Break New Ground x Nano One | A Fireside Chat with CEO Dan Blondal

Summary

In this interview, Dan Blondell, CEO of Nano One, discusses his company's innovative approach to revolutionizing the battery supply chain. By developing cost-effective, long-lasting, and safe battery materials in Canada, Nano One aims to support a sustainable future and address global manufacturing challenges. The company's patented 'one pot' process stands out for reducing environmental impact and waste while offering a competitive alternative to existing technologies in Asia. Blondell emphasizes the importance of diversifying supply chains and the role of Nano One's scalable technology in achieving this goal, ultimately contributing to a cleaner energy future.

Takeaways

• 🚀 Nano One is a Canadian technology company developing innovative processes for manufacturing cathode materials for lithium batteries, aiming to disrupt the global battery supply chain.
• 🌏 Their technology is designed to be more cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and safe, which aligns with global sustainability goals, including Canada's net-zero emissions target by 2050.
• 🔋 Nano One focuses on improving the production of cathode materials, which are crucial for lithium batteries' performance, safety, and energy storage capacity.
• 📈 The company has a patented 'one pot' process and holds over 40 patents with an additional 50 pending, showcasing their commitment to innovation in battery technology.
• 🏭 Nano One is not directly involved in battery production but partners with other businesses, positioning themselves between mining and battery manufacturing in the supply chain.
• 💡 They aim to decouple from traditional supply chains, particularly those in Asia, to create a more diversified and localized supply chain strategy.
• 🌿 Sustainability is a core value for Nano One, encompassing environmental, economic, and security aspects to ensure a responsible and viable supply chain.
• 🔄 The scalability of Nano One's processes is a priority, with the goal of making their technology widely accessible for the global transition to clean energy.
• 🛠️ Challenges for Nano One include innovation risk and the reluctance of established industries to adopt new, disruptive technologies.
• 🌟 The company's vision is to change how the world makes cathode materials, with plans to license their technology and build modular plants globally to meet future demands.
• 💼 CEO Dan Blondal leads with a collaborative style, emphasizing the importance of team growth, vision, and a sense of ownership in driving the company's mission forward.

Q & A

What is Nano One's core business focus?

Nano One is a technology company focused on process technology and chemical processes to improve the way cathode materials are made for lithium batteries.

What are the benefits of Nano One's cathode material production process?

Nano One's process drives down cost, reduces environmental footprint, water usage, and waste streams, and allows for decoupling from some of the intransigent supply chains in Asia.

What is the significance of Nano One's technology being developed in Canada?

Developing the technology in Canada means Nano One is contributing to a more sustainable future and solving global manufacturing challenges, which is important for achieving Canada's goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

What is the 'one pot' process that Nano One has patented?

The 'one pot' process is a patented method that Nano One uses to make cathode materials, which is part of their 40 patents issued in various countries.

Who are Nano One's main competitors in the battery materials space?

China dominates the space with two dominant chemistries, NMC (nickel-magnesium-cobalt-based lithium batteries) and LFP (lithium iron phosphate), which are Nano One's main competitors.

How does Nano One's technology address supply chain risks?

Nano One's technology allows for a more diversified and localized supply chain, which is crucial for reducing reliance on single-location supply chains and mitigating risks.

What was the 'aha' moment for Nano One in terms of market acceptance of their environmental technology?

The 'aha' moment came in January 2020 when there was a sudden increase in market interest in environmental change as part of the ESG drive.

How scalable is Nano One's technology?

Nano One's technology is designed to be scalable from the outset, ensuring that reactions happen uniformly and consistently regardless of scale.

What is the biggest hurdle for companies when considering partnering with Nano One?

The biggest hurdle is innovation risk, as the industry is often reluctant to adopt unproven technologies that are disruptive, even if they offer environmental and cost benefits.

How does Nano One define sustainability in the context of their technology and business?

Sustainability for Nano One includes environmental sustainability (reducing waste and energy use), economic sustainability (creating a viable and responsible supply chain), and security sustainability (ensuring long-term viability).

What is Nano One's strategy for global expansion and technology adoption?

Nano One plans to demonstrate their technology at scale in Canada and then use this as a model for a 'design once, build many' modular plant design that can be quickly rolled out worldwide through licensing.

What inspired Dan Blondell, CEO of Nano One, to keep going during challenging times?

