaches for energy-efficient air conditioning. They explore the critical role of cooling in combating climate change, the equity challenges in access to climate technologies, and Transaera’s use of metal-organic frameworks to reduce energy consumption. Tune in to learn how these advancements make cooling more sustainable and accessible for every...
Jan 30, 2025•45 min•Ep. 71
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, recorded on the sidelines of the New York Climate Week, host Dylan Garrett moderates a compelling panel discussion on the role of deep tech in addressing the climate crisis. Joining him are Colin Campbell, SVP of Technology at Cambridge Consultants; Trudy Wang, VP of Innovation at Hala Technologies; Lisa Hansmann, Principal at Engine Ventures; Kate Kelly, Chief of Staff at Avalanche Energy; and Catherine Mizrahi Rodriguez, Co-founder of Osmoses. The ...
Jan 16, 2025•55 min•Ep. 70
2024 brought with it the hottest year on record, along with startling extreme weather events. And, while we look for solutions, Hardware to Save a Planet is all about sparking conversations about our present so we can step into the future, prepared. Tune into our year-end special as host Dylan Garrett revisits the insightful conversations we’ve had this year. Complete with eye-opening revelations, inspiring examples of action being taken in the space and a whole lot more, this is your chance to ...
Jan 02, 2025•28 min•Ep. 69
In this second part of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan continues his conversation with Casey Handmer, Founder of Terraform Industries. Casey and his team at Terraform are scaling technology to produce cheap natural gas with sunlight and air. Join us as we explore innovative solutions for sustainable energy. If you missed part one of the discussion, you can check it out here.
Dec 19, 2024•37 min•Ep. 68
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. In this first of a two-part episode, Dylan chats with Casey Handmer, Founder of Terraform Industries. Casey and his team at Terraform are scaling technology to produce cheap natural gas with sunlight and air. Join us as we explore innovative solutions for sustainable energy. Casey shares how TerraForm leverages solar energy, carbon capture, and green hydrogen production to create cost-effective natural gas to combat climate change. Drawing on...
Dec 05, 2024•35 min•Ep. 67
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan talks to Rob van Straten, CEO of Skytree, about the company’s pioneering direct air capture (DAC) technology aimed at combating climate change. Rob explains how Skytree’s compact, modular DAC systems capture CO₂ directly from the atmosphere, providing a sustainable alternative to fossil-derived CO₂. Skytree, developed initially for the ISS, now helps sectors like vertical farming reduce emissions with locally sourced CO₂. Rob discusses DAC’s ro...
Nov 21, 2024•42 min•Ep. 66
"Performance and user experience are our key differentiators. Our smart induction stove is greener, more powerful, and more precise than traditional gas stoves.” Sam D’Amico In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan talks to Sam D’Amico, Founder and CEO of Impulse. Dylan chats with Sam about Impulse’s electric induction stove with built-in battery storage designed to reduce household reliance on the grid. They explore how this innovative stove combines high performance and precise temp...
Nov 07, 2024•54 min•Ep. 65
“Shipping drives 90% of the world's economy. It's our most efficient way to move things around the world, better than land or air shipping, but it still emits around 3% of global CO2. Because of that, ship owners face growing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from regulations, customers, and shareholders.” Dylan Garrett In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan talks to Alisha Fredriksson, Co-Founder and CEO of Seabound. Alisha explains how Seabound’s system, housed in modula...
Oct 24, 2024•43 min•Ep. 64
Residential water heating accounts for 3% of all US greenhouse gas emissions and 19% of home energy use, which means it uses a large chunk of a home's energy while adding emissions to our environment. An intelligent heat pump-based water heater is a step in the right direction on both fronts. In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan talks with Michael Rigney, CEO and co-founder of Cala Systems, about their innovative heat pump water heater. They delve into the environmental impact of ...
Oct 10, 2024•48 min•Ep. 63
What is the cornerstone for a vibrant Climate Tech ecosphere? A climate hardware playbook designed to guide founders in fundraising and building businesses while helping investors integrate climate hardware into their investment portfolios. A playbook backed by research and insights from climate tech investors and founders. In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan interviews Christian zu Jeddeloh and Sophia Escheu about their newly developed Climate Hardware Playbook, designed to help...
