What’s it all about?

Some things make you feel old. Meeting Martijn Lammers, and fellow C0-Founder and CEO Lex Hoefsloot at their Eindhoven site was just one such thing. Martijn, at 28 years old is one of the ‘oldies’ in the founding team. Their soon to be launched (June 19) solar powered car is amazing to see (It’s beautiful, I got a sneak peek) and more so given it has been created by a very young team with no automotive sector experience. We discuss the start-up journey and challenges to get to this point.

About our guest

Martijn Lammers is one of the founders of Lightyear, he is currently responsible for strategy. After having won the World Solar Challenge with a team of students, and gradating his masters in industrial design from Eindhoven University of Technology, he founded Lightyear with a team of 5 aiming to accelerate the adoption of electric cars. More specifically, Lightyears mission is to provide clean mobility for everyone. Their first car, Lightyear One, is an ultra-efficient car with solar cells integrated in the hood and roof of the car.  Due to its efficiency, Lightyear One is partly self-sufficient, and can be charged by normal outlet at any other time ensuring it can independent of charging infrastructure. Lightyear One is in an exclusive segment costing €119.000 before taxes, enabling Lightyear to deliver a truly ground breaking product and developing the necessary  technology to match

Lightyear is working with a team of 130 people based in Helmond, the Netherlands combining young and experienced A-players to form a strong team capable of achieving Lightyear’s mission. Lightyear is currently in the process of building its first full prototype, to be completed in the second half of this year. The launch of this prototype will also be Lightyears launch to the public. Since the inception of Lightyear, there has also been a focus on the commercial validation of the concept as well resulting in over 80 Lightyear One’s to be reserved and paid for. This group of ambassadors forms a strong backbone of Lightyears success so far.

Martijn Lammers on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/martijn-lammers-70131b18/

Lightyear on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightyear.one/

Lightyear Cars on Twitter https://twitter.com/lightyear_cars

Lightyear website  https://lightyear.one/

Lightyear on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lightyear_cars/

Lightyear on FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/lightyear.cars/

News stories discussed this week

Introduction to Lightyear on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_QAWVUoZFg

The Lean Start-up- Eric Ries https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0670921602/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Design driven innovation – Roberto Verganti https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1422124827/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

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What’s it all about?

It was very flattering when a Google Moonshot company, invested in by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos funded Breakthrough Energy Ventures, called to ask for help to scale their team. I took the opportunity whilst in Boston, MA, meeting the team, to record this episode with CEO Ramya Swaminathan, and to hear what’s it like to have such auspicious origins and investors, and what pressure that brings.

About our guest

Ramya Swaminathan joined Malta from Rye Development, where she was CEO, co-founder and Member of the Board of FFP New Hydro. Under her leadership, Rye Development grew to be the leading developer of new hydropower projects in the United States and its portfolio of development projects, held at its holdco affiliate, FFP New Hydro, advanced from concept through FERC licensing and late stage development financing. She was also responsible for the expansion of Rye’s platform into energy storage, with the addition of two sizable pumped hydro storage development projects in the Pacific Northwest. At Rye Development, Ms. Swaminathan led a multi-disciplinary team, with specialists in engineering and construction, regulatory and environmental aspects, and power marketing.  She also led the company through several financing rounds, both at the platform and the project levels.

Prior to her work in the hydropower space, Ms. Swaminathan was a public finance banker, most recently as a Director at UBS, where she focused on public power clients and senior managed more than $10 billion in financings. Ms. Swaminathan holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and a BA in Anthropology from Amherst College.

The Malta concept is built upon well-established principles in thermodynamics for a system that stores energy as heat (in molten salt) and as cold (in a chilled liquid). The project was incubated at X, Alphabet’s Moonshot Factory, which applies audacious thinking and radical new technologies to solve the world’s most challenging problems. Based on the research they’d seen, X identified the Malta system as a product that had the potential to unlock a wealth of inexpensive clean energy to address global energy demands.

