Welcome to our Meet the CEO series of brief interviews with Activate portfolio company leaders. This interview features Sympower CEO Simon Bushell. Sympower is an energy load aggregator that helps commercial and industrial facilities monetize their energy assets, such as HVAC, batteries, generators, and pumps, through grid services.
Along with founding Sympower, Simon has studied climate communications. He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a BA and MSci in Natural Sciences and holds an MSc in Sustainable Energy Futures from University College London.
After the challenge you’re currently addressing, what is the second most important challenge facing the world right now?
Simon: I believe inequality is the root cause of many challenges and problems we face. Inequality of access to resources is only amplified by climate change and ultimately creates a self-feeding machine. Climate change disproportionately affects lower-income communities and those who have historically contributed the least to the climate crisis. As climate change worsens, it drives new forms of inequality, such as climate refugees facing discrimination and resource scarcity, fueling conflicts and creating further inequality.
When seeking investment, what’s the most important piece of advice you’d offer to companies like yours?
Simon: I’d recommend they look for investors willing to put in the time and effort to really understand the business. I’m not only talking about the product or technology but the company culture, broader impact, market trends, and challenges. If you find people willing to put in that time and effort, they will be more likely to stick through the highs and lows and inevitable shifts in your journey.
What motivated you to try to solve the complex challenges your company is addressing?
Simon: Climate change is the biggest challenge facing humanity, and I wanted to make a tangible difference and impact to solve it. I firmly believe that a fair energy transition is central to solving the climate crisis and that energy flexibility will be key in its success or failure. A lack of energy flexibility will create a major bottleneck in the energy transition, on the other hand flexibility will be a big enabler if we manage to harness its full potential and ensure our energy systems are flexible enough.
If you weren’t in your current job, what would you be doing?
Simon: I love boats and being on the water, so I would probably be a skipper on a boat showing people the sights of Amsterdam!
Why did you choose to partner with Activate Capital, and what has your experience been working with our team?
Simon: Activate had a very strong knowledge of our sector, which is pretty unique for investors. From the start, they were willing to take the time to understand Sympower’s position and the core differences between the US and European markets, where we are based. They also brought on a strong network, including Tim Healy, the co-founder of EnerNOC, who is now on our board. Since becoming our investors in August 2022, they’ve been nothing but supportive of our journey, and have brought in a great experience of scaling up companies.
Welcome to our Meet the CEO series of brief interviews with Activate portfolio company leaders. This interview features Sympower CEO Simon Bushell. Sympower is an energy load aggregator that helps commercial and industrial facilities monetize their energy assets, such as HVAC, batteries, generators, and pumps, through grid services.