EPISODE · Mar 17, 2026 · 48 MIN
Ashish Gupta & Siddhartha (Sid) Paul from KonsciousPlanet/KP Labs
from Energytech Startups · host collide.
Critical metals like nickel and cobalt are slipping through the cracks and into landfills, and KP Labs is on a mission to get them back. Dr. Ashish Gupta and Siddhartha Paul, CEO and CTO and co-founders of KonsciousPlanet/KP Labs, break down how bacteria can pull valuable metals from e-waste, why recycling is really just energy independence in disguise, and why they're calling it urban mining.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 0:00 - Intro and KP Labs origin story3:26 - How the e-waste recycling technology works8:39 - Black mass, battery chemistry, and the logistics problem11:00 - America's recycling problem14:40 - Democratizing the recycling process18:29 - Commercialization plans and funding24:02 - Founders' backgrounds and how they met30:00 - Challenges in energy transition investing35:39 - Houston ecosystem and helpful resources38:07 - Investor misconceptions and how to pitch it right42:58 - Reframing the business as urban mining44:13 - What KP Labs is looking for right nowhttps://twitter.com/collide_aihttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai
What this episode covers
Critical metals like nickel and cobalt are slipping through the cracks and into landfills, and KP Labs is on a mission to get them back. Dr. Ashish Gupta and Siddhartha Paul, CEO and CTO and co-founders of KonsciousPlanet/KP Labs, break down how bacteria can pull valuable metals from e-waste, why recycling is really just energy independence in disguise, and why they're calling it urban mining.Click here to watch a video of this episode.Join the conversation shaping the future of energy.Collide is the community where oil & gas professionals connect, share insights, and solve real-world problems together. No noise. No fluff. Just the discussions that move our industry forward.Apply today at collide.ioClick here to view the episode transcript. 0:00 - Intro and KP Labs origin story3:26 - How the e-waste recycling technology works8:39 - Black mass, battery chemistry, and the logistics problem11:00 - America's recycling problem14:40 - Democratizing the recycling process18:29 - Commercialization plans and funding24:02 - Founders' backgrounds and how they met30:00 - Challenges in energy transition investing35:39 - Houston ecosystem and helpful resources38:07 - Investor misconceptions and how to pitch it right42:58 - Reframing the business as urban mining44:13 - What KP Labs is looking for right nowhttps://twitter.com/collide_aihttps://www.tiktok.com/@collide.iohttps://www.facebook.com/collide.iohttps://www.instagram.com/collide.iohttps://www.youtube.com/@collide_iohttps://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.socialhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai
NOW PLAYING
Ashish Gupta & Siddhartha (Sid) Paul from KonsciousPlanet/KP Labs
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Jun 18, 2026 ·101m
Jun 15, 2026 ·100m
Jun 13, 2026 ·79m