X’s team designed individual system components and evaluated whether the concept could work in the real world at a competitive price-point. The next two years were spent incubating the concept with a focus on derisking the most challenging concepts first. When it became clear that the technology had potential to be commercially viable at grid scale, Malta was formed outside of Alphabet as its own independent company.

Ramya Swaminathan on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramya-swaminathan-6a52a8b/

Malta Inc website  https://www.maltainc.com/

News stories discussed this week

3 things to know about Malta, the Google-incubated and Bill Gates-backed startup https://www.greenbiz.com/article/3-things-know-about-malta-google-incubated-and-bill-gates-backed-startup

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What’s it all about?

On route to Boston, via London, I took the opportunity to meet Javier Cavada at the Highview Power offices in central London. We thought we might be able to break some big news, but alas that will have to wait for a future episode, but nonetheless we had a great conversation around long duration energy storage, and the prospects of a 100% renewable energy grid.

About our guest

Dr. Javier Cavada joined Highview Power as CEO and President in September 2018 with the mission to drive the ambitious global expansion strategy for the company’s proprietary cryogenic energy storage technology. Cavada previously spent 17 years in leadership positions at Wärtsilä Corporation, one of the world’s top technology companies in the energy market. As president of Wärtsilä’s energy division and member of the corporation’s executive board, Cavada led the company’s drive toward 100% renewables, spearheading a deep transformation that enabled the company to become a leading system integrator.

Under Cavada’s leadership, Wärtsilä’s global market share in gas and liquid fuel power plants grew from nine percent to 21 percent. His long career at Wärtsilä also included extensive international experience, including executive roles in China, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Finland. In combination with these executive roles, Cavada chaired the board of Greensmith Energy Management Inc. He has also held leadership roles within the German multinational firm Robert Bosch in the fields of automotive technology and manufacturing. Cavada holds a PhD in industrial engineering and among other awards has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumni by the University of Cantabria in Spain.

Highview Power is a designer and developer of a proprietary cryogenic energy storage technology that delivers reliable and cost-effective long-duration energy storage to enable a 100% renewable energy future. Its proprietary technology uses liquid air as the storage medium and can deliver anywhere from 20 MW/80 MWh to more than 200 MW/1.2 GWh of energy has a lifespan of 30 to 40 years. Developed using proven components from mature industries, it delivers pumped-hydro capabilities without geographical constraints and can be configured to convert waste heat and cold to power.

Javier Cavada on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/javiercavadacamino/

Javier Cavada on Twitter https://twitter.com/CaminoCavada

Highview Power on Twitter    https://twitter.com/HighviewPower

Highview Power website  https://www.highviewpower.com/

News stories discussed this week

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What’s it all about?

It’s great when you hear big success stories from the back of beyond. Meeting at the myenergi offices in a beautiful part of Lincolnshire, it was great to see this rapidly growing start-up at this stage of their growth. Jordan Brompton is a larger than life personality in the UK EV Charging sector, but like her hero Elon Musk, she has much bigger plans. We discuss those, and her motto ‘What would Elon do?’.

About our guest

Jordan is one of these people who is so passionate about life. Anything that is giving a good message for the future of our planet and sustainability she is all for. Jordan has always had a very entrepreneurial spirit starting work at a very young age and naturally progressing within any company she has ever worked for to managerial status quickly.

Her background consists of radio presenting, renewable energy sales, education, to setting up her own business up in Distribution of cycling products.

Lee and Jordan linked back in 2011 during Lee’s time with the company 4eco the manufacturer of an eco-power diverter that heats the home owner’s immersion heater with surplus solar power. Jordan really found her passion within the Renewable Industry and knew this is where she belonged, Jordan brought the company millions of pounds worth of sales within her 2-year period in the company.

Jordan has been instrumental in the success of myenergi really driving the brand forward and pushing it out to a very large audience, within minimal time and with a minimal budget.

