How does an idea go from concept to lab, from lab to field, and finally attract massive capital investment? What can a decade of business building behind the iron curtain in post-cold-war Eastern Europe teach you?

Ty Jagerson has spent his over 25 years executive career launching and growing businesses at Xerox (PARC), SolFocus, Google X, and most recently General Motors. His work at Google X, on Tapestry-the Moonshot Factory project, focused on overcoming the data bottlenecks that hinder the integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) like solar and electric vehicles into the grid. Long before he spun novel technology out of PARC (you might have heard of SolFocus?) he was learning the ropes in Ukraine and Russia exporting space tech, in the 90s! Throughout his career Jagerson’s work reflects a relentless pursuit of integrating renewable energy into the grid, all while navigating the high-stakes, competitive landscape that he likens to the "Hunger Games" of the energy industry.

You’ll discover:

The long arc of innovation and how it often takes (7 to 14 years!) for technology to really become commercially viable.
Insights into how corporate environments may not always be the best incubators for innovation but can serve as safe havens for developing ideas from external sources.
The importance of industry "scar tissue" and how past failures contribute to future successes.
Insights from Ty’s work at Google X and V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) at GM on integrating DERs.

Listen in to learn how one iconic clean energy pioneer, Ty Jagerson, navigated the challenges of integrating DERs with the grid, offering critical lessons for entrepreneurs striving to innovate and succeed in the energy sector.

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is proudly supported by Trina Solar.

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 730 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Mentioned in this episode:

CPS July 2024 V2

734: From Google’s Moonshot to GM’s Vehicle-to-Everything | Lessons in Innovation from Ty Jagerson

SunCast