Ep. 24: Michael Rigney - The Millenium Falcon of Heat Pump Water Heaters
The idea of an Overton Window when the conditions around a political issue change that in turn changes the nature of what is politically possible, is a useful one in assessing businesses. Sometimes conditions change enough in a market or sector that there is suddenly a significant window of opportunity for a founder to run through. We think that is the case with Michael Rigney, CEO of Cala Systems. They're building a next-generation heat pump water heater, and if they're right, they could save billions of gallons of water, reduce US national emissions by 3%, and save domestic energy consumers about $23 billion a year. We talk about the nature of the water heater market, competing against entrenched incumbents, and rebuilding a well-known consumer product from the ground up. He has major game in this segment and Cala are in a fascinating position. Please enjoy my conversation with Michael Rigney.
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Full show notes and links to mentioned content below.
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Cala Systems CEO, Michael Rigney, shares insights on the future of water heating with his company’s next-generation heat pump technology. He explains how predictive control and intelligent design are set to revolutionize the industry by optimizing energy efficiency, cost savings, and user comfort. Rigney also discusses the importance of strategic partnerships, the role of branding, and the urgent need for decarbonizing residential water heating to reduce global emissions.
00:00 Introduction
00:50 Overton Window and Market Opportunities in Water Heating
01:47 Why Target the Water Heater Market
03:21 Recognizing a Unique Market Opportunity
05:40 Early Steps in Building Cala Systems
07:15 Building the World’s First Intelligent Heat Pump Water Heater
11:02 User Experience and Intelligent Water Heating
12:42 Customization and Integration with Home Systems
13:29 Branding Water Heaters: Lessons from Nest and Opower
15:37 Designing Cala Systems’ Website as a Brand Statement
17:29 The Impact of Decarbonizing Water Heating
20:17 Building a Strong Team
22:17 The Importance of Hiring Slowly and Thoughtfully
24:02 Practical Innovation: Balancing Thought and Scrappiness
25:48 Building the Company You Need for the Future
28:01 Balancing Customer and Installer Needs in Product Development
30:32 Geographic Focus for Early Deployment
35:24 Transitioning to Founder and CEO Role
36:44 Advice for Future Water Entrepreneurs
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