Dan is inspired by watching his team grow and contribute, as well as the opportunity to be involved in shaping government policies and making a difference in environmental and energy security issues.

How would you describe Dan Blondell's leadership style?

Dan Blondell's leadership style is collaborative, with a focus on leading by example, including people in decisions, and surrounding himself with knowledgeable team members.

What advice does Dan Blondell have for technology entrepreneurs regarding effective communication?

Dan advises entrepreneurs to constantly refine their messaging, practice presenting ideas to different audiences, and stay informed about the ecosystem to turn gathered information into a cohesive message and product development.

How does Nano One's culture differ from other tech companies in the industry?

Nano One differs by focusing on developing next-generation materials for batteries, addressing future needs and sustainability hurdles, and creating a sense of urgency and purpose within the company.

What is the one key takeaway Dan Blondell suggests people should have regarding the battery industry in the coming years?

The key takeaway is the growing market share of LFP in China and its potential expansion to the West, along with Nano One's strategy to make this chemistry competitive globally through their one pot process and modular plant design.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Disrupting the Battery Supply Chain with Nano One

In this segment, the CEO of Nano One, Dan Blondell, discusses his company's innovative approach to battery materials, which aims to disrupt the global supply chain. Nano One is developing cost-effective, long-lasting, and safe battery materials in Canada, contributing to a sustainable future and addressing global manufacturing challenges. The company focuses on improving the production process of cathode materials for lithium batteries, which are crucial for energy storage capacity and safety. Their patented 'one pot' process reduces costs and environmental impact while mitigating reliance on supply chains in Asia. The conversation highlights the importance of diversification and localization in supply chains, especially in light of recent geopolitical events.

05:00

🌱 Sustainability and Scalability at Nano One

This paragraph delves into Nano One's commitment to sustainability, both from an environmental and economic perspective. The company's processes are designed to be scalable, ensuring uniform reactions in chemical processing regardless of scale. Nano One's acquisition of Johnson Matthey Battery Materials' Canadian division allowed them to demonstrate their technology at full scale without generating waste. The discussion also touches on the challenges of innovation disruption in the industry, as new technologies can be met with reluctance due to the perceived risks. The company's focus is on creating a secure, economically viable, and environmentally responsible supply chain for the future.

10:01

🛠 Building a Global Solution with Homegrown Technology

Dan Blondell outlines Nano One's strategy to not only innovate within Canada but also to export their technology globally. The company's plant in Candiac, near Montreal, serves as a learning center for developing a turnkey design for future plants. The goal is to license this technology and establish plants worldwide, providing a solution to environmental concerns such as water and chemical waste while remaining economically competitive. This approach is essential for the widespread adoption of their technology and for reshaping the supply chain in the electric vehicle and renewable energy storage sectors.

15:03

🔍 Fostering Innovation and Overcoming Challenges

In this segment, the discussion centers on the importance of leadership and culture in fostering innovation within an organization. Dan Blondell emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach, where team members feel a sense of ownership and are aligned with the company's larger vision. He acknowledges the challenges faced by entrepreneurs, especially during the early stages of a company's growth, and the importance of maintaining effective communication. Blondell also highlights the support from shareholders and government agencies, which has been instrumental in Nano One's progress.

20:05

🌟 The Future of Battery Technology and Market Shifts

The final paragraph focuses on the future of battery technology, particularly the rise of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) in China and its potential impact on global markets. Nano One's 'one pot' process offers a solution to make LFP competitive with existing technologies in Asia by reducing costs and environmental impact. The company's strategy involves a modular plant design that can be quickly deployed worldwide, eliminating waste and security risks associated with traditional supply chains. This approach positions Nano One at the forefront of the energy transition and addresses the growing demand for sustainable and secure battery technologies.

Keywords

💡nano1

nano1 is a technology company focused on improving the production of cathode materials for lithium batteries. The company's mission is to disrupt the battery supply chain by providing cost-effective, longer-lasting, and safe battery materials. In the script, nano1's CEO Dan Blondell discusses the company's innovative approach to battery materials and its impact on the global supply chain.

💡cathode materials

Cathode materials are a crucial component of lithium batteries, typically consisting of a mixture of lithium and other metals such as nickel, magnesium, cobalt, and aluminum. These materials define the voltage and energy storage capacity of the battery, as well as its safety. In the video, the development and improvement of cathode materials by nano1 are central to their strategy for enhancing battery performance and sustainability.

