The BIC Presents Podcast

In this episode, PJ Moynihan sits down with Ben Sosne, Executive Director of the Berkshire Innovation Center, and Dr. Jennifer Le Blond of the Mass Clean Energy Center following a Climate Tech Corridor Roadshow event held at the BIC. The conversation centers on how MassCEC is engaging directly with regions across the Commonwealth to inform its climate tech strategy and funding priorities. Le Blond explains the purpose of the roadshow as both a listening tour and a way to share implementation plans tied to state-supported climate initiatives.

Sosne reflects on the importance of strategic planning in regional...

In this episode of BIC Presents, PJ Moynihan sits down with Marie-Pascale Ruberandinda, founder of Globe Grown and participant in the Berkshire Innovation Center’s Stage 2 Accelerator Catalyst program. Originally from Rwanda and later based in Texas, Marie shares how growing up on her family’s farms inspired her to build technology that supports farmers and promotes sustainable agriculture. Globe Grown is developing an autonomous platform that combines drone imaging, machine learning, and a rover system to detect and eliminate weeds without herbicides. The technology is designed to help farmers reduce chemical use, address labor shortages, and improve efficiency whil...

In this episode, PJ Moynihan welcomes Steve Bravo, Director of Commercialization at New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and Leslie Nash, Interim Managing Director of Emerging Climatetech at Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), for a conversation about climate innovation across New York and Massachusetts. Steve describes how NYSERDA supports energy innovation through research, development, commercialization programs, accelerators, mentorship, and connections to venture and corporate capital.  Leslie explains how MassCEC helps researchers and startups move from lab-stage ideas to prototypes, demonstrations, and deployment through grants, investments, and ecosystem partnerships.  Together, they discuss shared priorities including clean energy ma...

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan sits down with Noble Carbon co-founders Jared Lebos and Andrew Crane to discuss how their climate tech startup is developing smart circuit breakers designed to improve energy efficiency and grid resilience. Lebos, who previously worked in financial services, and Crane, an engineer originally from Berkshire County, met while attending business school and later began collaborating on a solution inspired by energy challenges Lebos experienced abroad. Their early prototype evolved into Noble Carbon’s core technology: a compact smart circuit breaker capable of managing energy use more intelligently within homes.

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In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan speaks with Jeanne LeClair, Chief Business Officer of the Mass Life Sciences Center (MLSC), about how strategic public investment has shaped one of the world’s most successful Life Sciences ecosystems. Jeanne outlines MLSC’s role as a quasi-public agency investing across the full Life Sciences landscape, from academic research and shared infrastructure to workforce development, tax incentives, and public-private partnerships. She reflects on the origins of the original 2008 Life Sciences Initiative, describing how a bold, billion-dollar investment during an economic downturn focused on shared research assets and commercialization laid the...

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan is joined by Ben Sosne, Executive Director of the Berkshire Innovation Center, and Lily Fitzgerald, Director of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing at MassTech Collaborative, for a deep dive into the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerator Program (MMAP). The conversation follows a ribbon-cutting event at Lenco Armored Vehicles in Pittsfield, highlighting how MMAP funding supports real-world investments in advanced manufacturing equipment.

Lily explains MassTech’s role as a quasi-public economic development agency and outlines how MMAP provides non-dilutive, capital-based grants to small and medium-sized manufacturers with 500 or fewer employees. Rather th...

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan is joined by Ben Sosne, Executive Director of the Berkshire Innovation Center, Tyler Fairbank, CEO of The Fairbank Group, and Doug Crane, retired manufacturing executive and founding BIC board member, for a wide-ranging conversation on clean energy leadership in the Berkshires. The discussion centers on the formation of the Clean Energy Leadership Group, one of several new BIC leadership groups designed to organize expertise, focus collaboration, and advance regional innovation priorities.

The guests explore why the Berkshires are uniquely positioned to participate in the clean energy economy, citing...

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan talks with Tim Butterworth, Director of Applied Technology at the Berkshire Innovation Center, about the structure and impact of the BIC’s Innovation Interns Program. Each summer, the program invites STEM students (often studying at schools like WPI, Columbia, and UMass Lowell) to apply their talents and develop skills in rapid prototyping, design iteration, and digital fabrication using the BIC’s advanced tools and labs.

Tim explains how the program uses the DMAIC framework (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) to teach structured problem-solving while encouraging creativity and independence. Inte...

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan sat down with Garth Klimchuk, founder of NorthRenew Energy and longtime investment banker turned renewable energy developer. Raised in Calgary, Alberta, and trained as a geologist, Klimchuk’s career began in oil and gas before moving into finance at Barclays and Wharton. His work on Wall Street in power and utilities ultimately led him to focus on clean energy.

