Tackling the Last Metre: Ultrafast Charging and Physical AI Infrastructure with Sai Shivareddy

In this episode of DeepTech Unleashed, host Christian Noske sits down with Sai Shivareddy, the CEO and co-founder of Nyobolt. Born out of a decade of cutting-edge research at the University of Cambridge, Nyobolt is a battery scale-up tackling the all-important last metre of energy storage. Their revolutionary technology enables ultrafast charging, reaching an 80% charge in under five minutes, without the typical degradation associated with conventional lithium-ion batteries.Sai shares his 15-year journey across the battery value chain, reflecting on how early research funded by Dyson sparked his entrepreneurial drive. The conversation dives deep into the strategic choices that have driven Nyobolt's success, including a deliberate choice to focus on application-layer solutions and power density to uniquely solve industrial pain points. Sai also details the reality of navigating multiple hype cycles, building commercial credibility, and the milestone achievements that have validated their hardware stack—from a groundbreaking sports car demonstration to capturing massive automation contracts with reference customers like Symbotic.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to DeepTech Unleashed and Sai Shivareddy01:17 Sai's Background: From Cambridge Research to Dyson06:03 The Trade-Offs of Physics: Energy Density vs. Power Density09:03 Owning the Supply Chain and Navigating the Application Layer12:51 Fast Charging vs. Battery Swapping in Robotics16:04 Empowering the Physical AI Cake and Data Centre Architecture23:42 Juggling Hype Cycles and Managing an Experienced Team28:13 Advice for the Next Generation: Capital Efficiency and Niche Markets37:51 Moments of Magic: The 4-Minute EV Charge and the Symbotic Deal42:54 Personal Insights: Technology's Impact on Society and Farming HobbiesAbout the Guest: Sai ShivareddySai has dedicated his career to the mission of finding seamless solutions for energy storage and retrieval. His passion lies in clean energy and materials innovation, which drive Nyobolt’s unique high-power batteries with ultrafast charging times. Since founding Nyobolt in 2019, Sai has applied a whole systems approach to address the need for accessible power. His experience in inventing and developing various energy storage technologies across different industries for over a decade informs his vision. Sai collaborates with a world-class team—scientists, engineers, and industry experts—united by a shared purpose: unlocking the potential of battery technology. Together, they challenge conventions and inspire a paradigm shift in energy storage systems. Sai holds a PhD in Engineering from St John’s College, Cambridge, where he collaborated with Dyson on groundbreaking concepts for high-power energy storage technologies.Follow Sai Shivareddy on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saishivareddy/ Find out more about Nyobolt here: https://nyobolt.com/ About the Host: Christian NoskeHost Christian Noske focuses on industrial tech, enterprise software, and deep tech investments. With a wealth of experience in the venture capital landscape, Christian is dedicated to supporting founders who are solving complex technical challenges. Through DeepTech Unleashed, he brings listeners behind the scenes of the world’s most ambitious startups to uncover the human stories behind the hardware and code.Follow Christian Noske on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-noske/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.