Inevitable

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Faster, Safer, Cheaper: How TerraFirma Is Rebuilding Construction Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

Noah Schochet is the co-founder and CEO of TerraFirma, a construction technology company rethinking how infrastructure gets built. Founded by two former SpaceX engineers, TerraFirma combines robotics, remote operations, and software into a construction business that performs projects directly rather than selling technology. By vertically integrating its tools with field operations, the company aims to make construction dramatically faster, safer, and more affordable while addressing labor shortages and enabling the next generation of infrastructure.

In this episode, Noah shares how his experience building Starship at SpaceX inspired TerraFirma, why he believes construction—not autonomy—is the real bottleneck to civilization-scale progress, and why robotics companies should focus more on delivering outcomes instead of products. He also explains TerraFirma's remote-operated construction model, its approach to rapid iteration, and why the future of construction still depends on people empowered by better technology.

Episode recorded on June 25, 2026 (Published on July 28, 2026).

In this episode, we cover:

(0:00) An overview of TerraFirma
(1:04) How SpaceX inspired the creation of TerraFirma
(4:47) Why construction has fallen behind other industries
(9:33) The structural reasons construction is slow to modernize
(12:33) Why the goal isn't autonomy—it's better construction
(14:25) TerraFirma's construction-first business model
(17:11) Why customers buy outcomes, not robots
(20:54) How TerraFirma's retrofit robotics and software platform works
(25:53) Operating multiple construction machines from a mission control center
(29:01) How robotics could reshape construction jobs instead of replacing them
(32:02) Early customer adoption across data centers, housing, and hazardous environments
(34:20) Winning projects by building faster, cheaper, and safer
(36:13) The biggest challenge to transforming construction
(38:32) Hiring builders with extreme ownership and mission alignment
(42:55) TerraFirma's $100 million Series A and plans to scale

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Prefabricated Nuclear Power Plants with Blue Energy Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

Jake Jurewicz is the Co-founder and CEO of Blue Energy, a nuclear power plant developer. Blue Energy starts with proven, light water reactors and builds everything around them — prefabricating standardized nuclear plants as massive modules in shipyards and fab yards, then barging them to site.

It pairs that with a patented gas-to-nuclear approach that energizes the plant on gas turbines first and converts to nuclear later. The goal is to make nuclear cheap enough and fast enough to build that private lenders will finance it, rather than the taxpayers and ratepayers who've carried almost every plant built so far. The company recently announced a collaboration with GE Vernova on a 2.5-gigawatt gas-plus-nuclear project in Texas, built around GE Vernova Hitachi's BWRX-300 reactor, with backing from VXI Capital, At One Ventures, and Engine Ventures.

The why now is straightforward: AI data centers are pulling on the grid harder than anything in a generation, firm clean power is scarce, and the cost and speed of building nuclear have been the thing holding it back. Jake's bet is that the fix lives in how you build and finance the plant, rather than in the reactor itself.

Episode recorded on June 10, 2026 (Published July 21, 2026)

In this episode, we cover:

(0:00) Overview of Blue Energy
(2:20) Why construction, not reactor tech, is the focus
(5:32) Two innovations: modular construction and gas-to-nuclear
(6:56) Why proven light water reactors beat new designs
(9:39) Building nuclear like LNG terminals
(11:57) The history of shipyard-built nuclear power
(14:17) Lessons from Venture Global's LNG buildout
(16:44) Why megamodules cut construction costs
(20:43) What Blue Energy builds versus buys
(22:14) Why civil construction, not the reactor, drives cost
(25:14) Navigating NRC approval for gas-to-nuclear
(28:21) Why customers still want nuclear after gas
(32:56) The first project: Victoria, Texas
(36:00) Financial innovation to unlock private capital
(39:19) Blue Energy's biggest execution risks
(43:32) Where nuclear heads next
(46:59) Commercial criticality beyond the chain reaction
(48:20) Nuclear's role in energy security and geopolitics

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Koloma's Bet on Buried Hydrogen for Farmers Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

Pete Johnson, Co-founder and CEO of Koloma, joins Inevitable to break down geologic hydrogen — naturally occurring hydrogen found deep underground — and why he believes it could be the first new primary energy source since nuclear power in the 1950s. Koloma has raised more than $400 million from Khosla Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund, Osaka Gas, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and holds roughly 20 million acres of exploration rights across the U.S. Midcontinent, the Philippines, Australia, and Canada.