💡supply chain

The term 'supply chain' refers to the network of organizations, people, activities, information, and resources involved in producing and delivering a product or service. In the context of the video, nano1 is aiming to decouple from traditional Asian supply chains and develop a more sustainable and secure supply chain for battery materials, which is integral to achieving global manufacturing goals and reducing environmental impact.

💡patented process

A patented process refers to a method or technique that has been granted legal protection, preventing others from using it without permission. nano1 has developed a patented 'one pot' process for making cathode materials, which is highlighted in the script as a key differentiator for the company. This process is designed to reduce costs, environmental footprint, water usage, and waste streams.

💡environmental sustainability

Environmental sustainability is the practice of using resources in a way that preserves the environment for future generations. In the video, nano1's approach to battery materials production is emphasized as being environmentally sustainable, aiming to minimize waste, reduce energy and water usage, and create a smaller ecological footprint.

💡economic sustainability

Economic sustainability refers to the ability to maintain economic health and growth over time without depleting resources or causing long-term damage to the environment. The script mentions that nano1's technology is not only environmentally friendly but also economically viable, which is essential for creating a sustainable supply chain that can support long-term growth.

💡security sustainability

Security sustainability in this context means ensuring a stable and secure supply of materials and resources for the long term. The video discusses the importance of diversifying supply chains to reduce risk and the role of nano1's technology in creating a secure and reliable supply chain for battery materials, which is crucial for the adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.

💡one pot process

The 'one pot process' is a patented method developed by nano1 for synthesizing cathode materials in a single step, which simplifies the production process and reduces waste. The script highlights this process as a key innovation that allows nano1 to offer a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional battery material production methods.

💡lithium iron phosphate (LFP)

Lithium iron phosphate, or LFP, is a type of cathode material used in lithium-ion batteries, known for its safety, cost-effectiveness, and longevity. The script notes that LFP has gained significant market share in China and is becoming increasingly important globally. nano1's technology aims to make LFP more competitive by reducing production costs and environmental impact.

💡net-zero emissions

Net-zero emissions refer to a state where the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere is balanced by the amount removed, effectively having zero net impact on the climate. The video mentions Canada's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, and nano1's role in contributing to this goal through the development of sustainable battery materials.

Highlights

Nano One is a technology company focused on improving lithium battery cathode material production with a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly process.

The company's innovative process reduces costs, environmental footprint, water usage, and waste streams, while also addressing supply chain issues.

Nano One's process technology allows decoupling from traditional Asian supply chains, providing a more sustainable and secure alternative.

The company has a patented 'one pot' process with 40 patents issued and 50 more being examined, positioning it as a key player in battery technology.

China dominates the current battery market, but Nano One aims to provide a competitive alternative with its technology.

Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) has become a dominant chemistry in China due to its safety, cost-effectiveness, and longevity.

Nano One's technology is designed to be scalable, addressing one of the main challenges in chemical processing.

The company acquired Johnson Matthey Battery Materials' Canadian division, enhancing its ability to demonstrate full-scale production.

Innovation risk is a significant hurdle for Nano One, as the industry is often reluctant to adopt unproven technologies.

Sustainability is a key focus for Nano One, encompassing environmental, economic, and security sustainability.

Nano One's strategy includes licensing its technology to multiple players to commoditize materials and secure supply chains.

The company's leadership style is collaborative, with an emphasis on leading by example and including team members in decision-making.

Fostering innovation at Nano One involves giving employees a sense of ownership and aligning them with the company's larger vision.

Government support has been crucial for Nano One, with backing from both Canadian and US government agencies.

Nano One's culture is defined by a sense of urgency and purpose, focusing on solving future challenges in battery technology.

The rise of LFP in China and its potential spread to the West is a significant trend that the industry should monitor.

Nano One's one pot process offers a solution to make LFP competitive globally, with plans for a modular plant design for rapid deployment.

