Creating a Greener World Through Open-Source Software with Nicolas Höning

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Nov 29, 2023

Nicolas Höning, Co-Founder and CEO of Seita, discusses creating a greener world through open-source software. He describes challenges open-source founders face, choosing an open-source model, and being a bootstrapped startup. Nicolas explains how their project V2G Liberty optimizes electric vehicle charging sustainably. He also shares why he doesn't market to individual users. Other topics include building open-source software for the energy sector, commercial strategy, funding options, and challenges faced while productizing technology.

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INSIGHT

Open Source's Energy Sector Challenge

Open source software remains underappreciated in the traditional energy sector, which is cautious and unfamiliar with modern open-source culture.
Energy companies are slowly building modern software engineering teams beyond their historical electrical engineering roots.

ANECDOTE

Nicolas' Energy Sector Journey

Nicolas started in energy due to a personal mission to help reduce fossil fuel reliance and climate impact.
His PhD on smart control of energy assets led him to work with companies and later cofound Seita.

INSIGHT

Energy Transition Software Crucial

The energy transition now has clear assumptions and timelines, making software a key enabler rather than an AI problem.
To impact climate goals, everyone globally must act now, not just big corporations.

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Nicolas Höning is the Co-Founder and CEO of Seita, an open-source energy optimization and digitalization company. Nicolas took an unconventional path to founding an open-source startup, and throughout this episode he describes how creating a greener world through open-source software is more than a business endeavor for him - it’s a personal mission. Nicolas describes perfectly the challenges that open-source founders face, and is transparent on the decisions he’s still weighing when it comes to choosing an open-source product model and the benefits and challenges of being a boot-strapped startup. I was particularly interested to learn how his company’s project, V2G Liberty, helps individuals who are looking for a greener way to optimize the charging of their electric vehicles, and why Nicolas doesn’t market his other products to individual users.

Highlights:

I introduce Nicolas Höning, who is the Co-Founder and CEO of Seita, an open-source energy digitalization company (01:00)
Nicolas describes the unique nature of building open-source software for the energy sector (03:34)
How Nicolas wound up developing software for the energy sector (05:30)
The mission at Seita and how it’s also reflected personally in Nicolas’ life mission (06:57)
Why open-source was an important part of the delivery of Seita’s mission (09:25)
Nicolas describes the challenge of identifying his users and customers (11:28)
Why Nicolas doesn’t focus on individual users (14:36)
Nicolas describes his project V2G Liberty, which helps individuals optimize their EV charging (17:42)
How Nicolas initially funded Seita and his commercial strategy moving forward (19:51)
Why Seita launched a commercial product before launching an open-source project (23:30)
What Nicolas has been considering when deciding between an open core and open source product model (26:35)
The biggest challenge Nicolas is facing right now at Seita (32:43)
How listeners can connect with Nicolas and learn more (33:57)

Links:

Nicolas

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nhoening/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nhoening
Company: https://seita.nl/