Join venture capital firm Prime Movers Lab as we dive deep into the most exciting advances in breakthrough science and technology with the founders, researchers, and prime movers who are working to transform billions of lives.
Harnessing the Quantum Vacuum w/ Casimir CEO & Founder Harold "Sonny" White
Casimir CEO and Founder Harold "Sonny" White sits down with Prime Movers Lab Partner Gavin Mathis to discuss the groundbreaking physics behind his company's innovative approach to harvesting energy from the quantum vacuum and the future of ultra-low-power electronics. Discover how these advancements could revolutionize power generation and space exploration.
12 Feb 2026
The Future of Animal Health w/ Dalan Animal Health CEO Annette Kleiser
In this episode of Prime Movers, host Gavin Mathis welcomes Annette Kleiser, CEO and founder of Dalan Animal Health, to discuss her journey from scientist to entrepreneur and the critical issue of honeybee health. Annette shares her origin story and her passion for addressing the alarming decline in honeybee populations, which are essential for global food security. She emphasizes the importance of honeybees in pollinating a significant portion of the world's food crops and highlights the multifaceted challenges they face, including diseases, climate change, and pesticides.
The conversation delves into Dalan's innovative approach to developing vaccines for honeybees, a groundbreaking solution that could revolutionize bee health management. Annette explains the science behind the bee's innate immune system and how her team has successfully developed a vaccine that protects colonies from disease. She shares early trial results, showcasing the positive impact of the vaccine on bee health and productivity, and discusses the potential for similar applications in other species, such as shrimp. The episode concludes with Annette's insights on the future of animal health and the importance of innovative solutions in addressing global challenges.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Annette Kleiser and Dalan Animal Health
03:29 The Importance of Honeybees and the Problem of Colony Collapse
08:33 Innovative Solutions: Developing Vaccines for Honeybees
14:04 Field Trials and Early Results of the Bee Vaccine
18:45 Expanding Horizons: Vaccination in Shrimp and Other Species
24:21 Challenges and Insights from Founding Dalan Animal Health
29:32 Future Predictions and the Vision for Animal Health
18 Sept 2025
Revolutionizing Tissue Therapeutics w/ Dimension Bio CEO Caralynn Nowinski Collens, M.D.
Dimension Bio CEO Caralynn Nowinski Collens, M.D., discusses the company's mission to create life-saving regenerative therapies, particularly for liver disease. She shares her journey in the startup world, the increasing demand for liver treatments, and the innovative approaches Dimension Bio is taking with cell-based therapies. The conversation also touches on recent advancements, regulatory challenges, and future predictions for the field of regenerative medicine.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Dimension Bio and Its Mission
02:39 Caralynn's Journey and Leadership in Startups
05:13 The Growing Need for Liver Disease Treatments
08:23 Understanding Cell-Based Therapies
11:15 Recent Milestones and Innovations in Therapy
14:03 The Mechanism of Action and Placement of Therapies
16:59 Regulatory Landscape and Future Predictions
19:40 Final Thoughts and Future Aspirations
23 Apr 2025
The Future of Geothermal Energy and Desalination w/ Aaron Mandell
Wacomet and Polpis Founder and CEO Aaron Mandell discusses his journey as a founder of multiple companies focused on geothermal energy and desalination. He shares insights on the potential of geothermal energy in the U.S., the challenges of scaling it, and the importance of desalination as a critical resource for water management. Mandell advocates for a national water strategy to address the growing water crisis and emphasizes the need for innovative financing solutions to support desalination projects. He reflects on the lessons learned throughout his entrepreneurial journey and the importance of believing in the potential for technological advancements to transform industries.
