Gaian: The Bet on Human-Powered Energy, Step by Step

Failed to add items

Sorry, we are unable to add the item because your shopping cart is already at capacity.

Add to basket failed.

Please try again later

Add to wishlist failed.

Please try again later

Remove from wishlist failed.

Please try again later

Adding to library failed

Please try again

Follow podcast failed

Unfollow podcast failed

Gaian: The Bet on Human-Powered Energy, Step by Step

Listen for free

View show details

Summary

What if your body could generate power? But can a company built on turning everyday human movement into energy convince investors it belongs in the future of climate and infrastructure? In this episode of Capital Calling, Yasha Gruben, Founder and CEO of Gaian, pitches a hardware company building energy-generating wearables that convert human motion into clean, usable electricity. Gaian is developing human-scale energy infrastructure designed to reduce reliance on centralized grids, cables, and finite batteries by turning movement — walking, running, and everyday activity — into a source of power. The company sits at the intersection of climate technology, hardware, and wearable design, with a vision of making energy generation more distributed, personal, and embedded into daily life. Rather than relying solely on large-scale systems, Gaian is betting that micro-generation at the individual level can become a meaningful layer of future energy infrastructure. Before founding Gaian, Yasha worked across film, design, and technology, leading complex creative and technical projects from concept through execution. That interdisciplinary background shapes Gaian’s approach to building products that are not only functional, but culturally resonant and designed for real-world adoption. Across the table, investors Zac Geinzer of Commonweal Ventures, Ella Molony Cook of DFX, and Max Rivera of GHOST Angels engage with the pitch as it unfolds. They evaluate the feasibility of human-generated energy as a scalable solution, the technical constraints of wearable power generation, potential use cases, and whether Gaian can evolve from a compelling concept into a venture-backed infrastructure play. Capital Calling provides a behind-the-scenes look at a real pitch from both sides of the table. Each episode begins with a live founder pitch and product demo, followed by direct investor questioning. After the pitch, investors enter into a private debrief conversation where they debate the opportunity openly: without the founder present. The founder then enters the On-Call Room to discuss the pitch one-on-one from their perspective before final verdicts are delivered. Produced by Coeus Collective in partnership with the NYU Stern Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship, Capital Calling offers founders, operators, students, and investors an unfiltered look at how early-stage investment decisions actually happen — and what separates compelling ideas from fundable companies. Founders pitch live. Investors decide.

No reviews yet