Transcripts

I'm excited today to sit down with Dan

Blondell the CEO of nano1 nano1 is

disrupting the battery supply chain by

providing more costeffective

longer-lasting and safe battery

materials and what's really interesting

is that they are developing this

technology right here in Canada this

means that nano1 is not only Paving the

way for a more sustainable future but

they're also solving some of our Global

manufacturing challenges this is

extremely important and helping us get

closer to achieving Canada's goal of net

zero emissions by

[Music]

2050 well we've got Dan here today CEO

of nano1 thank you for being here with

us it's a pleasure to be here thank you

it's really uh it's really great to see

you in person you're so busy changing

the world that uh we do you get that

often no changing the word not yet not

yet but it's coming right it's coming

um so speaking about changing the world

you guys have really invested in um a

strategy around battery materials uh

that actually has a huge impact on the

global supply chain tell me a little bit

about Nano one to start and then we're

going to get into the details a little

bit so Nano one's a technology company U

focused on process technology chemical

processes to improve the way that

cathode materials are made for lithium

batteries a cathode material is a

mixture of lithium nickel magnes Cobalt

aluminum and a whole bunch of other

things or there's various flavors of

cathod materials they all have lithium

them the other metals Define things like

voltage and the amount of energy it can

store and how safe it is and all of that

so we have a process for making the

cathod materials that drives down cost

environmental foot print uh water usage

waste streams and it allows us to sort

of decouple from some of the uh uh in

transident uh Supply chains that

actually exist in in Asia you're not

doing the battery production you're

actually looking in and the materials

and partnering with other other

businesses cor correct so so so the

supply chain you kind of have to

understand the supply chain how works

there's Mining and then you refine those

materials then you purify them and then

you process them together to make a

functional cathode material that's what

we do so we're at that we're at the

point where lithium and nickel are

combined right that material then goes

off to a cell producer who will then put

it onto a piece of foil and then roll it

into a cylindrical battery or fold it

into a flat battery like you might have

in the back of your phone and then that

will go off to someone who puts a big

whole bunch of them together into a

battery package sticking in a in a in a

car or a vacuum cleaner or whatever

application it's in so that's kind of we

fit right in the middle right between

Mining and the battery do you have a

patented process called one pot that

correct is that correct tell yeah many

patents actually so when we say patented

um we have 40 patents um currently

issued in in Canada and the US and China

Japan Korea Taiwan European ones are are

out there and then we have another 50 or

so that are being uh examined and

prosecuted at any time who would your um

main competitors be in the space China

really dominates the space and there are

really two dominant chemistries right

now what we call the nmc nickel magnes

cobalt-based lithium batteries which has

been the preferred uh yeah generally

because of the the higher energy density

at the it's really at the at the cathod

level in the in the chemical powders

that I guess you put on the foil and

then there's lithium iron phosphate lfp

and uh those are the two dominant

chemistries in China now lfp has grown

to about 60 or 70% Market share and

largely because it's safer uh cheaper

longer lasting and they figured out a

way at the Pack level so when you put it

into a car they figured out how to pack

more lfp cells in Between the Wheels

than nmc cells because it's safer and

and so that's given them the range and

the energy density to compete so as a

result you're seeing that while nmc was

kind of the preferred uh one to start

with we're seeing LP really take over in

China one of the things that's

interesting about this too is we saw

with with Co how supply chain issues

really became a a big deal um and

there's a lot of discussion not to make

this about politics but there is a lot

of discussion between um you know should

we focus more on a global Outlook versus

a national Outlook and and I I think

what I'm hearing um is the ability for

nano1 to bring this technology out of

Canada um really allows North America

first and foremost even though I know

you guys are focused um globally um in

the long run um but it allows you to

bring this technology kind of as a

homegrown um um solution uh to some of

those uh supply chain risks if if you

would have it yeah yeah I mean think

look no one wants a supply chain located

in one place it doesn't really matter

where it is because there's a there's

ultimately there's a risk and so we we

need Diversified Supply chains if if Co

taught us anything if the the the

freighter stuck in the Suez Canal taught

us anything that that we can't have it

all going down one road right and so so

really diversification um uh

localization of the supply chains

becomes a really important uh part of

the strategy so you obviously saw this

as an opportunity and said okay we're

gonna we're we're you know we're going

to go down this path um what was that

aha moment when you went this is the

path that we need to take and this is

the direction um was it well after you

had started nan1 like did you have that

aha moment before you started or was it

while you were going through this

