Unlocking the Power of Graphene with Kjirstin Breure

Join us for a conversation with Kjirstin Breure, the President and CEO of Hydrograph, as she takes us through the journey of Hydrograph from its early phase at Kansas State University to becoming a publicly traded entity with operations in the US and UK. Kjirstin shares her path from working in various tech startups to becoming the founding team member at Hydrograph. She elaborates on the properties of graphene, discovered in 2004, and its diverse applications in semiconductors, composites, lubricants, and energy storage devices, emphasizing its potential to enhance material properties and promote sustainability.

Listen in as we explore the performance and scalability of Hydrograph's graphene technology. Kjirstin explains how their product outperforms competitors, offering significant improvements in conductivity and mechanical properties with minimal amounts of graphene. We also address scalability challenges and Hydrograph's strategies for rapidly increasing production while maintaining cost and performance benefits. Kjirstin provides insights into the difficulties of communicating value propositions to customers and investors as an early-stage publicly traded company and shares the team's enthusiasm for the market potential.

Finally, Kjirstin discusses the critical elements that make Hydrograph thrive, focusing on the importance of adaptability, problem-solving abilities, and the right attitude in team members. She highlights the value of a collaborative and non-hierarchical culture, where honest and effective communication is key. We also touch on how Hydrograph measures its R&D productivity, balances rapid scale-up with financial prudence, and avoids manufacturing bottlenecks.

 

Chapters

(0:01:00) - Graphene Applications and Business Model

Nature's graphene applications and market potential are discussed by Hydrograph's CEO, Kjirstin Breure.

(0:16:28) - Hydrograph's Performance and Scalability

Hydrograph's graphene technology offers better performance, scalability, and potential for market growth as an early-stage, publicly traded company.

(0:27:52) - Challenges of R&D Progress and Hiring

R&D productivity at Hydrograph, balancing scale-up and financial prudence, recruitment priorities for intellect and scientific backgrounds.

(0:33:08) - Building Company Culture in Startups

Adaptability, problem-solving, and a collaborative culture drive Hydrograph's success, as highlighted by Kjirstin in discussing the startup's journey.

 

Resources mentioned in the podcast

Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology by Chris Miller

https://www.amazon.com/Chip-War-Worlds-Critical-Technology/dp/1982172002

Poor Charlie's Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger by Peter D. Kaufman, Ed Wexler and Charles T. Munger

https://www.amazon.com/Poor-Charlies-Almanack-Charles-Expanded/dp/1578645018

URL to Hydrograph

https://hydrograph.com/

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