Klimchuk describes how NorthRenew Energy develops large-scale wind and solar projects across the western US, from identifying land and securing leases to permitting, environmental studies, and interconnection.  The conversation exp...

In this episode, host PJ Moynihan speaks with Maddy Zeliff, Program Manager at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), about the newly launched CriticalMass program. Designed to bridge the funding gap for climate tech startups, the initiative moves beyond early pilots to support larger-scale deployment projects across the Commonwealth. Maddy explains how MassCEC partnered with municipalities, universities, corporates, and agencies—from UMass campuses to the City of Boston—to identify problem statements and connect startups with project partners.

CriticalMass focuses on mature startups close to commercialization, aiming to address challenges like energy efficiency in aging buildings, grid inno...

In this episode, PJ Moynihan sits down with Rob Sladen, co-founder of BIC Member company Zulu Pods, at their Northampton, Massachusetts facility.  Rob shares how Zulu Pods began in 2020 with a “Tide Pod for the jet engine” — a patented, precision oil delivery system for short-mission gas turbine engines. By combining a pump and oil tank into one compact unit, the company addresses inefficiencies and reduces part counts for expendable jet engines used in drones and missiles.

Since then, Zulu Pods has expanded into smart backup oil systems and AI-enabled corrosion prevention pods that automate maintenance for high-value defense...

In this episode of BIC Presents, we share highlights from a special event hosted at the Berkshire Innovation Center in 2024 - a public screening of the Oscar-winning documentary American Factory, followed by a live community discussion. The film, produced by Participant Media and Higher Ground Productions (founded by Barack and Michelle Obama), documents the culture clash that unfolds when a Chinese auto glass company reopens a shuttered GM plant in Dayton, Ohio - revealing tensions around labor, automation, and values in a shifting global economy.

Facilitated by award-winning filmmaker PJ Moynihan, the conversation took place on the...

In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan welcomes Marc Bellora, founder of Clear Waterways Group and member of the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator program.  A Berkshires native who grew up exploring local lakes and streams on his BMX bike, Marc shares how a childhood love of nature evolved into a mission-driven career in environmental innovation.  After earning a degree in Environmental Science and Economics from Ithaca College, Marc went on to work with Krofta Engineering, where he was introduced to dissolved air flotation (DAF) - a powerful but underutilized water treatment technology.  Years later, Marc had the idea to...

In this episode, PJ Moynihan speaks with Lani Willmar, founder of Ethos Admissions and Ethos Pathways. A Williams College graduate and first-generation Vietnamese-American entrepreneur, Lani shares how her upbringing shaped her drive to expand educational access and economic opportunity. Starting with college consulting, she soon realized the transformative power of guiding students through stressful systems. Her new initiative, Ethos Pathways, builds on that by addressing climate anxiety and workforce readiness among youth.

With early support from MassCEC and the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator, Lani is developing the Berkshire Climate Career Lab—a program designed to reach environmental justice co...

In this episode of BIC Presents, we dive into the world of meta optics - an emerging technology that uses nanoscopic, ultra-thin lenses to manipulate light in ways traditional optics never could.

Our guests are Vince Einck, Chief Technology Officer of Myrias Optics, and Justin McKennon, Principal Scientist II at Electro Magnetic Applications (EMA) — two Massachusetts-based companies collaborating to produce and test metalenses.

Together, they break down:

In this episode of BIC Presents, we sit down with Alex Brown, founder of Recover Hospitality, a company dedicated to making hotels, restaurants, and travel experiences more inclusive for the sober community. As someone in long-term recovery and a seasoned hotelier, Alex saw firsthand the challenges of navigating hospitality spaces where alcohol is deeply ingrained in the culture.

Through his business, Alex works with hotels and restaurants to create sober-friendly spaces, offering consulting, certification, and education to help establishments better serve the growing market of over 80 million sober and sober-curious adults in the U.S. He also...

In this episode, industry experts dive into challenges and strategies for scaling a hardware startup, from manufacturing partnerships to cost-effective design and supply chain management.  Recorded live at the Berkshire Innovation Center and moderated by Director of Applied Technology Tim Butterworth, the panel features Eric Planey, CEO of SolaBlock; David McCloskey, founder of Alogous Engineering; and David Allen, President of Sinicon Plastics. They discuss key factors in manufacturing strategy, from balancing design and cost to navigating supply chains and outsourcing production. The conversation highlights real-world insights into scaling from prototype to production while managing market demands and funding constraints. W...