process uh or a process in in developing

the materials and then went oh this is

bigger than I I initially realized it's

certainly the latter if I look back not

that far to 2020 uh early in

2020 uh we saw an emergence in the

marketplace that actually really

accepted uh wanted to see environmental

change this part of the whole ESG kind

of drive all of a sudden there was

investing in that space our technology

always had that element to it but no one

wanted to pay for it no one was really

that interested in it so the the first

aha comes in January 2020 okay like it

was like it was like someone turned on

the light switch and they said oh this

is important the second one came quite

recently recognizing that uh that China

largely owns the nickel Market because

of all the investment they've done in

Indonesian mining that makes nickel very

difficult to process in in the western

world and that makes lithium iron

phosphate a more suitable candidate for

electric vehicles because it can be

decoupled from those Supply chains and

made more secure in a in a North

American or Western context so uh it's

it's fascinating to me how these Supply

how how these Supply chains you know way

down at a level that most people don't

understand are actually affecting how

the world adopts these technology and

how we how we transition into the into

the sort of Clean Energy Future the

Midstream is the Le is the most

resistant to change CU they're kind of

squeezed from both sides right and so

they don't want to change their chemical

processes expensive we have to work with

their customers and their suppliers to

bring that change in so so working with

the big large integrated Miners and the

big uh electric vehicle companies

they're the ones with the vision they're

the ones who want to collaps the supply

chain make it simpler they want to

reduce ghgs uh they want to build uh you

know a long-term future for their

products uh that is sustainable um from

an environmental point of view that is

sustainable from a business point of

view so the scalability of the

technology is critical for widespread

adoption how scalable are Nano one's

processes so um from the get-go we've

we've Tred to design the processes to be

scalable and maybe just give you a sense

of this so if you're mixing something in

a little tiny be

um it it's really the same temperature

all the way through the beaker cuz it's

just a tiny little amount and and when a

reaction happens it happens loc like

through the whole Beaker as you get

bigger and bigger and bigger what

happens is that um you know the reaction

might be different in the middle than it

is on the outside or the top and the

temperature might be different and so

that's the scalability problem in

chemical processing so you have to

design your process so that actually the

reactions take happen fairly uniformly

and fairly consistently in the same

amount of time so we've designed our

process to do that a year half ago we

finished the acquisition of uh uh of a

company a Canadian company Johnson

Matthew battery materials their Canadian

division they had the only lithium iron

phosphate production facility outside of

Asia we were able to go in and remove

all of the Wastewater handling and all

of the waste chemical handling because

we have no we have no waste stream in

our process by getting rid of that and

then using their full scale reactors and

and various equipment in there we can

demonstrate that technology works at

full scale you mentioned that it is a a

huge hurdle in terms of um um

the Western economy uh how are you

reaching these companies and what are

the um hurdles that they foresee in

terms of partnering with a company like

nan1 well the biggest hurdle is is

innovation risk so technology tends to

be it's already proven it's been used

out there and so the the industry likes

to bring in Technologies already used

and plop it in place and and just make

it bigger and wider and longer and

deeper but if you layer on a piece of

technology let's say it's going to cut

down water usage or it's going to cut

down uh it's going to cut down energy

but it's unproven um there is a

reluctance to adopt that because it's

disruptive right and I would say that

that it's so Innovation disruption is

very difficult to uh Drive in the

industry and that's that's probably the

biggest challenge so when we're talking

to you know a big automotive company

that's the risk that they see and they

need to see drisk but the problem is

you're also you're trying to drisk that

in the face of competing with existing

batteries coming out of asah which have

environmental you know issues there's

all kinds of things attached to them but

they they have a certain performance and

and cost and you kind of have to compete

from that from Ground Zero where they

they've had think a 10e head start

sustainability trendy word means a lot

of different things to many people um we

talked about it briefly but um can you

elaborate on that a little bit more yeah

so we see sustainability in a couple

ways there's the environmental

sustainability so can you actually build

this product without creating this

massive pile of waste or or using excess

energy uh you know we we certainly don't

want to be using our valuable renewable

energy sources unwisely so we have to be

good stewards of the environment so

that's that's one part of it and you

have to be able to do it um you know

well into the future and and that's

where the word sustainability really

comes in but it's also economic

sustainability and and security

sustainability like can we create a

secure uh economically viable and

environmentally uh uh responsible um uh