Chapters
00:00 - The Journey of a Repeat Founder
03:02 - Innovations in Geothermal Energy
06:05 - Scaling Geothermal: Opportunities and Challenges
09:06 - Site Selection for Geothermal Resources
12:12 - Desalination: A Critical Resource
14:55 - Advocating for a National Water Strategy
20:07 - The Future of Water Management
25:07 - Financing Desalination Projects
27:49 - Lessons from the Founder Journey
30:57 - Looking Ahead: Breakthroughs in Energy and Water
33:01 - Inspiration and Recommendations
Books mentioned:
Cadillac Desert (https://www.amazon.com/Cadillac-Desert-American-Disappearing-Revised/dp/0140178244) by Marc Reisner
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis (https://www.amazon.com/Hillbilly-Elegy-Memoir-Family-Culture/dp/0062300555/ref=sr_1_1?crid=N3KDQ8C1VRI3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8sLR342bZnl_mard_P-ZDHyYe-rXGa_7_MD0DjvbtSIP0cTvy4D6rIhNribq4oXriLXRVboXeuMLkWsH21SgMlyS3QC7kd8lsC-FEKgQ0b-jrmnAnWQt81BxmaDLRc9ZzAB9EDiIcMHjfsNFxvf7L-e9GscrbM47VRvxK5Ol8D__l-fqA5bZd088EsrfrBPekQ-J-VgRouvMiqYyfvo3CqCTI2HGH84TEcR2eQ2lC4I.4U_HkpLUWJfycdd-RUcmUi5ATKvTyfkz4oSTyUh7HAs&dib_tag=se&keywords=hillbilly+elegy+by+j.d.+vance&qid=1745342037&s=books&sprefix=hillbilly+eleg%2Cstripbooks%2C356&sr=1-1) by JD Vance
Tryptamine Palace: 5-MeO-DMT and the Sonoran Desert Toad (https://www.amazon.com/Tryptamine-Palace-5-MeO-DMT-Sonoran-Desert/dp/1594772991) by James Oroc
10 Mar 2025
Harnessing the Power of Fusion Energy w/ Focused Energy CEO Scott Mercer
In this episode of the Prime Rovers podcast, Focused Energy CEO Scott Mercer discusses his journey in the energy sector and the advancements in fusion energy. He explains the unique approach of laser fusion technology, the commercialization process, and the regulatory environment surrounding fusion compared to fission. Scott emphasizes the importance of energy abundance for global progress and the bipartisan support for fusion initiatives. He also shares personal insights on the challenges of being a founder and his predictions for the future of energy.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Scott Mercer and Focus Energy
02:51 The Evolution of Fusion Energy
06:04 Understanding Laser Fusion Technology
08:53 Commercialization of Fusion Energy
12:13 Fusion's Role in Global Energy Demand
14:54 Regulatory Environment for Fusion vs. Fission
18:08 Bipartisan Support and Industrial Policy for Fusion
20:57 Personal Insights and Future Predictions
21 Feb 2025
Future of Regenerative Medicine w/ LyGenesis CEO Michael Hufford
LyGenesis CEO Michael Hufford joins Prime Movers Lab Partner Gavin Mathis to discuss Michael's extensive background in drug development and the innovative work being done at LyGenesis in regenerative medicine. The company has found a way to turn lymph nodes into bioreactors to grow functioning ectopic organs, particularly the liver. Michael shares insights into their clinical trials, the economic implications of their therapies, and the broader applications of their technology. He also addresses the regulatory landscape and personal reflections on the challenges and future of regenerative medicine.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to LightGenesis and Michael Hufford
03:53 Innovative Approaches in Regenerative Medicine
10:00 Clinical Trials and Liver Regeneration
15:11 Economic Impact of Liver Therapy
19:50 Expanding Applications Beyond the Liver
24:52 Regulatory Landscape and Challenges
29:03 Personal Insights and Future Predictions
2 Aug 2024
The Future of Robotics w/ Robust.AI Co-founder and CEO Anthony Jules
Summary
Anthony Jules, co-founder of Robust AI, discusses how his company is building robots that are designed for real-world tasks. He also addresses the misconception that robots will replace human jobs, highlighting the potential for increased productivity and job satisfaction through human-robot collaboration.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:35 The Importance of Form Factor in Robotics
06:22 Challenges of Humanoid Robots
10:53 Partnership with DHL and Applications of Collaborative Robots
13:56 Addressing Dystopian Views of Robots and AI
20:15 Preparing for a Career in Robotics and AI
22:40 Prime Mover Questionnaire
20 Jul 2023
Computer Vision & The Environment
How do advances in computer vision help us understand the environment? What does generative AI have to do with climate tech? How do we turn satellite imagery into actionable knowledge? Listen as we answer these questions and more with our panel of founders applying computer vision to solve challenging problems in the natural world.
