#279 They Lost $189m DOE Grant, but Survived. Learn Why | Cody Finke (Brimstone)
00:00 – Intro: Cody Finke returns to the podcast.
04:30 – The "Rock Refinery": Moving beyond cement to co-produce aluminum and critical minerals.
05:39 – The Physics of Scale: Why cost parity is impossible with small reactors.
08:12 – The History of Co-Production: From whale oil to Standard Oil's catalytic cracking.
12:39 – "Bad Geologic Luck": Why traditional limestone cement plants can't co-produce.
18:54 – De-Risking Deep Tech: How Brimstone uses off-the-shelf components to build a massive patent moat.
28:33 – Fundraising Strategy: Raising ~$90M and executing pilot plants.
33:44 – PR for…
The skinny
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