Pete explains why Koloma's first commercial target isn't power generation but ammonia and fertilizer production in the U.S. Midwest, where farmers pay a $150-per-ton premium on imported ammonia. He walks through the geology of where natural hydrogen forms, how Koloma's 25-year proprietary subsurface dataset shapes its exploration strategy, what it actually takes to prove a commercial-scale discovery, and how he separates genuine clean-hydrogen economics from tax-credit-driven projects.

Episode recorded on June 24, 2026 (Published July 14, 2026)

In this episode, we cover:

[0:00] Intro: Pete Johnson and Koloma's geologic hydrogen bet
[2:02] What "Koloma" means — and the gold rush origin story
[3:31] Where geologic hydrogen actually forms
[7:07] The Iowa project and why the resource lines up with demand
[7:51] The $150/ton ammonia premium hitting Midwest farmers
[10:53] Why hydrogen pipelines aren't the real bottleneck
[13:52] Koloma's model: exploration engine, not driller
[15:12] What makes hydrogen exploration so hard
[18:13] How big a discovery needs to be to matter commercially
[22:39] Power vs. ammonia: how end use changes the math
[23:50] The Philippines opportunity and energy security stakes
[28:48] Pete's path: solar, Monolith Materials, and stumbling into hydrogen
[35:53] Sorting real clean hydrogen from a tax credit grab
[38:52] Current state of Koloma: 20 million acres and what's next
[42:04] Where Koloma needs help — policy and data

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

How Mainspring Energy Turns Fuel Into Power Without Combustion Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

Shannon Miller is Co-founder and President of Mainspring Energy, a company developing a new category of power generation technology called the linear generator. Mainspring’s systems generate electricity through a low-temperature, flameless chemical reaction that converts fuel directly into electrical power.

Shannon has been at this for about 15 years. She started the company on technology she developed while earning her PhD in mechanical engineering at Stanford, and took it from a lab experiment through commercial deployment to hundreds of megawatts in development and running in the field. Mainspring closed a $258 million Series F in 2025, led by General Catalyst and has raised more than $800 million to date.

In this episode of Inevitable, Shannon explains how Mainspring’s technology differs from traditional gas turbines and fuel cells, why modular and fuel-flexible generation is becoming increasingly valuable, and how the growth of data centers is reshaping energy infrastructure.

The conversation explores the urgent demand for faster power deployment, the advantages of dispatchable generation, the role of hydrogen and other future fuels, and why flexibility may become one of the most important characteristics of the future electric grid.

Episode recorded on June 2, 2026 (Published on July 7, 2026).

In this episode, we cover:

(0:00) An overview of Mainspring Energy
(1:47) What a linear generator is and how it differs from traditional ones
(3:57) Behind-the-meter power and the race for faster time-to-power
(5:47) How Mainspring converts fuel into electricity
(8:18) The benefits of modular power generation
(10:34) Comparing linear generators to fuel cells
(12:32) Where Mainspring fits into modern data center energy stacks
(13:48) Transitioning from prime power to dispatchable grid support
(14:42) Why fuel flexibility matters
(15:27) Use cases for propane and hydrogen switching
(18:57) The economics of power generation and cost competitiveness
(20:44) Scaling from laboratory technology to commercial deployment
(22:49) How utilities evaluate new generation technologies
(25:00) Shannon’s vision for the future power mix

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

The Electric Motorcycle That's Actually a Utility Company with Zeno Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

Michael Spencer is the Founder and CEO of Zeno, an electric mobility company building electric motorcycles, battery-swapping infrastructure, and distributed energy systems across East Africa. Drawing on experience from nearly a decade building businesses in East Africa and four years at Tesla during its hypergrowth era, Spencer is applying lessons from EV charging infrastructure to one of the world's largest transportation markets: two- and three-wheel vehicles.

