Startup Series: Fleetzero

Today's guests are Steven Henderson, Co-Founder & CEO, and Mike Carter, Co-Founder & COO of Fleetzero. Fleetzero is building battery-electric cargo ships that operate with 5X higher net margins than fossil fuel ships. The startup's increasing the efficiency of existing diesel ships by converting them to battery-electric while pioneering innovation with the MVE7 - an electric ship designed for trans-pacific cargo delivery. Fleetzero'sbattery technology is the only pathway to decarbonizing the $1.3 trillion shipping industry without a green premium. Steven is a marine engineer by background and has managed a wide range of businesses and operations in the marine environment, including cargo ships, a hospital ship, and one of the largest offshore facilities in the US Gulf of Mexico. He has a bachelor's of science in Marine Engineering Systems from the US Merchant Marine Academy and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Steven served in the US Navy Reserve as a Strategic Sealift Officer. Mike is a marine engineer and enterprise sales professional. He graduated from the US Merchant Marine Academy with a BS in Marine Engineering Systems and received an MBA from Rice. Mike brings expertise in marine engineering, ship operations, and significant business experience in energy and shipping. He is also proud to have served as an officer in the US Navy Reserve. In the episode, Mike and Steven walk me through Fleetzero's unique solution, why the ships are challenging to decarbonize, and what let them to found the startup. We also discuss why battery swapping is a viable solution, Fleetzero's funding to date, and the company's customer base. This is a fantastic episode for those looking to learn more about decarbonizing the shipping industry. Enjoy the show! You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at [email protected], where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests. Episode recorded March 11th, 2022