The electrification of transportation has transformed how we think about roads—but what about the oceans?
In this episode, Marco sits down with Marcelino Alvarez and Alana Kambury, the team behind Photon, a clean tech startup focused on electrifying commercial marine vessels. Their approach is bold, intentional, and refreshingly focused: instead of chasing recreational boaters, they’ve honed in on commercial operators—whale watchers, water taxis, marine enforcement fleets—and built a business around the real-world needs of those users.
Why? Because the market is huge. $16 billion huge. And while the marine industry lags behind automotive by more than a decade, Photon is using that gap as an advantage—building modern electric propulsion systems with integrated software, optimized hardware, and a clear path to customer value.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why focusing on commercial fleets creates faster adoption and clearer ROI
- How to identify underserved markets hiding in plain sight
- What it takes to build and fund a hardware-forward climate tech company
- How user experience, safety, and operational data are shaping the next wave of marine innovation
- The balance between doing good for the planet and building a business that scales sustainably
Whether you’re an operator, investor, or climate-minded founder, this conversation offers a blueprint for how strategic focus—and not chasing hype—can drive real impact and commercial success.
Play Episode 75: Marcelino Alvarez & Alana Kambury, Photon