As someone deeply passionate about sustainability and conservation, I often think about the water we use, the trees we plant, the waste we manage—but rarely have I taken a deep dive into the complex world of energy infrastructure.
That changed yesterday at MCJ Live – Where AI Meets Energy, hosted at The Sunset Room in downtown Austin. Curated by MCJ Collective and sponsored by J.P. Morgan and Gunderson Dettmer, the event brought together climate tech innovators and energy leaders for an afternoon of bold ideas at the intersection of AI, energy resilience, and climate innovation.
And honestly? It was an eye-opener in the best possible way.
Roundtables with Energy Builders in Texas
The event kicked off with small-group rotating roundtables featuring some of the most fascinating energy startups I’ve ever encountered—all based or building here in Texas. I got to sit in on conversations with companies working on distributed storage, EV battery reuse, modular nuclear, and AI-driven energy efficiency, among others.
Here’s a quick look at who was in the room:
- Aalo Atomics: Building mass-manufactured nuclear plants that can power anything from a data center to a whole city.
- Base Power: Creating a decentralized network of energy storage systems for homes and businesses.
- Moment Energy: Giving EV batteries a second life as clean, reliable energy storage.
- Exowatt: Developing modular renewable systems for industrial heat and power—ideal for data centers.
- Light: Offering utility-as-a-service tools to modernize and enable next-gen energy businesses.
- The Nuclear Company: Leading project development and construction for fleet-scale nuclear energy.
- TC Labs: Using agentic AI to increase efficiency and reduce emissions in industrial settings.
Each founder shared their vision, explained the challenge they’re solving, and gave us a peek into the future of how we’ll power our world—cleaner, faster, and smarter.
Crusoe & The Power of Reinvention
After the roundtables, the focus shifted to a live taping of MCJ’s Inevitable podcast, featuring Cully Cavness, Co-founder, President, and COO of Crusoe—a company that’s making major headlines.
Crusoe just announced $11.6 billion in new capital to build OpenAI’s new data center campus in Abilene, TX, and Cully walked us through their evolution—from capturing and repurposing stranded gas in the oil industry to building energy-efficient data infrastructure that supports the massive compute needs of AI.
What stood out most was Crusoe’s ability to adapt. They started by tackling waste and inefficiency in energy production and are now trailblazing at the convergence of clean energy, cloud infrastructure, and artificial intelligence. It’s a business story rooted in sustainability but scaled through innovation, technology, and impact.
Cully’s background spans geothermal, oil & gas, investment banking, and now climate tech—proof that cross-sector experience can drive game-changing ideas. In conversation with MCJ’s Cody Simms, they discussed the future of compute, data center sustainability, and the growing urgency to align energy resilience with climate goals.
What I’m Walking Away With
Before this event, I would’ve confidently said I “care about clean energy.” After it? I realize just how much I don’t know—and that’s not discouraging. It’s motivating.
This was more than just a networking mixer or a startup showcase. It was a glimpse into how AI is shaping the future of infrastructure, and how climate solutions are becoming deeply embedded in our digital world.
As someone coming from a background in communications and public engagement, I left energized to keep exploring how storytelling, education, and partnership can help bridge the gap between highly technical climate solutions and the everyday people they’re built to serve.
If you get the chance to attend an MCJ Live event, take it. And if you’re even curious about energy, data, or climate innovation—follow what these organizations are doing. The future is unfolding faster than we think, and it’s happening right here in Texas.
