In today's episode we speak to Manuel Schoenfeld, founder and CEO of PowerX. PowerX is a hardware-enabled AI company with the mission to combat climate change.

Power X (https://powerx.co/) was voted one of the top 10 Y Combinator companies in 2023 and is backed by a team of world-class VC funds, including Antler, Phoenix, Pioneer, Liquid2, Sequoia Scouts, Springtide, Y Combinator, and others.

PowerX has installed thousands of hardware units to save energy, water, and reduce carbon emissions. The company serves some of the world’s leading brands.

Before establishing PowerX, Manuel spent several years working for McKinsey and Company. He advised governments and the private sector on innovative energy solutions such as Power-to-X, hydrogen-to-chemicals, and solar-to-cooling. He worked with clients from all continents. Prior to joining McKinsey, Manuel held positions at the World Bank and Morgan Stanley Hong Kong, focusing on renewable energy and intelligence testing. He authored various books and articles that have been cited in reputable publications, including the World Development Report 2018 (World Bank, United Nations). He was a McCloy Scholar at Harvard University, receiving Germany’s most highly endowed scholarship. He also earned the Van Beek Scholarship at the Wharton Business School and was a Haniel and Studienstiftung scholar. Manuel pursued additional studies in Chinese, data science, and international development at the University of Heidelberg and the Rotterdam School of Management, where he achieved the highest grade average in the institution's history. Before attending Harvard, Manuel worked in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, China, and India. He served as the Chief Information Officer of a global humanitarian aid organization and was an advisor at the World Bank and the Ministry of Labor of Saudi Arabia.

In this episode we uncover what it takes to build a remote first company spread across the world especially in the hardware domain.

Listen to this episode to lean about how PowerX built a mission driven culture fit for a remote workforce.

We also uncover some amazing secrets on how to acquire your initial customers and attract your first few employees as a startup.

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