Product Talk Calectra CEO & Co-Founder on Decarbonizing Manufacturing with Thermal Battery and Sustainable Heat
Jan 9, 2026
Pauliina Meskanen, CEO and co-founder of Calcetra, is on a mission to decarbonize the manufacturing sector with innovative thermal batteries. She dives into the urgent need for emission reduction in high-temperature industries like cement. Pauliina shares insights on the importance of customer discovery and strategic partnerships. She also discusses her experience in securing both VC funding and grants, highlighting the role of renewables in shaping the future of industrial energy. Plus, she offers tips for newcomers in the climate tech space!
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From Finland To A DOE Accelerator
- Pauliina moved from Finland to the Bay Area after a path through startups and VC.
- She joined a DOE accelerator where she met co‑founder Nate and founded Calcetra.
Use Early Discovery And Modular Pilots
- Start customer discovery early and build partnerships to understand real pain points.
- Pilot small modular systems first, then scale modularly to large industrial installations.
Prove Reliability By Running In Parallel
- Integrate the thermal battery on site and run it in parallel with existing burners to prove reliability.
- Phase out burners gradually to avoid costly downtime and earn operator trust.