In this episode of Inevitable, Spencer explains why electrifying motorcycles in emerging markets may be one of the most efficient ways to reduce transportation costs and emissions. He discusses how Zeno combines hardware, software, and energy infrastructure to create a business that looks like an electric vehicle company on the surface but increasingly operates like a distributed utility.

The conversation explores lessons from Tesla’s Supercharger network, why Kenya became Zeno’s launch market, how battery swapping and AI-powered infrastructure management drive capital efficiency, and why building hard-tech businesses may become even more valuable in an AI-driven world. Spencer also shares his vision for turning Zeno’s charging network into a distributed renewable energy platform capable of serving both mobility and grid customers.

Note: Zeno is an MCJ portfolio company

Episode recorded on June 8, 2026 (Published on June 23, 2026)

In this episode, we cover:

[00:00] The Trojan horse: what Zeno actually is
[03:00] From East Africa to Tesla: Michael's path
[04:36] Inside the supercharger rollout — and what it really taught him
[08:02] Why two-wheelers are paradoxically easier to electrify
[10:17] The Kenya opportunity: spending half your income on fuel
[16:19] 200 charge points, $8M spent — how they did it
[20:27] The AI matching algorithm behind 75% network utilization
[23:20] Building a world-class team across four continents
[28:17] Supply chain, oil prices, and the double-edged sword
[32:03] Why hardware can't be vibe-coded
[36:41] The five-year vision: from motorcycle company to distributed utility

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Space Solar: 24/7 Clean Power with Overview Energy Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

Marc Berte is the Co-founder and CEO of Overview Energy, a startup developing space-based solar power systems designed to turn existing solar farms into around-the-clock power generators. By placing satellites in geosynchronous orbit, collecting near-continuous sunlight, and beaming energy back to Earth as safe near-infrared light, Overview aims to dramatically increase the utilization of solar infrastructure already deployed around the world.

In this episode of Inevitable, Marc explains how space solar works and how Overview’s approach differs from decades of prior space solar concepts. He talks about the economics of “photon fuel,” the company’s gigawatt-scale agreement with Meta, and the concept of “supply response”—delivering power exactly where and when grids need it most.

The conversation explores the manufacturing challenges of deploying thousands of satellites, the role of defense and energy security applications, and why the long-term value of solar assets could change dramatically if space-based power delivery becomes commercially viable.

Finally, he shares one of the more unconventional engineering stories you'll hear this year: how 75 pounds of Otter Pops helped cool Overview’s airborne power-beaming demonstration system.

Episode recorded on June 1, 2026 (Published June 16, 2026)

In this episode, we cover:

(0:00) An overview of Overview Energy
(2:34) Why space solar belongs alongside fusion, fission, geothermal, and storage
(4:30) How geosynchronous satellites shift power between global demand peaks
(5:59) The concept of “supply response”
(8:57) How Overview’s power-beaming technology works
(12:51) Cloud cover and line-of-sight requirements
(15:32) Creating a new energy market with “megawatt photons”
(17:00) Overview’s gigawatt-scale agreement with Meta
(22:32) The economics of adding photon fuel to existing solar assets
(26:22) Competing with gas peakers and complementing storage
(36:38) US manufacturing advantages and competition with China
(39:26) Defense, energy security, and powering remote military installations
(42:48) Financing space-based energy infrastructure
(48:10) The Otter Pop engineering story behind the airborne demonstration system

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

The Domestic Premium: Can American Manufacturing Compete? Jun 10, 2026

Show notes

Edward Shenderovich is the Founder and CEO of Roebling, a software platform that helps industrial companies evaluate, design, and finance manufacturing projects before breaking ground. After initially setting out to solve bottlenecks in biomanufacturing, Shenderovich and his team uncovered a broader challenge: the economics of scaling physical infrastructure are often poorly understood until it's too late.

