# Gabe Cuadra from Powerhouse Ventures

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/energytech-startups-5673200/gabe-cuadra-from-powerhouse-ventures
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/energytech-startups-5673200/gabe-cuadra-from-powerhouse-ventures.md
Podcast: [Energytech Startups](https://stenobird.com/podcast/energytech-startups-5673200)
Published: 2026-07-22T12:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://energytechstartups.collide.io/episodes/gabe-cuadra-from-powerhouse-ventures
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/1e403795/2b433d44.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/energytech-startups-5673200/episodes/gabe-cuadra-from-powerhouse-ventures
Duration seconds: 3019

## Resource

Flat load growth is dead, and AI just flipped the whole power sector on its head. Gabe Cuadra of Powerhouse Ventures gets into what that means for founders chasing capital in climate and energy, why algorithms alone never make a real moat, and how to actually pitch an early stage VC without wasting the room. Plus the messy truth about selling into utilities, spotting founder market fit, and why Houston is quietly turning into a place worth building. 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.io Click here to view the episode transcript. 00:00 Intro 00:45 What keeps a climate investor up at night 01:55 How Powerhouse Ventures invests 05:20 AI, load growth, and a changing grid 08:30 What traction looks like at early stage 10:25 Finding founder market fit 12:00 Houston vs the coasts 18:13 How to pitch early stage VCs 19:18 Why algorithms are never the moat 25:04 The reality of selling into utilities 28:17 Gabe's winding road into energy VC 34:40 Inside the investment process 37:02 Founder red flags 42:21 Standing out when you pitch 43:30 What has him excited next 46:27 The case for Houston 48:50 How to reach out https://twitter.com/collide_ai https://www.tiktok.com/@collide.io https://www.facebook.com/collide.io https://www.instagram.com/collide.io https://www.youtube.com/@collide_io https://bsky.app/profile/collide-ai.bsky.social https://www.linkedin.com/company/collideai

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## Transcript

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