Panelists:
Igino Cafiero, CEO and Founder of Bear Flag Robotics
Matt King, CEO and Founder of FruitScout
Scott Larson, CEO of SpaceAlpha
1 Jul 2023
Breakthrough Science Summit: Fundamental Research
Former Prime Movers Lab Futurist Ramez Naam moderates a panel with The Roots of Progress Founder Jason Crawford, Idea Machines Host Ben Reinhardt, and Prime Movers Lab Venture Partner Amy Kruse to discuss the fundamental research that the US needs to invest in and how it will impact the economy.
The conversation is an excerpt from the Prime Movers Lab Breakthrough Science Summit hosted in Scottsdale, Arizona on October 27th, 2022.
30 May 2023
Ocean Energy
Learn about the top trends and technologies in ocean energy. Hosted by Prime Movers Lab Partner Josh Agenbroad and Fellow Nicholas May-Varas.
Panelists include:
- Anthony DiMare, CEO & Co-Founder - Bedrock
- Anders Jansson, Head of Business Development - CorPower Ocean
- Beth Hartman, Strategic Innovation and Outreach Program Manager - Department of Energy
- Marcus Lehmann, CEO - CalWave
11 May 2023
Mineral Extraction and Recovery
Learn about the top trends and technologies in mineral extraction. Hosted by former Prime Movers Lab Partner Gaetano Crupi and Research fellow Mitch Juneau. This conversation was originally recorded on Sep 28, 2022.
Panelists include:
Aaron Wilson, Chemical Separations Group Lead and Research Chemist at the Idaho National Laboratory
Nicholas Myers, CEO & Co-Founder of Phoenix Tailings
Jeff Urban, Lead of LBL Thermoelectric Program, MSD Lead on Water-Energy Initiative at Berkeley Lab
28 Apr 2023
Biden’s Science Priorities and the Debt Ceiling
Learn about President Joe Biden’s FY2024 budget request for science and technology programs and which ones are the most likely to pass the Republican-controlled House. Hosted by Prime Movers Lab Partners Gavin Mathis and Pritha Ghosh.
Panelists include:
Marissa Serafino, Associate - Holland & Knight
Matt Hourihan, Associate Director of R&D and Advanced Industry - Federation of American Scientists
Mike O'Neill, Associate - K&L Gates
13 Apr 2023
Scaling Robotics Startups
What industries are being automated first? Why now? What developments make this the right moment to build robots? Just how automated is the world today? And what about humanoids?
Panelists:
Rodney Brooks (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodney-brooks-1a137517/), CTO and Founder at Robust.AI (https://www.robust.ai/), Founder at Rethink Robotics, iRobot, Lucid Inc, Panasonic Professor of Robotics at MIT, and former director of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
Joyce Sidopoulos (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joycesidopoulos/), Cofounder and COO at MassRobotics (https://www.massrobotics.org/), Co-founder at Robots.Jobs (https://www.robots.jobs/en/)
David Bell (https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bell-rr/), Cofounder and CEO at Remedy Robotics (https://www.remedyrobotics.com/)
6 Apr 2023
Advances in Diagnostics
Advances in scientific breakthroughs, such as single-cell technologies, have led to the increased ability to detect diseases. Accurate and early detection of disease can lead to the enhanced effectiveness of treatments and reduce burdens on the healthcare system. Join Partner Justin Briggs and Research Fellow Ted Ling Hu as they do a deep dive into the emerging trends in the field of diagnostics with our panel of experts.
Panelists
Swamy Vijayan, CEO & Co-founder of Zafrens — Vijayan is a serial entrepreneur who founded Omniome and Plexium. Swamy’s current venture, Zafrens, unlocks cellular analysis through ultra-high throughput single-cell screening. The technique provides deep insights that unlock unprecedented diagnostic and therapeutic value.
Daniel Georgiev, CEO and Co-founder of Sampling Human — Daniel is the co-founder and CEO of Sampling Human, which creates new technologies that harness the processing power of biology to measure single cells at scale. He is also a tenured professor at the Faculty of Applied Sciences at the University of West Bohemia.
John McDevitt, Chief Scientist & Founder of OraLiva — McDevitt is the Scientific Founder of Oraliva, Inc. and is a pioneer in the development of programmable bio-nano-chip technologies. He is a Full Professor in the Department of Biomaterials at NYU Dentistry and a member of NYU’s Bioengineering Institute. He also holds a joint appointment at the Tandon School of Engineering (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering).
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 23 / 100
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