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AI for founders

ryanestes.info

95 episodes

4 days ago

Welcome to AI for Founders. I'm Ryan Estes. Here, you'll find tip-of-the-spear conversations with leaders in business, innovation, and health. Each episode will be packed with valuable insights as we learn how these remarkable individuals built moats around their companies to shield them from a future of uncertainty. You'll hear incredible stories of overcoming obstacles, learn about their daily routines that drive success, and discover the life-changing decisions that gave them the lift to reach new heights. Get ready to be informed, inspired, and uplifted.

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Entrepreneurship

Business

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Building virtual power plants with AI and blockchain

AI for founders

49 minutes 56 seconds

1 month ago

Building virtual power plants with AI and blockchain

Solmag.ai and the Future of Peer-to-Peer Energy | AI for Founders

Solmag.ai and the Future of Peer-to-Peer Energy

In this episode of AI for Founders, Ryan Estes interviews Alex, founder of Solmag.ai, a company building virtual power plants that enable peer-to-peer solar energy trading. From his journey after a first startup exit to a mission of helping humanity reach Type I civilization on the Kardashev scale, Alex shares how Solmag is tackling energy distribution, grid optimization, and decentralized networks.

Listeners will learn how communities can share surplus solar power, what regulatory shifts are coming in Europe, how AI is used to price and route electricity, and why Solmag could redefine the economics of clean energy. This is a must-listen for founders, climate-tech investors, real estate developers, EV infrastructure operators, and anyone passionate about the future of decentralized energy.

Key Takeaways

From Exit to Energy: Alex’s search for meaning after a startup exit led to a mission to transform global energy.
Solmag.ai’s Vision: Virtual power plants connecting solar households.
Peer-to-Peer Trading: Local energy sharing cuts costs and boosts prosumer revenue.
Hardware + Cloud: Gateway device and cloud aggregation enable real-time trading.
Regulatory Landscape: Europe’s 2026 legislation will open new opportunities.
AI in Energy: Routing algorithms optimize distribution like Waze for electricity.
Scalability Challenge: Expanding from 100 homes to entire cities.
Investment Path: Pre-seed round in motion, aiming for Series B growth.
Future Outlook: 25M solar rooftops today, projected 100M by 2030.
Big Picture: Humanity must grow energy harnessing 8,700x to reach Type I civilization.

Frameworks Outlined

Kardashev Energy Framework

Current: Type 0.73
Type I: Harness all Earth’s energy
Future: Compact, space-based, or nuclear solutions

Virtual Power Plant Model

Gateway devices installed in homes
Cloud aggregation of energy data
Peer-to-peer transactions within communities
Scaling network effects for efficiency

Energy Pricing Logic

Utilities: 30–40% margins
Solmag: 10% transaction fee
Users retain ~85% of market value
Local energy should cost less than long-distance grid supply