supply chain well into the future so we

look at it really in all three of those

levels yeah it's it sounds like like

you've said in the last four years

people have really people are now

listening as opposed to um and I think

disruption and change is always

something that's incredibly difficult um

many Tech startups have gone through

that challenge um and it definitely

helps when the world starts going no no

disruption is going to be is is

essential to um our success and our

future um so finally looking beyond the

applications of nano1 Technology how do

you envision the role of it shaping the

future of society and the economy

overall well our Mantra is changing how

the world makes uh materials or cath

materials I know I'm pushing it a little

bit

here um and I think I think maybe what I

can tell you is about like what's our

plan outside of Canada and I think maybe

this is the the really key thing so so

we we have this plant in in um uh just

outside of Montreal in kandia the name

is community it's on the South Shore of

the St Lawrence and we uh there we are

demonstrating technology at scale but it

becomes our learnings there and

everything we Define there becomes

really the kernel for a a turnkey design

of a plant to kind of a design wants

build mini strategy so we uh we plan to

build in Canada we would we definitely

want to do that but really the the our

key objective here is to take it and

populate take this plant and and plop it

all over the world we want to bring a

technology that solves the Water waste

problems the the uh uh the chemical

waste problems is economically

competitive with existing Technologies

in Asia and at the same time provides a

a way for them to form their supply

chains that's secure we can't change

the Supply Chain by being one company

you have to have the technology in many

hands right so the strategy to to build

these plants and license them out um to

many different players is key to the

adoption of the technology by the

automotive companies and it's key to

changing the supply chain so the the the

license strategy isn't just capitally

efficient for us but it's actually I

believe it's absolutely necessary to

commoditizing the materials making them

widely available to a large section of

the population for uh electric vehicles

and for for renewable energy storage and

and the whole energy transition I'm I'm

curious on the days before your success

started to happen there must have been

um many challenging days up up and down

as every entrepreneur

experiences what inspired you on those

hardest days to just keep going well

just to be fair Lindsay the I don't

think the hard days are

over I know but I'm there are there are

still sleepless nights and I'm sure

there will be

look what inspires me is is building

aany watching people of grow up in it

and contribute to me uh I don't get to

do the geeky stuff I get to talk about

it but I don't get to do it and so

watching it happen to me that's a uh to

me that's uh that gives me great

inspiration and the second thing um is

is doing something that I never thought

I'd be doing I never thought I would be

working with government at very senior

levels trying to change how the sort of

the e systems work I never thought I

would be um I would be you know uh in in

a position where I was helping to

educate and inform some of the big

decisions that are happening in the

world to do with supply chain to do with

security uh these are all things that

that you know we have morphed into have

become very important so so I I I feel I

feel a responsibility yeah to contribute

to that I feel uh um I feel that we we

have uh uh perhaps it's a moral

imperative I don't want to sound all

high and mighty but but but it's a moral

imperative really to be good stewards of

the environment to use our energy wisely

to use our waterways wisely to use our

our our battery materials wisely when we

have to mine all this stuff out of the

ground we need to make sure that when

it's in a vehicle or when sitting and

you know storing energy that it's doing

work for us all day long if I was

talking to one of your former employees

um or a current employee how would they

describe your leadership style

I would say my leadership style starts

with by example so lead lead by example

I'm I'm collaborative I like to include

people in on on decisions um I like to

be informed so I I I like to have a team

around me that actually has the the

knowhow and knowledge to uh to bring to

the table so U it is very much a

collaborative style how do you Foster

Innovation uh on a daily basis within

your

organization well I think we have to

give people people a sense of ownership

in the in the uh in the solutions and

give uh people a sense of of the of the

larger vision and we can always do a

better job with that uh as we go through

a growth phase you lose touch sometimes

with uh and you lose touch with your

employees and you have to be have little

step back and say okay hold on a second

um you know uh we've got this Grand

Vision and I'm out there saying it every

day but but my people at work don't

necessarily hear that so we have to step

back and and always always uh be trying

to communicate that back and we're not

at it but uh we Endeavor to make sure

that people understand the bigger

picture in the long run yeah you bring

up a really good point because I think

that it is um any company that's

pioneering and and always thinking

forward um it is often the CEO that's

out there in in the world kind of um

spreading that message and sharing all

the success stories and often the team

is in the is in the background and

they're producing all this great work

but it just becomes the every day and so