In this episode of Inevitable, Cody and Edward explore whether the US is making the same mistake with domestic manufacturing that climate tech once made with the “green premium.” If consumers were unwilling to pay more for cleaner products, will they pay more for American-made ones?

The conversation examines China's long-term manufacturing strategy, the gap between scientific breakthroughs and industrial scale-up, and why engineering—not invention—is often the missing link in commercial success. Edward argues that national security, data sovereignty, and AI infrastructure may become the forces that justify renewed domestic investment in manufacturing and energy systems.

They also discuss the lessons learned from the recent biomanufacturing boom and bust, why many bioindustrial companies struggled to achieve economic viability, and how AI can help bridge the gap between R&D and large-scale industrial deployment. Finally, Edward shares how Roebling is using AI-powered techno-economic analysis to help companies build factories that can actually compete on cost and performance.

Episode recorded on May 28, 2026 (Published on June 9, 2026).

In this episode, we cover:

(0:00) An overview of Roebling
(3:37) Why consumers rarely pay more for domestic or sustainable products
(6:12) How the US can compete with China's manufacturing strategy
(7:25) The gap between R&D innovation and industrial scale-up
(9:13) Why engineering is often the bottleneck
(11:25) AI data centers as a catalyst for industrial and energy infrastructure
(14:30) National security, data sovereignty, and domestic manufacturing
(17:31) Roebling's origins in biomanufacturing
(20:03) Why AI may finally help unlock biology at scale
(23:25) Building products that are better, not just greener
(26:11) How Roebling helps companies plan and finance factories
(31:08) Lessons from the biomanufacturing boom and bio-winter
(34:33) The opportunities of nuclear energy and industrial growth

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Collapsing 30 Feet of Power Infrastructure Into Four with DG Matrix May 27, 2026

Show notes

Haroon Inam is Co-founder and CEO of DG Matrix, a company that makes the world's most compact Power Router, aggregating distributed energy for GenAI datacenters, microgrids, fleet electrification, and associated systems. As AI workloads drive unprecedented electricity demand and legacy grid infrastructure struggles to keep pace, DG Matrix has commercialized the world’s first multi-port solid-state transformer to meet the energy needs.

In this episode, Inam explains why transformer bottlenecks, distributed generation, and 800V DC architectures are reshaping the future of power delivery for AI infrastructure. He discusses DG Matrix’s product strategy, manufacturing scale-up plans, and the role of software-defined power systems in next-generation data centers. Finally, Inam shares his take on the future of distributed microgrids and “cellular power” and how to scale power electronics manufacturing.

DG Matrix recently closed a $60 million Series A led by Engine Ventures that MCJ is proud to have participated in.

Episode recorded on May 13, 2026 (Published on May 26, 2026)

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Overview of DG Matrix
(01:41) Introducing the Founders: Haroon Inam and Dr. Bhattacharya
(05:25) How traditional grid architecture became constrained for AI workloads
(09:57) Solid-state transformers (SST), multi-port systems and voltage classes
(12:18) Why early SST efforts struggled economically
(13:13) How DG Matrix’s multi-port architecture works
(16:48) Comparing DG Matrix hardware footprint to legacy power systems
(20:08) Transformer shortages and data center infrastructure bottlenecks
(24:27) DG Matrix’s medium-voltage and low-voltage product strategies
(27:55) Product rebranding and current commercial deployments
(30:45) Partnerships with EPC firms, battery providers, and turbine manufacturers
(34:27) Manufacturing scale-up plan and hyperscaling production
(36:36) Supply chain strategy to avoid rare earth dependencies
(38:16) Reliability engineering and software-defined power systems
(43:47) DG Matrix’s go-to-market and hybrid hardware/software business model
(46:36) The vision for distributed “cellular power”
(48:14) Utilities, microgrids, and the future of interconnected distributed infrastructure

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Lessons from Peter Carlsson after the Rise and Fall of Northvolt May 19, 2026

Show notes

Peter Carlsson is Co-founder and former CEO of Northvolt, the European battery manufacturing company that raised more than $13 billion to build a homegrown battery supply chain for Europe, before filing for bankruptcy at the end of 2024. Before Northvolt, Carlsson spent more than a decade at Ericsson building global supply chains and later served as VP of Supply Chain at Tesla during the launch of the Model S.

