Energytech Cypher

What separates a reactive project manager from a truly strategic leader?

That was the question at the center of last week’s Determined to Lead: Strategic Thinking for Project Development session and the conversation did not disappoint.

Iwona Wilson, drawing on more than two decades of global experience walked us through exactly how it works in practice:
- Applying decision-quality principles from the earliest stages of development.
- Diagnosing root causes so teams stop managing the same problems on a loop.
- Building stakeholder alignment that creates clarity and confidence.
- Shifting from firefighting culture to a structured, decision-driven one that actually scales.

Big thanks to Iwona for making the conversation so engaging and to everyone who joined and contributed their perspectives.

Stay tuned for the next DTL sessions.

Ahmed

Last week, during the Founders & Funders Fusion event hosted at Greentown Labs, we got a candid look at where the market is heading and what it means for founders building in energy today.

The founders gaining traction today are solving urgent problems, moving fast and fitting seamlessly into existing industry workflows.

After hearing the market reality from investors, we turned to the founders who were actually building solutions to it.

- Rene Flores shared how Fortamis is solving supply chain regulatory compliance for energy, defense and semiconductor companies, with critical FOCI screening deadlines approaching.
- Olu Ajala from Ashipa Electric discussed co-locating solar microgrids with EV charging in Nigeria serving 2,000 households.
- Brian Mueller from Voyageur Pharmaceuticals is producing a performance-validated contrast media product that meets industry standards.

Thank you to our investors, speakers, corporates, founders and every attendee who showed up and engaged. This is the conversation the energy transition needs.

Ethier Ahmed Miller Navarro Rubenstein Webster Mehran Rumman

This week, join Iwona Wilson, Co-founder & CEO of Wilson Biz Consulting for an interactive Determined to Lead session focused on product development, stakeholder alignment and decision-quality in complex technical environments.

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience across the UK, Australia and the US, Iwona will share the practical frameworks that help leaders move beyond firefighting and create clarity.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn:
- How to identify root causes instead of treating symptoms
- Frameworks for stakeholder alignment during critical project phases
- Strategies to shift from reactive decision-making to structured leadership

Friday - June 12, 2026.

Register now: https://loom.ly/RTq4alU

Nada Ahmed Maisha Rumman

Big News for EneryTech Cypher 2026!

We’re excited to announce that POST Houston will be the official venue partner for the EnergyTech Cypher Annual Pilotathon & Startup Showcase 2026, taking place on September 15 during Houston Energy & Climate Week.

As one of Houston’s most iconic innovation hubs, POST Houston provides the perfect setting to bring together founders, investors, corporate leaders and industry experts driving the future of energy. From breakthrough technologies to meaningful collaborations, this year’s event will showcase ideas and partnerships shaping the next generation of the energy transition.

We’re grateful to POST Houston’s partnership and shared commitment to strengthening Houston’s growing energytech ecosystem.

See you in Houston this September.

Learn more: www.pilotathon.com

Every month, the DTL Lunch Series creates space for the Energy Transition to share deep expertise, real-world experiences and leadership journeys that actually move careers forward.

Over the year, we have hosted powerful conversations including:
- Art of Strategic Communications led by Sydney Issacs & Amy Feng
- The Future of Energy Leadership: Where trust, technology and Talent Coverage led by Rebecca Hofmann
- Women’s Day Edition featuring Rozella Haydee White
- Dichotomy of Doing More with Less ft. ​Julie McLelland and Crystal Robertson
- Building a Business with Anne Schaeddel

And now we’re excited to announce our next DTL speaker:

Iwona Wilson - Co-Founder & CEO of Wilson.biz with 20+ years of experience across the energy sector. She will be speaking on Strategic Thinking for Project Development

We’re looking forward to create a room grounded in real operational insight and leadership in action.

Friday - June 12, 2026.

Register now: https://loom.ly/RTq4alU

We do what we're known for:
- helping the ecosystem build authentic connections, and
- access the critical resources that move ideas forward.

Founders & Funders Fusion is our signature event. The place where the right people find each other.

Because here's the truth: most climate and energy startups don't fail because of bad technology. They fail because the right investor never saw them. The right customer never heard about them. The right introduction never happened.

That changes this week in Houston.

Come meet the founders, funders, and industry leaders who are turning bold ideas into real-world impact and be part of the conversation that matters.

Thursday, June 04, 2026

Register: https://loom.ly/2SX9NlA

Returning as part of Houston Climate & Energy Startups Week (Sep 14-18), Pilotathon brings together startups, investors and industry leaders focused on one thing: turning innovation into real world implementation.

This year’s theme “The New Energy Industrial Revolution” reflects where the industry is headed next. Not just concepts, not just prototypes but technologies ready for pilots and partnerships.

And because of strong interest, the Pilot Pitch submission deadline has now been extended to May 31, 2026.

Key dates:
Pilot Pitch deadline (extended): May 31, 2026
Showcase-only deadline: September 8, 2026
Pilotathon 2026 — September 15, 2026

Learn more: www.pilotathon.com

Register for Early Bird access: https://loom.ly/xOK66bs

A right room can definitely change the trajectory of a startup. And the right introduction can speed it up even faster.

At Startup Day during Trellis Impact 2026, we are bringing together a group of experts for curated AI-powered matchmaking session to create meaningful conversations.

This isn’t going to be a random networking.
Every 10-minute meeting is matched based on sector focus, technology and stage alignment making it easier to connect with the people who can help move your company forward.

Don’t miss this amazing opportunity coming your way and join us on June 24, 2026.

Space is limited and matches will be finalized before the event.

Register now: https://loom.ly/j5s4a-U