sometimes they forget um just how

groundbreaking and um and Innovative it

is so or they don't see it they don't

have time to listen to me on on

podcasts exactly it's true oh what uh

advice would you give um other

technology entrepreneurs or um people

working in the technology industry to

maintain effective communication um

throughout uh the early stages of of

building and pioneering and breaking new

ground certainly communication has been

a huge part of our or as you know it's

complicated so whether we're talking to

an individual investor kind of giving

them some comfort that we know what

we're talking about or or talking to the

media trying to explain to them or or at

least find the thing that's kind of most

interesting to them uh um we have spent

a tremendous amount of time thinking

about the story thinking about how to

tell it rejigging it all the time I

probably have 10,000 PowerPoint

presentations that are just an evolution

of one after the other and those are you

know that's I'm exaggerating on 10,000

no but but it feels that way right like

it feels that way as you're going

through it and you're like I could say

this better then you try it and then and

then you come back to it and um it's

optimizing you know optimizing and

you're constantly practicing and and

trialing ideas on people and and and on

audiences and getting a sense of how

they how they gauge it you're out there

looking for information from other

people to to to as this as the as the

whole ecosystem evolves and then to turn

that into a cohesive message of course

for communication but also to turn that

into a product can't just be about

messaging we have to actually then you

know uh refine our process to make it uh

to make to make it uh compatible with

the you know the near future we had lots

of support obviously from our

shareholders I think the biggest thing

that boosted us was the government

support we had through this that's

natural resources Canada that's uh is

which is uh the Innovation science and

economic development of Canada or

industry science and economic

development and uh and then those all

the other programs so super important to

what we're doing and then across the

border as well so the US government uh

be it from the Department of Defense the

department of energy uh the state

department all very uh involved in what

we're doing and really really like what

we're doing because we're solving

security issues um for North America so

that's become uh very important how

would you describe your culture and do

you do you think of it as a as unique to

some of the other um tech companies that

are out there in the same um well not in

similar space but in sciences and and in

engineering well I would say we have we

have similar challenges in terms of the

kind of talent that we need to attract

and the kind of culture that we need to

build as as company as as sort of hard

tech companies um uh in in the space I

think our where we differ from so many

other companies is that we're trying to

take the technology to a new level we're

not just trying to make batteries to

stuff between Wheels today or make the

materials that go into those batteries

we're trying to make the next generation

of materials that go into those

batteries and that I think is

fundamentally different than 99% of the

of the companies out there most people

are just trying to address the immediate

need we're trying to address the future

need because we recognize that there are

massive hurdles uh big environmental

hurdles there's big sustainability

hurdles and and there's big security

hurdles that have to be solved and

they're coming fast and and we have to

solve them so really creating that sense

of urgency that sense of purpose is is

uh is is very important to to what we do

Dan you've shared a lot about nano1

today the technology your future plans a

little bit about the company culture um

I'm I'm curious for people who are

watching what is the one takeaway that

you would share about the industry

overall um that that people should have

on their radar in the coming

years lfp has now grown to 60 70% market

share in China and it's virtually

nothing anywhere else Korea woke up last

year and figured out they they've been

staunchly nmc long range electric

vehicles they figured out they need lfp

it's fundamental to their to their

growth strategy to their energy strategy

to energy security and to access to the

North American markets and it's coming

to the West so that's probably the first

thing to follow on to that is nano one

has uh with our one pot process we have

a solution to drive down the cost make

it competitive um with the uh with lfp

in Asia uh we can drive down the um uh

the ghg and the energy uh intensity we

can drive down the capital cost of

making the plants we have a we have a

strategy for as I mentioned earlier

design once build many modular plant

design that can be kind of um made to

happen very quickly rolled out very

quickly around the world and we're able

to eliminate all the waste water all the

waste sulfate and eliminate the security

risk and the ties to the existing Supply

chains by being able to leverage the

existing sources of nickel and iron in

in uh in the in the western world

well thank you very much Dan for being

on breaking new ground today it's been a

pleasure talking to you and anybody

interested in getting more information

on nano1 they can visit your website uh

which is on the screen do we want to

point up down around everywhere just

have it everywhere you can spell it out

spell yes okay thank you so much for

coming thank you appreciate the

opportunity

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