#96 - Assia Kasdi - Milvus Advanced - "Can we create metals like we create shampoos?"

#96 - Assia Kasdi - Milvus Advanced - "Can we create metals like we create shampoos?"

From New Wave. by Hugo Rauch

June 9, 2026 · 42 min

About this episode

Assia Kasdi discusses the development of earth-abundant nanoalloys to replace critical minerals in clean energy technologies.

Brought to you by: Heights : a design agency founded by Gabri Grassi, helping impact-driven tech companies sharpen their brand, attract investors, and scale their reach. Grab your free brand checklist here or reach out to Gabri to elevate your brand. **** Subscribe to the newsletter: New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack **** 🌊 The New Alchemy of Clean Energy Why the future of climate-tech may depend on replacing critical minerals altogether. We’re joined by Assia , CEO of Milvus Advanced , an Oxford-born materials startup developing earth-abundant nanoalloys that can replace critical minerals like platinum, iridium, and indium. What started as a PhD research project became a mission to solve one of the biggest hidden bottlenecks in the energy transition: our dependence on scarce, geopolitically concentrated materials. In this episode, we explore why the clean energy transition is ultimately a materials challenge, and what it takes to build entirely new metals from scratch. In our conversation, we covered: → Why Assia abandoned the idea that renewables are inherently sustainable → The journey from Oxford chemistry labs to venture-backed founder → How a 13th-century story about…

People in this episode

Host: Hugo Rauch

Guest: Assia Kasdi

Topics covered

  • clean energy
  • materials science
  • climate technology
  • nanoalloys
  • sustainable materials
  • energy transition

Keywords

  • clean energy
  • nanoalloys
  • critical minerals
  • sustainability
  • energy transition
  • climate technology
  • materials challenge

Sponsors

Heights

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Milvus Advanced

Places: Oxford, Germany

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