DER Task Force DER Startup School with Seth Frader-Thompson, CEO and Co-Founder of EnergyHub
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Sep 5, 2025 Seth Frader-Thompson, CEO and co-founder of EnergyHub, shares his journey from aerospace engineering to leading a major virtual power plant platform. He discusses EnergyHub's innovative VPP capabilities, including their unique Huels Test. The conversation dives into the benefits of VPPs versus traditional power plants and the intricacies of starting a clean tech company. Seth emphasizes the importance of data in managing distributed energy resources and the evolving dynamics within the utility industry, making it a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs in energy.
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From Homebase Hardware To Utility Software
- Seth Frader-Thompson recounts EnergyHub's early pivot from building a consumer smart-home device to focusing on software and utility partnerships.
- They learned technical IoT challenges and utility politics the hard way, which shaped their later DERMS strategy.
Stay Small And Deliver High-Value Work
- If you lack capital, prioritize focused, high-value work and stay small instead of chasing large swings.
- Use disciplined, lean teams to survive downturns and prove traction before scaling.
Long Time Constants In Energy Startups
- Energy startups live with long 'time constants' because hardware, regulations, and utility adoption slow iteration.
- Founders must plan multi-year learning cycles rather than expecting weekly lean startup feedback loops.