Lee and Jordan have created a market leading brand out of their little base in Binbrook/ Lincolnshire. Lee develops the products with his team, Jordan brings them to market, they’re the ultimate dream team, or pinky and the brain as Jordan often describes them both. The pair have grown the company from a small team of 6 to now just under 50 people, attracting investment from prestigious businessmen Sir Terry Leahy (Ex CEO of Tesco) & Bill Currie of the William Currie Group.

The pair invested £1.2 million to help the team grow, manage cash flow and secure components overseas to meet demand.

On a personal level Jordan has done a lot of travelling and has been around the world and back, her favourite place being California. She adores her husband, family and friends and is about to birth her first child. Jordan loves anything spiritual or ‘conspiracy based’. She classes herself as awakened & conscious. She listens to Podcasts her favourite being Joe Rogan and is a huge fan of Elon Musk’s work.

Jordan see’s herself with the myenergi brand way into the future, it’s her personal mission to turn it into a global trusted household name, being a big part of the energy and transport revolution.

Jordan Brompton on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanbrompton/

Jordan Brompton on Twitter https://twitter.com/JordeeGee

myenergi on Twitter    https://twitter.com/MyEnergiLTD

myenergi website  https://myenergi.uk/

News stories discussed this week

Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla is Shaping our Future https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elon-Musk-Billionaire-SpaceX-Shaping/dp/0753555646/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1551797670&sr=8-1&keywords=elon+musk+autobiography

Management in Ten words – Sir Terry Leahy – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1847940919/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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What’s it all about?

Toddington’s story is one of the most interesting and uplifting I’ve come across. I knew of Toddington from before GRIDSERVE, whilst leading Belectric in the UK, and his passion for solar energy developments. We record this podcast just as news breaks of the first subsidy free large scale solar PV developments in the UK, which will also in time co-locate with battery energy storage, and most exciting of all, their Electric Forecourts plan for EV charging destinations. Sit back and enjoy.

About our guest

Toddington Harper, CEO of GRIDSERVE, is an experienced clean-energy entrepreneur, executive and investor with more than 16 years of CEO experience across five sustainable energy companies. Toddington has developed and built over 350MW of solar and battery projects in the UK generating in excess of £200M of revenues over a 4-year period. He was previously the co-founder and CEO of BELECTRIC UK before selling the business to RWE Innogy in December 2016.

GRIDSERVE is a tech-enabled international sustainable energy business which develops, builds, owns and operates solar energy and battery storage solutions for critical power infrastructure.  GRIDSERVE’s team have been responsible for the development, construction and operation of more than a gigawatt of solar energy and energy storage solutions, including connecting over 100 utility-scale sustainable energy projects to the UK grid.

GRIDSERVE is interested in exploring new project opportunities, funding partners, and making new connections, for both hybrid solar farms and Electric Forecourts®

Toddington Harper on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddington/

Toddington Harper on Twitter https://twitter.com/toddington_h

GRIDSERVE on Twitter    https://twitter.com/GRIDSERVE_HQ

GRIDSERVE website  https://www.gridserve.com/

News stories discussed this week

GRIDSERVE to deploy 60 MW of bifacial-plus-tracking projects in the UK https://www.pv-magazine.com/2019/03/01/gridserve-to-deploy-60-mw-of-bifacial-plus-tracking-projects-in-the-uk/

GRIDSERVE launch ELECTRIC FORECOURTS https://www.gridserve.com/post/copy-of-design-a-stunning-blog

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

Think and grow rich – Napoleon Hill – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Think-Grow-Rich-Original-Restored/dp/0990797600/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1551797546&sr=8-1&keywords=grow+and+think+rich

Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla is Shaping our Future https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elon-Musk-Billionaire-SpaceX-Shaping/dp/0753555646/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1551797670&sr=8-1&keywords=elon+musk+autobiography

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I’m very keen to hear feedback on the podcast and my guests, and to hear your suggestions for future guests or topics. Contact via the website, or Twitter. If you do enjoy the podcast, please write a review on iTunes, or your usual podcast platform, and tell your cleantech friends about us. That would be much appreciated.