Sep 26, 2024•51 min•Ep. 62
Energy storage is a vital cog in building a sustainable grid. It helps us manage the intermittent supply of renewable energy from wind and solar energy sources. Our guest today brings a unique solution to energy storage by repurposing idle gas and oil wells for gravity energy storage. Welcome to this special episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Joining us today is Gregory Kemp, Co-founder and CEO of Renewell Energy. Dylan and Kemp discuss Renewell's innovative approach to repurposing idle oil a...
Sep 12, 2024•42 min•Ep. 61
Access to economically viable solutions to measure soil carbon at scale is a game changer in our ability to improve our food systems and also improve our land's ability to store carbon. Welcome to this special episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Joining us today is Chris Tolles, Co-Founder and CEO of Yard Stick, a company on a mission to reduce soil carbon measurement costs by 90%. This will pave the way for improving our ecosystem health, restoring soil health, and combating climate change. J...
Aug 29, 2024•42 min•Ep. 60
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Joining us today is Jack Morrison, Co-Founder and CEO of Scythe Robotics, a green company on a mission to provide the most advanced and sustainable autonomous technology for maintaining off-road environments. The company’s autonomous electrical mowing and landscaping equipment helps eliminate the emissions from gas-powered equipment that is commercially used. Join us as we discuss Jack’s background, Scythe’s mission to improve sustainability ...
Aug 15, 2024•40 min•Ep. 59
Welcome to this special episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Joining us today is Laura Teicher, President and Executive Director at FORGE, a nonprofit on a mission to help innovators with physical products navigate the journey from prototype to commercialization and impact—at scale. Join us as we discuss the challenges and benefits of bringing physical climate tech products to the market. Laura recounts her career shift from politics to innovation support, detailing FORGE's role in assisting wi...
Aug 01, 2024•42 min•Ep. 58
Welcome to this special episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Joining us today is Dr. Ye Tao, Founder and Executive Director of MEER, a company that uses mirrors at scale to reflect sunlight and mitigate the impact of global warming. Join us as we discuss the innovative concept of MEER and its potential to combat climate change. Dr. Tao shares his insights on the urgent need for sustainable solutions and how MEER can help transition civilization toward a more sustainable future. We delve into th...
Jul 18, 2024•49 min•Ep. 57
Welcome to this special episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Joining us today is Natasha Kostenuk, Founder and CEO of Ayrton Energy, a company with the solution to overcome the traditional Hydrogen storage and transportation challenges with their Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHC) invention. Join us as we discuss the importance of hydrogen as an energy source for decarbonizing global industries. Natasha walks us through her journey from the oil and gas industry to the climate tech space. W...
Jul 04, 2024•37 min•Ep. 56
Welcome to this special episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Joining us today is Troy Helming, Founder and CEO of EarthGrid, a company that uses patented plasma boring technology to dig tunnels that carry power cables from remote clean energy generation points to the grid and onto the end user. Join us as we delve into the world of tunnel-boring machines and their role in combating climate change. Troy shares his passion for clean energy and discusses the innovative solutions his company is dev...
Jun 20, 2024•46 min•Ep. 55
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Our guest today is Oliver Gunasekara, Co-Founder and CEO of Impossible Metals Inc., a company focused on responsible seabed mining to drive a transition to circularity in mining. Join us as we discuss the controversial topic of deep-sea mining and its potential impact on the environment. Oliver shares his personal journey to climate tech and explains their innovative approach to collecting battery metals from the ocean floor without harming m...
Jun 06, 2024•45 min•Ep. 54
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Our guest today is Tom Chi, Founding Partner of At One Ventures, a VC with the mission to invest in companies that work towards a world where humanity has a positive impact on nature. Tom's background includes being an astrophysicist and electrical engineer, developing products at Microsoft and Yahoo, and working as a founding member of Google X. Tom's background in technology and his personal experience witnessing the death of a coral reef i...
May 23, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 53
Welcome to this special episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Today, we are at the Wings Conference in Portland, Oregon, where Dylan is joined by Mike Wietecki of Powin and John Thomas of ESS for a live panel discussion. Both Powin and ESS are engaged in deploying battery energy storage systems on the grid. Join us as we delve into the crucial role of energy storage in combating climate change as Mike and John share their insights about their innovative battery energy storage systems and the cha...
May 09, 2024•54 min•Ep. 52
