In this episode, we sit down with Zach Dell, co-founder and CEO of Base Power - the Austin-based energy company backed by Addition, a16z, Lightspeed, and Thrive Capital, and last valued at $13 billion.

Zach shares Base's mission to build America's next great energy company: replacing stale incumbents not through government entrenchment, but through a cult of speed, self-funded R&D, and a better product. From quitting a job in venture capital and meeting his co-founder on a factory tour at Anduril, to raising $1B and turning every home into a piece of grid infrastructure, Zach offers a rare look at what it actually takes to rebuild American energy.

We dive into:

- Why he says he isn't the CEO Base needs in five years

- The bet on speed and self-funded R&D over incumbency

- Convincing investors to write a $1B check for hardware

- What the energy race against China actually demands

- Turning every home into a money machine on the grid

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

1:19 Why Base Was Built in Austin

2:47 Not the CEO Base Needs in 5 Years

7:35 The Family Chip on Zach's Shoulder

10:01 Why Zach Quit Investing

11:24 Meeting His Co-Founder at Anduril

17:48 The Energy Race vs China

21:42 Josh Kushner on the "Inner Ring"

23:47 The Pitch That Raised $1B

26:34 Base Power's "IQ Test" Product

32:08 Sponsor Read

33:09 Why Legacy Energy Giants Can't Compete

36:34 The "Money Machine" on Every Home

39:54 How Base Survives Boom & Bust Cycles

44:09 The 10-Year Vision

48:58 Building the Corolla of Batteries

51:28 Inside Zach's Mindset

54:03 The 2021 Texas Storm

57:00 The Leaders Zach Looks Up To

Watch our original Base Power video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fTPLRf1cnA&t=731s

Unpacking Zach Dell's $1B Energy Bet Taking on Tesla and the Power Grid | Zach Dell Interview

Sachin and Adam

Unpacking Zach Dell's $1B Energy Bet Taking on Tesla and the Power Grid | Zach Dell Interview