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What’s it all about?

If you are in the European cleantech start-up ecosystem, it would be very hard not to know of Jan Michael Hess. Jan is the life and soul of any party, and in particular those he hosts after each day at the Ecosummit. This year Ecosummit celebrates its’ tenth anniversary. The list of cleantech start-ups that have pitched at the event over the years is a veritable who’s who of successful companies, along with some of the most focused VC’s and CVC’s, not to mention some super sector service providers, like Hyperion 🙂

About our guest

Jan is Founder of Ecosummit and Ecosummit Ventures. Ecosummit is Europe’s leading conference for smart green startups, investors and corporates. Our vision is to automate sustainability in energy, mobility and cities. Our events are startup markets enabling business development, co-investing, open innovation, corporate venturing and M&A. Since 2010, Jan organised 19 conferences in 5 countries. Ecosummit TV on YouTube provides over 1.000 videos (450.000 views).

Ecosummit Ventures will be a new smart green VC in Berlin that invests in promising European software and hardware startups with B2C and B2B business models in energy, mobility and cities. Ecosummit Ventures leverages the deal flow, investor network and track record of 19 Ecosummit conferences in 5 countries since 2010. The initiator of Ecosummit Ventures is Jan Michael Hess, the founder of Ecosummit. We’re looking for 2 GPs with VC track record and green heart beat to join as co-founders as soon as possible.

Prior to founding Mobile Economy in 2000, Jan worked for Pixelpark, Icon Medialab and Ciao as Strategy Consultant, Senior Project Manager and Head of Marketing and Sales. Holding a business degree from the University of Mannheim, he lives in Berlin with his wife Simone and their son Mateo and is a big fan of Yoga, Japan and Jazz.

Jan Michael Hess on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/janmichaelhess/

EcoSummit on Twitter  https://twitter.com/ecosummit

EcoSummit    https://ecosummit.net/

EcoSummit on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/ecosummitTV

News stories discussed this week

Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist https://www.amazon.co.uk/Venture-Deals-Smarter-Lawyer-Capitalist/dp/1118443616

EcoSummit Ventures  https://ecosummit.net/ventures

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What’s it all about?

Having worked with EVBox for some time it was good to visit their new, highly-sustainable office space in Amsterdam, and to catch up with CEO Kristof Vereenooghe.  EV Charging infrastructure is such an important area for the success of the eMobility transition. We discuss interoperability, collaboration, the challenges faced by the Auto OEM’s and in particular the challenges of moving from start-up, to hypergrowth scale-up and running an international business where, no territory has the same policies, regulations or market dynamics.

About our guest

Kristof Vereenooghe is the CEO of EVBox, the global market leader in charging solutions for electric vehicles and related cloud services. Mr. Vereenooghe is a proven technology executive with deep SaaS-Cloud software expertise and a track record in transforming startups into key players in their industry. Before joining EVBox, Mr. Vereenooghe had a leading role within different startups that have become key players in their industry such as Bynder, LUMA Marketing Technologies and Xeikon.

EVBox is the leading global manufacturer of electric vehicle charging stations and charging management software. With over 60,000 charging points across more than 45 countries worldwide, EVBox helps electric drivers get access to charging infrastructure at any point in their journey.

Founded in 2010, EVBox made its breakthrough when the market for electric vehicles (EVs) was still in its infancy. Its founders set their hearts and eyes on a clear concept: a fully modular charging station that facilitates easy installation, maintenance upgrades, and above all, uncompromising quality and durability.

Soon, EVBox became the sole supplier of public charging infrastructure in cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Monaco. Meanwhile, EVBox played an active role in promoting Smart Charging technologies and roaming of charging infrastructure with industry partners and public organizations.

