Inside a Geothermal Startup’s Mind: Strategy, Funding, Ethics, and the Brutal Race to Commercialize
There’s a certain kind of silence that exists inside fast-growing startups.
Not the quiet of peace, but the quiet of pressure.
It’s the silence of teams racing to commercialize before competitors arrive. The silence of founders balancing mission and survival. The silence of a clean energy industry that desperately needs success stories… but is still learning how to measure them.
In this one-on-one interview, we explore what it really takes to build a geothermal-driven clean energy company in today’s market, from strategic decisions and funding discipline to leadership, ethics, and the painful sacrifices behind growth.
1) Vision & Strategy: “Speed Is Everything”
Q: Teverra has grown rapidly, but competitors are always emerging. What is the single most critical strategic decision that could either make or break Teverra in the next five years?
A: The most critical decision is commercialization speed. We have multiple technologies approaching market readiness, and the next five years will depend on how quickly we can turn prototypes into commercial products and capture market share before others do.
That single answer carries a heavy truth: in clean energy innovation, being right is not enough , you must also be early enough.
Q: Many startups claim to “disrupt” industries, but very few truly do. How Teverra distinguish itself from better-funded and more established competitors?
A:We distinguish ourselves through two things: deep subsurface expertise and solving validated industry problems. We’ve transferred oil and gas subsurface knowledge into clean energy,
geothermal, CCS, and energy storage. We don’t build technology just because it’s interesting. We build solutions for problems the industry confirms are real.
This is not disruption by noise. It’s disruption by precision.
Q: Looking back, is there any major strategic decision you would reverse if you had the chance?
A: Yes. As a technical founder, I would have brought in a business-oriented partner much earlier. I believe that would have accelerated our growth significantly.
2) Funding: Growing Without the “Investor Lie” Trap
Q: Startups often overpromise and underdeliver. Have you ever misled investors,intentionally or unintentionally,about growth projections?
A:Our growth model helped us avoid that. We’ve been self-funded through consulting revenue and supported through non-dilutive grants like DOE and NSF. Without investor pressure early on, we didn’t face the temptation to inflate projections.
This is one of the most underrated advantages in startups: when your runway isn’t built on hype, your decisions become sharper
Q: How do you justify valuation to investors, especially if profitability is not yet fully proven?
A: The value is in the portfolio and progress. We’ve developed around six to seven technologies in parallel, so we’re not dependent on one project succeeding. Now that these technologies are reaching market readiness, we’re spinning out subsidiaries software, hardware, and energy storage,so we can attract targeted investment and speed commercialization.
A diversified pipeline becomes a shield not every bet has to win for the company to survive.
Q: What’s the harshest financial lesson you’ve learned as a founder?
A: Avoid raising large rounds too early without a proven product. Founders can lose an enormous share of equity sometimes over 90% before real traction exists. Bootstrapping and non-dilutive funding helped us maintain control and build responsibly.
3) Leadership & Culture: Building Without Poisoning the Team
Q: Founders often talk about strong company culture. How do you deal with toxic behavior or underperforming employees without derailing morale?
A: We address that mainly through hiring. We prioritize passion and alignment. That has helped us build a strong team culture and avoid internal friction over the years. Even as a remote-first company, we’ve maintained strong cohesion.
The message is clear: culture is not fixed later ,it is selected early.
Q: In moments of crisis, do you make decisions based on instinct, data, or consensus?
A: We rely heavily on data and validation. One of the biggest mistakes startups make is building solutions for problems that don’t exist. So we prioritize identifying real industry problems first, then building around them.
Q: Have you ever had to fire a co-founder or key executive?
A:That wasn’t something we focused on in this discussion, but overall we’ve had strong alignment internally, which has helped us avoid major leadership disruptions.
4) Ethics: The Clean Energy Industry Runs on Credibility
Q: Have you faced situations where short-term gain conflicted with long-term values?
A: The clean energy transition depends heavily on credibility. In geothermal especially, I believe companies should collaborate more rather than attack each other’s approaches. If companies publicly criticize competing technologies, it confuses stakeholders and discourages investors. That hurts the entire industry.
This is a geothermal truth many avoid saying:
a single loud failure can damage an entire sector’s funding mood.
Q: What’s the most morally ambiguous decision you’ve had to make as a founder?
A: Not a specific one I can point to here, but in general, maintaining mission focus matters,especially when funding or growth opportunities tempt you to shift away from what you set out to do.
Q: If a major client offered a deal that could significantly boost revenue but compromise values or mission,would you take it?
A: No. We are mission-driven around accelerating clean energy using subsurface expertise. If a deal compromises that mission, it weakens long-term identity and credibility.
5) Market Reality: The Industry Still Lacks Benchmarks
Q: Many startups fail because they misread the market. What is your biggest blind spot in geothermal today?
A:A major blind spot is the lack of standardized performance metrics for next-generation geothermal approaches like EGS and closed-loop systems. Investors want clear benchmarks like $/kW, but those metrics are not yet well established. That increases uncertainty for both startups and investors.
This is one of the most powerful insights from the interview:
Geothermal isn’t just fighting geology , it’s fighting uncertainty.
Q: How do you respond to critics who say your solutions won’t scale or aren’t viable long term?
A:The geothermal industry’s credibility depends on real success stories. If too many startups fail, it could damage confidence across the entire sector. That’s why we emphasize validated problem solving, strong technical grounding, and collaboration. We need success because the whole industry depends on it.
Q: If a global competitor entered your market tomorrow with ten times your resources, how would your company survive?
A: By being faster, more specialized, and resilient. Our diversified portfolio reduces risk. Our subsurface expertise gives us an edge. And we operate with focus and speed. Also, the market is large enough that collaboration can expand the opportunity rather than shrink it.
6) Personal Resilience: The Price of the Mission
Q: Running a startup is emotionally taxing. Have you ever considered quitting?
A: Startups are extremely hard, and the failure rate is very high. Passion is essential. Without passion, you can’t survive the long uncertainty.
Q: What’s the hardest personal sacrifice you’ve made, and was it worth it?
A: Time and intensity. For years I worked 14 to 20 hours a day. It’s a major sacrifice, but yes because the mission matters.
Q: In retrospect, what is the one decision you regret the most?
A: Not bringing in a business-oriented partner earlier. That would have accelerated growth significantly.
Closing Thoughts: Why This Interview Matters
This interview reveals a side of geothermal entrepreneurship that most press releases never show:
Commercialization is the true battleground.
Funding can be a weapon ,or a trap.
Ethics and credibility are not optional in clean energy.
And the personal cost behind “innovation” is very real.
If geothermal is going to scale globally, it will not happen through technology alone. It will happen through disciplined execution, honest leadership, and success stories strong enough to attract serious capital.
At Alphaxioms we are very much grateful to the Teverra Team for the Exemplary work they've done.
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