Ready to launch your own podcast? Book a strategy call.
Frontlines.io | Where B2B Founders Talk GTM.
Strategic Communications Advisory For Visionary Founders
Conversation
Highlights
How Blue Frontier is Revolutionizing Air Conditioning by Breaking Power Grid Dependencies
The story of Blue Frontier begins not with air conditioning, but with frustration. Daniel Betts, a PhD in mechanical engineering focused on power generation and electric vehicles, kept running into the same problem: air conditioning was breaking the power grid.
“Air conditioning was always the thing that would turn on at the wrong time when it was hottest,” Daniel explains. “The entire grid, the entire power generation system is all sized to give you the power necessary for your air conditioners.”
This inefficiency meant consumers were “overpaying for infrastructure in order for us to have air conditioning.” But it wasn’t until a pivotal call from the National Renewable Energy Labs (NREL) in 2017 that Daniel saw a path to solving this systemic problem.
From Power Generation to Climate Innovation
After signing an NDA and visiting NREL in Colorado, Daniel discovered they had developed technical solutions that could fundamentally change how air conditioning impacts the power grid. The technology promised triple the efficiency of conventional systems while enabling flexible energy consumption.
“I now had in my hands knowledge that could change the world,” Daniel recalls. Rather than letting this breakthrough languish in a lab, he assembled an elite team of experts and licensed the technology.
The Traditional Market’s Innovation Problem
Breaking into the air conditioning market wasn’t just about better technology. The industry had been using essentially the same approach for over 150 years, dominated by a small group of large players who had commoditized the product.
As Daniel explains, “You have to have technology that is way better than the existing technology… and you should be able to use that unfair advantage to change the rules of how things are sold and bought into that market in a way that conventional companies cannot follow.”
Strategic Market Entry
Instead of trying to serve all market segments immediately, Blue Frontier made a calculated decision to focus on commercial building ventilation systems. Their criteria for this choice was specific.
“Choose a market that will give you enough replicable product that you get to learn and have generational improvements that occur fast… but that is on the premium side of things and it’s not a market that is so large that it overwhelms the company,” Daniel shares.
This focus allowed them to target customers who owned multiple buildings and had complex cooling requirements that could justify premium pricing while delivering compelling ROI through energy savings.
Revolutionizing User Experience
While the grid benefits and efficiency gains were impressive, Daniel understood that user experience would ultimately drive adoption. “We have to make an air conditioner that once you’re inside this air conditioned space that I am creating, you cannot go back to the old way of doing things… because you will notice the difference.”
Blue Frontier’s technology achieves this by independently controlling humidity and temperature, solving a fundamental comfort problem that traditional air conditioners struggle with. “Humidity control is more important to your comfort than temperature control,” Daniel explains, “But temperature control is what the conventional air conditioner doesn’t do very well with humidity.”
The Future Vision
Having raised $47.8 million, Blue Frontier isn’t just trying to sell better air conditioners – they’re aiming to transform how utilities approach climate control. Daniel envisions a future where “air conditioning is going to become a device that is going to be provided with the utility.”
This model would allow utilities to become “heroes of their community by providing people with the capacity to escape increasing temperatures with advanced air conditioning while at the same time making money off of it.”
For founders looking to disrupt established markets, Blue Frontier’s journey offers valuable lessons about the importance of revolutionary (not evolutionary) innovation, strategic market entry, and transforming user experience while solving systemic industry problems.
Actionable
Takeaways
Choose markets ripe for revolution:
Blue Frontier targeted air conditioning because it uses 150-year-old technology and is controlled by a small group of large players. Betts explained, "The market is ripe for disruption, but it also means that disruption will be very difficult... you have to have technology that is way better than the existing technology."
Create unfair advantages through multi-dimensional value:
Blue Frontier's technology delivers 3x efficiency gains while enabling grid flexibility and superior comfort. This combination of benefits creates value streams that incumbent technologies cannot match. B2B founders should look for opportunities where their innovation can unlock multiple, complementary value propositions.
Target strategic entry points:
Rather than trying to serve all market segments immediately, Blue Frontier focused on commercial building ventilation systems where their technology could deliver the highest impact. Betts shared their criteria: "Choose a market that will give you enough replicable product that you get to learn and have generational improvements that occur fast... but that is on the premium side of things and it's not a market that is so large that it overwhelms the company."
Leverage institutional partnerships:
Blue Frontier's breakthrough came through licensing technology from the National Renewable Energy Labs. For deep tech founders, national labs and research institutions can provide foundational IP and validation. However, commercial success requires translating that technology into products that solve real market needs.
Balance user experience with system-level benefits:
While Blue Frontier's grid benefits are compelling, Betts emphasized the importance of user experience: "You must provide technology that is for the user much better... once you're inside this air conditioned space that I am creating, you cannot go back to the old way of doing things." B2B founders should ensure their innovation delivers clear improvements to end-user experience, even when selling to businesses.