In 2017, EVBox was acquired by energy utility and global service provider ENGIE, who identified EVBox as a disruptive, leading cleantech company making a difference in the fast-growing industry of electric mobility. In 2018, EVBox acquired the ultra-fast charging station manufacturer EVTronic, adding 700 previously installed fast charging stations to EVBox’s European network.

Today, with projects running across Europe, North America, South America, and Asia, EVBox moves forward by perfecting its original recipe with a second generation of hardware and software that are easy to use, energy-efficient, scalable, and future-proof.

Kristof Vereenooghe on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristof-vereenooghe-24a4a52/

EVBox on Twitter  https://twitter.com/evbox

EVBox   https://evbox.com/

News stories discussed this week

rEVolution conference https://www.revolution19.amsterdam/

(For an exclusive EVBox 25% off tickets use this link: https://www.revolution19.amsterdam/?promo=EVBoxSocial25)

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What’s it all about?

I caught up with Scott Shepard whilst at the MOVE conference in London. The new mobility transition isn’t all about electric vehicles, or indeed autonomous vehicles, there is a whole interconnected transport issue to solve, to enable smooth, efficient, low-carbon, and enjoyable transit. We discuss this, and Scott’s inspiration from Talking Heads David Byrne!

About our guest

Scott Shepard, Chief Commercial Officer, Free2Move, is an urbanist, mobility expert, board advisor, and thought leader who is passionate about the intersection of cities, mobility, and innovation. Possesses a unique balance of technical, operational, and consulting experience, within the domains of shared mobility, sustainable transport, and urban strategy.

Frequent public speaker on shared mobility, public transport innovation, mobility technologies, and urban transport policy. Implements and delivers complex mobility solutions, providing thought leadership, strategic planning, project delivery, and executive consulting to startups, investors, agencies, and corporations.

Technical expertise in transport policy & strategies, urban planning & design, information & communication technology, and integrated payment systems. Skilled in international business development, strategic marketing, product launch, technical program management, and P&L responsibility.

Scott Shepard on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-s-7482a7a/

Free2move on Twitter  https://twitter.com/Free2MoveApp

Free2move   https://www.free2move.com/

News stories discussed this week

MOVE conference https://www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/move/index.stm

David Byrne – Bicycle Diaries https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bicycle-Diaries-David-Byrne/dp/0571241034

Upton Sinclair – The Jungle https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jungle-Clydesdale-Classics-Upton-Sinclair/dp/1945186046/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1550010611&sr=1-1

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What’s it all about?

The genesis of start-ups fascinates me. No two stories are alike, and often it is a random situation, that highlights a problem, that requires a solution, that inspires the entrepreneur. Hugo’s story is a great example of this. We live in a 24/7, 365 connected world, but you’re not connected if your battery is dead!

About our guest

Hugo Tilmouth, CEO and Founder of ChargedUP, dubbed by the BBC as “The Boris Bike of Phone charging.” After studying both a degree and Masters in Renewable Energy Engineering Hugo spent time with payment processing start-up Tilt, and innovative cleantech start-up Pavegen, which generates clean energy from footfall. He went on to co-found ChargedUp in 2017.

ChargedUp has a distributed network of shareable power banks across London, allowing their users to keep their mobile phones charged up whenever you are out and about. ChargedUp is revolutionising the way you charge your phone on the go. Simply, rent a power bank, charge your devices and then return it to any station across the network. You now never need to worry about charging your phone on the go again!

ChargedUp Batteries combine cutting edge technology with green electricity to become the best solution to your battery life problems. Includes iPhone, Micro-USB and USB Type C cables.

The company have ambitious plans to scale internationally.

