Episode 612

612: Everyone has a Superpower: Industry Pioneer Dan Leary on founding Nexamp, PanelClaw and Denowatts

Published on: 13th July, 2023

Dan Leary is one of the OG’s of the solar industry, and is the founder of multiple successful companies that you’ve probably heard of if you’re in the industry, including Nexamp, PanelClaw, and now Denowatts. Denowatts aims to revolutionize solar performance management, an area that has seen little innovation in the past decade. Using advanced benchmarking technology, Digital Twin processing, AI, and IoT interoperability, the company delivers predictive data for the solar industry through their IoT product, the Deno sensor. By providing solutions that capture irradiance and measure sunlight, Denowatts supports solar asset managers with valuable business intelligence.

In the interview, Dan shares invaluable insights into harnessing each team member's unique superpower, the necessity of shared values in successful teams, and the power of predictive foresight in entrepreneurial leadership. Themes of service, sustainability, and the importance of data in decision-making punctuate the conversation. This exploration of Dan's career is both an educational resource for those in the energy sector and an inspiring tale for all entrepreneurs.

From growing up on a farm in Boston and deploying to Kuwait as an Army officer, to becoming a leading figure in the clean energy industry, Dan humbly reveals key insights from his experiences. By persistently questioning and digging deeper to identify root causes, always seeking third-party validation for technology, and cultivating a strong team culture, Dan’s companies have always managed to become segment & industry leaders. Leary believes in embracing change, encouraging leaders to find and utilize their unique "superpower", and seeing capital as a tool, rather than a customer or client.

His vision for the future is one where data and business intelligence drive the solar industry. This is a deep dive with someone that I truly respect as an entrepreneur, as a thoughtful human being who wants to give back to our community, and who really believes that the work we do is bettering our planet and saving human lives.

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.

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About the Podcast

SunCast
Your resource for developing a clean energy or climate tech career
Nico Johnson takes you into conversations with those at the forefront of Renewable Energy.

SunCast gives an inside look into what is happening in renewable energy. From conversations with the biggest Solar Panel manufacturers in the world to the small startups creating the future of renewable energy, such as carbon capture and battery technology breakthroughs.

SunCast is dedicated to providing the knowledge, research, tools and expert guidance you need to understand, grow and be ahead of the curve in the fastest-growing markets in the world.

Featuring over 600 conversations, Nico has interviewed people from Tesla, SolarCity, Trina Solar, Meyer Burger, Conergy, SunEdison, Energy Vault and even the US Government... to name a few. Covering topics such as Solar Power, Wind Energy, Batteries, Electric Vehicles, Carbon Capture, Finance, Hydrogen, and more.

You can watch SunCast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SunCastMedia

...or view the full archive of SunCast episodes here: https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes