Raouf

What if your battery didn’t need to be replaced every few years?

In this episode of Liftoff with Keith, Keith speaks with Raouf, co-founder and CEO of CTRL ENERGY, a Paris-based energy startup building a different approach to battery technology.

CTRL ENERGY is developing ZERO, a repairable, modular and scalable portable battery, alongside LEPO, a stationary energy storage system designed for a much longer operating life. Raouf explains how his previous experience in the energy sector led to the company's focus on repairability, reuse and battery recycling.

The conversation covers:

• Why CTRL ENERGY chose to bootstrap a hardware deep tech company
• How ZERO is designed to be repairable, modular and scalable
• Using 3D printing and automated microfactories for localized manufacturing
• Why CTRL ENERGY is building a community around product development
• The company's Kickstarter strategy and early customer traction
• How ZERO and LEPO serve different markets and business models
• Battery recycling and the afterlife of battery cells
• The role of AI and automation in manufacturing
• The challenges of getting deep tech hardware funded in Europe
• Why founders should build a working prototype as early as possible
• Why building a community can give hardware startups an advantage

Raouf also shares his perspective on why hardware is becoming easier to build and why there is still significant room for innovation outside the current AI boom.