Hugo Tilmouth on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugotilmouth/

ChargedUp on Twitter  https://twitter.com/ChargedUpWorld

ChargedUP on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ChargedUpWorld/

ChargedUp   https://www.chargedup.green/

News stories discussed this week

M&S will let you charge your phone for 50p at new vending stations https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/ms-vending-machines-you-charge-13949898

Podcast recommendations:

Masters of Scale https://mastersofscale.com/

How I built this https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this

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What’s it all about?

As much as I am a clean energy and clean mobility geek, and entreprenuer, the circular economy also fascinates me. In the near future even the mainstream, not just us cleantech nerds, will question the stupidity of how we have done so much harm to the home (planet) that supports us. Rightly so, we’re frantically addressing the clean mobility transition, but no matter how you power your vehicle, it still has tyres right. So what happens to them when they’re done…. It’s not pretty, until now.

About our guest

Martijn Lopes Cardozo is a Dutch entrepreneur and international executive. He spent several years in the US where he built and grew a number of technology companies, all of which had successful exits. Upon his return to The Netherlands in 2008 Martijn joined several large corporations in strategy and M&A roles. He now brings the circular economy to tires as the CEO of Black Bear Carbon, the tire-to-Carbon Black upcycling company, which earlier this week was selected as a Global Cleantech 100 company for the second year running. Martijn holds a MSc degree in Applied Physics from TU Delft and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Are you worried about tires? With climate change and ocean plastic keeping us up at night, probably not. But every year, more than 1.5 billion polluting end-of-life tires enter the global waste stream, with no sustainable solution for their re-use. Until now. Black Bear upcycles end-of-life tires to produce sustainable, high-quality Carbon Black. This replaces virgin Carbon Black traditionally produced by burning oil – preventing CO2 emissions and solving the global waste tire problem.

Black Bear sells their recovered Carbon Black to major clients worldwide for use in tires, technical rubber, coatings, plastics and inks, including the coatings multinational AkzoNobel and more than 30 other strategically-chosen customers.

Black Bear currently operates an industrial-scale prototype plant in the Netherlands, which is capable of processing more than 1 million tires annually. Their plan is to lead the transition towards a circular economy for tires by rolling out hundreds of tire upcycling plants with local partners around the world, focusing on Europe for their next plants. When Black Bear reaches their full potential of repurposing every end-of-life tire with their circular solution, they will reduce global annual oil consumption by more than 215 million barrels.

Black Bear’s energy-positive process for producing the world’s first Cradle-to-Cradle certified™ Carbon Black is scalable, quickly implementable, and by far the most cost-effective way of producing Carbon Black. Their automated, IoT-optimised production follows a circular economy model: tire rubber with all steel removed is carbonized — carefully heated in the absence of oxygen. This creates gas, crude oil, electricity and solid char. The solid char is processed to create high-quality rCB, while the oil, gas and energy produced can either power the process or be sold into other markets.

In 2018 Black Bear secured €16 million in fresh capital from a consortium including investors like ING Sustainable Investments and Capricorn Venture Partners, to further refine their technology and commence the global rollout.

Martijn Lopes Cardozo on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/martijnlopescardozo/

Martijn Lopes Cardozo on Twitter   https://twitter.com/martijnlopes

Black Bear Carbon on Twitter https://twitter.com/blackbearcarbon

Black Bear Carbon   https://blackbearcarbon.com/

Book recommendations

Black Box Thinking – Matthew Syed https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Box-Thinking-Marginal-Performance/dp/1473613809/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464252285&sr=8-1&keywords=Black+Box+Thinking

Walter Isaacson: The Genius Biographies: Benjamin Franklin, Einstein, and Steve Jobs https://www.amazon.co.uk/Walter-Isaacson-Biographies-Benjamin-Franklin/dp/1501189018/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548766218&sr=8-1&keywords=walter+isaacson

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I’m very keen to hear feedback on the podcast and my guests, and to hear your suggestions for future guests or topics. Contact via the website, or Twitter. If you do enjoy the podcast, please write a review on iTunes, or your usual podcast platform, and tell your cleantech friends about us. That would be much appreciated.

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