In this episode, Sharon Bort and Benedikt Reynolds discuss the groundbreaking work of the Massachusetts Climatetech Studio. The program pairs university and lab-based technologies with entrepreneurs to help commercialize climate tech innovations. Participants receive a stipend, expert mentorship, and access to grant funding, making entrepreneurship more accessible and equitable.  Sharon and Benedict highlight the success of their first cohort, which has already resulted in six new startups moving toward incorporation.  Applications for the next cohort are open until February 28, 2025, and the program is designed to accommodate participants with various backgrounds and levels of experience. Learn how this initiative is sh...

Eric Singer shares the story of how his personal journey and passion for data inspired the creation of Magnetworks. Discover how their innovative platform simplifies job referrals, transforming hiring into a community-driven process. Eric also discusses how Magnetworks is tackling inefficiencies in the traditional job market, fostering local talent retention, and adapting hiring practices for a more human-centered future.

Links:

https://www.magnetworks.co/

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program

In this episode of the BIC Presents Podcast, we sit down with Ross Bloom, founder of Revvit, one of the startups currently enrolled in the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator program.  Ross shares how Revvit aims to transform the EV charging landscape via a low-cost, slow-charging solution that leverages existing electrical infrastructure.  He shares his vision for Revvit’s success, the sustainability principles in their product design, and how Revvit aims to make EV adoption more accessible and efficient as part of the overall Energy Transition.

Links:

https://www.revvit.net/

https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/acce...

This BIC Presents Podcast features Dr. Dennis Rebelo Ph.D., Best-Selling Author and Chief Learning Officer at the Berkshire Innovation Center, and Sarah Swift, an advocate for sustainable innovation, delves into her unique approach to merging artistic creativity with environmental consciousness. With a background in both the arts and green technologies, she highlights the power of creative thinking in solving real-world environmental challenges. Her talk explores how we can reimagine the future by blending creativity, technology, and sustainability to inspire innovation that not only benefits the planet but also enriches human experiences. Sarah encourages us to embrace imaginative solutions...

In this BIC Presents podcast, Chief Learning Officer Dr. Dennis Rebelo sat down with Hayden and Alex - young educators working in the northern Berkshire school district - to explore their recent visit to the Experience Center at BIC Works @ MoCA. This episode explores how the students engaged with cutting-edge technologies in an interactive, hands-on environment, and delves into the contrast between this playful, innovative approach to education and the traditional structural requirements of the classroom.

Links:

Dr. Dennis Rebelo

LinkedIn

This BIC Presents podcast is a discussion with William Newsome from Fibrocor Therapeutics, a BIC Stage 2 Accelerator company. A Monument Mountain and Berkshire Community College alumni, Newsome discusses the path which lead him into a career in Biotech, Fibrocor's work treating diseases of fibrosis, and the prospect of bringing Biotech to the Berkshires.

Links:

Fibrocor Website

Fibrocor on LinkedIn

About BIC Stage 2 Accelerator

This BIC Presents Podcast features Dr. Dennis Rebelo Ph.D., Best-Selling Author and Chief Learning Officer at the Berkshire Innovation Center, and Matt McInerney, BIC Manufacturing Academy (BMA) alum and Business Intelligence Software Specialist at Interprint USA.  Dr. D and Matt sat down in the studio with BIC Studios Executive Producer PJ Moynihan to reflect on the first two cohorts of the BMA program, and discuss Matt’s on-going process of DMAIC inside the walls at Interprint.

About BIC Manufacturing Academy

Interprint USA

As part of the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator (S2A) program, we recently hosted a “Catalyst Day” at The Berkshire Innovation Center in Pittsfield, which convened startups participating in the program along with members of the community and stakeholders from across Massachusetts. This BIC Presents Podcast features two S2A firms - Noble Carbon and eSki - along with Leslie Nash from Mass Clean Energy Center, discussing the emerging ClimateTech sector and it's impact here in the Commonwealth, and the Berkshires.

Mass Clean Energy Center

Stage 2 Accelerator 

eSki

The first installment of the BIC Presents podcast delves into the creation and implementation of the BIC Manufacturing Academy - otherwise known as BMA - an industry-led training collaborative designed to address persistent challenges facing the manufacturing economy in the Berkshire region (Massachusetts, USA).

This roundtable discussion facilitated by PJ Moynihan of BIC Studios features Lionel Kimerling, Thomas Lord Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT, Dr. Dennis Rebelo, Best-Selling Author and Chief Learning Officer at the Berkshire Innovation Center, and Ben Sosne, Executive Director of the Berkshire Innovation Center.

The discussion provides an...