Recommended Founder
Interviews
Greg Fallon
CEO of Geminus
Greg Fallon, CEO of Geminus: $12 Million Raised to Help the Industrial Sector Prepare for the Energy Transition
John Belizaire
CEO of Soluna
John Belizaire, CEO of Soluna: $180 Million Raised to Power the Future of Renewable Computing for AI
Kameale Terry
Co-Founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!
Kameale Terry, Co-Founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!: Over $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
Manik Suri
Manik Suri, CEO and Founder of Therma: $30 Million Raised to Build the Cooling Intelligence Category
Martin Kosak
Head of Marketing of Sensoneo
Event Marketing Mastery: Martin Kosak on Sensoneo’s Success at Trade Shows
Adam Silver
CEO & Co-Founder of Plural Energy
Adam Silver, CEO & Co-Founder of Plural Energy: $2.8 Million Raised to Build the Future of Clean Energy Investing
Khaled Hassounah
CEO & Founder of Ample
Khaled Hassounah, CEO and Founder of Ample: $290M Raised to Build the Future of EV Batteries
Matei Stratan
CEO of Ogre
Matei Stratan, CEO of Ogre: $2 Million Raised to Build the Future of Energy Management
Troy Carter
CEO and Co-Founder of Earthshot Labs
Troy Carter, CEO and Co-Founder of Earthshot Labs: $11 Million Raised to Power the Future of Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration
Virginia Klausmeier
CEO and Founder of Sylvatex
Virginia Klausmeier, CEO and Founder of Sylvatex: More Than $15 Million Raised to Build a Better Class of Sustainable Materials and Drive the Green Revolution
Dr. Kai-Philipp Kairies
CEO and Co-Founder of Accure
Dr. Kai-Philipp Kairies, CEO & Co-Founder of Accure: $18.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Battery Intelligence
Allison Wolff
CEO of Vibrant Planet
Allison Wolff, CEO at Vibrant Planet: $34 Million Raised to Build the Future of Land Management Restoration
Joshua Riedy
CEO and Founder of Thread
Joshua Riedy, CEO and Founder of Thread: $20 Million Raised to Power the Future of Energy Grid Maintenance
Kenneth Herschel
CEO and Co-Founder of Viggo
Kenneth Herschel, CEO and Co-Founder of Viggo: Nearly $6 Million Raised to Build the Future of EV Charging Infrastructure
Scott Graybeal
CEO of Caelux
Scott Graybeal, CEO of Caelux: $70 Million Raised to Transform Solar Energy with Perovskite Technology
Alex Siminoff
Director of Marketing of Parity
Alex Siminoff, Director of Marketing at Parity: Mastering HVAC Optimization with Effective B2B Storytelling
Arvin Ganesan
CEO of Fourth Power
Arvin Ganesan, CEO of Fourth Power: $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Energy Storage
Zak Lefevre
CEO of ChargeLab
Zak Lefevre, CEO of ChargeLab: $20 Million Raised to Build the Operating System for EV Chargers
Francesco Volpe
Founder of Renaissance Fusion
Francesco Volpe, Founder of Renaissance Fusion: $30M Raised to Build the Future of Nuclear Fusion Technology
Preston Bryant
Preston Bryant, Co-Founder of Momentum: $20 Million Raised to Transform Battery Recycling Through Materials Science Innovation
Joselyn Lai
CEO & Co-Founder of Bedrock Energy
Joselyn Lai, CEO & Co-Founder of Bedrock Energy: $9 Million Raised to Power the Future of Geothermal Energy
Allen Kramer
Co-Founder & COO of Crux
Allen Kramer, Co-Founder and COO of Crux: $27 Million Raised to Power the Future of Sustainable Finance
Marina Azcarate
Head of Marketing of Mitiga Solutions
Marina Azcarate, Head of Marketing at Mitiga Solutions: Driving the Future of Climate Risk with Cutting-Edge Tech
Kaitlyn Albertoli
CEO and Co-Founder of Buzz Solutions
Kaitlyn Albertoli, CEO and Co-Founder of Buzz Solutions: Nearly $6 Million Raised to Build the Future of Infrastructure Inspection
Gary Ong
CEO & Founder of Celadyne
Gary Ong, CEO & Founder of Celadyne: $5 Million Raised to Power the Future of Green Hydrogen Production
Doron Myersdorf
CEO & Co-Founder of StoreDot
Doron Myersdorf, CEO & Co-Founder of StoreDot : $200 Million Raised to Power the Future of Electric Vehicles
Dan Forman
CEO and Co-Founder of Copper Labs
Dan Forman, CEO and Co-Founder of Copper Labs: $13 Million Raised to Enable the Data-Driven Utility of the Future
Curtis VanWalleghem
CEO of Hydrostor
Curtis VanWalleghem, CEO of Hydrostor: $322 Million Raised to Build the Future of Energy Storage
Quentin Scrimshire
CEO and Co-Founder of Modo Energy
Quentin Scrimshire, CEO & Co-Founder of Modo Energy: $20 Million Raised to Build the Energy Asset Benchmarking Category
Kentaro Kawamori
CEO & Co-Founder of Persefoni
Kentaro Kawamori, CEO & Co-Founder of Persefoni: $114 Million Raised to Build the Climate Disclosure & Carbon Management Category
Liz Gilligan
CEO & Founder of Material Evolution
Liz Gilligan, CEO & Founder of Material Evolution: $19 Million Raised to Build the Future of Sustainable Cement
Sandeep Ahuja
CEO of Covetool
Sandeep Ahuja, CEO of Covetool: $36 Million Raised to Power the Future of Building Design with AI
Thibault Castagne
CEO and Founder of Vianova
Thibault Castagne, CEO and Founder of Vianova: $8.8 Million Raised to Build the Go-To Operating System for the Mobility World
Alisa Valderrama
Co-founder and CEO of FutureProof Technologies
Alisa Valderrama, Co-Founder and CEO of FutureProof Technologies: $10 Million Raised to Translate Climate and Weather and Financial Risk with Unprecedented Accuracy
Iain Cooper
CEO of SeekOps Inc.
Iain Cooper, CEO of SeekOps, $23 Million Raised to Build the Future of Emissions Monitoring
Omar Abou-Sayed
Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Vaulted Deep
Omar Abou-Sayed, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Vaulted Deep: $8 Million Raised to Build the Future of Carbon Removal
Javier Marti
CEO and Founder of Divirod
Javier Marti, CEO & Founder of Divirod: $7.6 Million Raised to Build the Google Maps For Water
Michael Witte
CEO & Co-founder of Workrise
Michael Witte, CEO & Co-founder of Workrise: $750 Million Raised to Power the Future of the Energy Industry
Steff Gerhart
Co-Founder & Co-CEO of ecoLocked
Steff Gerhart, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of ecoLocked: $6 Million Raised to Transform Buildings into Carbon Sinks
Antoine Welter
CEO and Co-Founder of Circu Li-ion
Antoine Welter, CEO & Co-Founder of Circu Li-ion: $8.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Battery Upcycling
Gary Lewis
CEO & Co-Founder of Resourcify
Gary Lewis, CEO & Co-Founder of Resourcify: $15 Million Raised to Build the Future of Recycling Management
Marc Borrett
CEO & Co-Founder of Reactive Technologies
Marc Borrett, CEO & Co-Founder of Reactive Technologies: $80 Million Raised to Build the Future of Grid Measurement
Matt Loszak
CEO & Co-Founder of Aalo Atomics
Matt Loszak, CEO & Co-Founder of Aalo Atomics: $33 Million Raised to Build the Future of Nuclear Energy
Elizabeth Muller
CEO and Co-Founder of Deep Isolation
Elizabeth Muller, CEO and Co-Founder of Deep Isolation: Over $22 Million Raised to Build the Future of Nuclear Waste Disposal
Mukund Karanjikar
CEO of CleanJoule
Mukund Karanjikar, CEO of CleanJoule: $55 Million Raised to Power the Future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Josh Knauer
Co-Founder of Reseed
Josh Knauer, Co-Founder of Reseed: $5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Carbon Credits for Farmers
Chris Hare
CEO of PRTI
Chris Hare, CEO of PRTI: Over $25 Million Raised to Transform America’s Billions of Waste Tires into Valuable Commodities
Ali Javidan
Co-Founder of Range Energy
Ali Javidan, Co-Founder of Range Energy: $9 Million Raised to Build the Future of Electric Semi-Trucks
Greg Newbloom
CEO and Founder of Membrion
Greg Newbloom, CEO & Founder of Membrion: $23 Million Raised to Build the Future of Industrial Wastewater Treatment Solutions
Tim Weiss
CEO and Co-Founder of Optera
Tim Weiss, CEO & Co-Founder of Optera: $17.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Carbon Management and Accounting
Ben Christensen
CEO of Cambium Carbon
Ben Christensen, CEO of Cambium Carbon: $5.5 Million Raised to Build a new Category of Sustainable Wood
Michael Belenkie
CEO and President of Entropy
Michael Belenkie, CEO and President of Entropy: $300 Million Raised to Spearhead Efficiency and Innovation in the Carbon Capture Economy
Astrid Atkinson
CEO & cofounder of Camus Energy
Astrid Atkinson, CEO of Camus Energy: $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Grid Management
Matt LeDucq
CEO and Co-Founder of Forum Mobility
Matt LeDucq, CEO & Co-Founder of Forum Mobility: $423 Million Raised to Power the Future of Zero-Emission Trucking
Sid Jha
Founder & CEO of Arbol
Sid Jha, Founder & CEO of Arbol: Over $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Climate Risk Management