In this live episode of Inevitable from the AENU Summit in Berlin, Carlsson reflects on the rise and fall of Northvolt, the realities of competing with China’s electro-industrial stack, and what Europe still gets right in manufacturing and innovation. Peter breaks down why batteries became strategically essential to Europe, what operational challenges slowed Northvolt’s scale-up, and how changing EV markets, policy shifts, and financing pressures compounded those problems.

Carlsson also mentions his new ventures: Aris Machina, an agentic operating system for manufacturing and Sonder Labs, a sodium-ion battery company focused on building chemistry and supply chains less dependent on China. He talks about AI-driven manufacturing, industrial automation, battery geopolitics, and where Europe can still compete in the next generation of energy and hardware systems.

Episode recorded on April 28 2026 (Published on May 19, 2026).

In this episode, we cover:

(0:00) What happened at Northvolt
(2:33) Takeaways from Ericsson and Tesla on factory operations
(5:52) Why Europe needed a battery champion like Northvolt
(7:01) Northvolt’s strategy
(8:47) The fall of Northvolt
(12:23) The decision Peter wishes he had made differently
(15:46) Was Northvolt's chemistry bet a mistake?
(17:29) Sonder Labs: The promise of sodium-ion batteries
(21:42) Can Europe still compete with China in batteries?
(24:05) Aris Machina: AI agents for manufacturing operations
(27:31) How AI changes factory productivity and the labor market
(29:05) Data sovereignty, AI infrastructure and software challenge
(32:35) Industrial automation, precision manufacturing, and fusion
(34:48) Where Europe still wins
(36:01) Final thoughts on Europe’s industrial future

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

New Mexico's $72B Bet on Clean Energy May 13, 2026

Show notes

Rob Black is Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Economic Development Department, and Bruce Brown is Head of Strategic Climate Initiatives at the New Mexico State Investment Council, the state’s $72B sovereign wealth fund. Together, they are driving one of the most ambitious state-level strategies in the U.S. to turn energy wealth into long-term climate innovation and economic growth.

The conversation also features MCJ portfolio founders building in the state: Carrie von Muench, Co-founder of Pacific Fusion, developing modular fusion energy systems, and Carl Hoiland, Co-founder and CEO of Zanskar Geothermal, using AI to discover and scale geothermal resources.

Together, our guests explore how sovereign capital, policy, and startups intersect—from funding venture managers and attracting hyperscale projects to enabling first-of-a-kind (FOAK) infrastructure. The episode highlights what it actually takes to build (climate) companies in a new geography, and how New Mexico is positioning itself as a hub for advanced energy and climate tech.

This episode of Inevitable was recorded in front of a live audience on April 22, 2026 at the SVB Experience Center during SF Climate Week. (Published on May 12, 2026).

In this episode, we cover:

(0:00) Overview of New Mexico’s development strategy
(2:06) Becoming a climate innovation hub
(4:31) An overview of the state's sovereign wealth fund: $72B capital
(6:27) Investing for returns while hedging energy transition risk
(10:34) Economic growth, poverty reduction, and workforce investment
(14:20) Why New Mexico is betting on climate and energy
(17:32) How the state supports startups: incentives and “white glove” service
(20:26) The shift in strategy: from local funds to global venture partners
(22:36) Scaling the model: billions into venture and new industries
(25:03) Transmission, infrastructure, and enabling energy deployment
(27:00) Building data centers, microgrids, and large-load demand
(35:11) Pacific Fusion: building modular, scalable fusion systems
(35:23) Zanskar Geothermal: AI-driven geothermal discovery and development
(40:23) Why New Mexico: resource potential vs. siting strategy
(45:29) What founders actually get from the state and what still needs work
(50:22) Lessons for builders: permitting, incentives, and scaling fast

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

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