We need to keep impact top of mind when it comes to innovation says Luca Mezossy-Dona

In this edition of Power Women, a Q&A series highlighting women across the value chain in the energy sector, Kamogelo Motse talks to Luca Mezossy-Dona. 

Luca Mezossy-Dona is Co-Founder & Head of Strategic Engagement at IONATE, a technology company that develops hybrid intelligent transformers.

What attracted you to work in the energy sector?

I came to the sector with a different background, as a psychologist & neuroscientist. With that outsider’s perspective I saw that some of our society’s biggest challenges over the next decades are going to come down to energy – yet, because it is a niche area, the general public wasn’t paying attention. I wanted to make people care. I believe that solving the problem of sustainable, affordable, smart energy systems can unlock so much progress and prosperity for our future.

Who is your role model in (or outside of) the energy sector?

I gain a lot of inspiration from Kara Swisher – a technology journalist who has been keeping Silicon Valley tech companies honest before they even started shaping our lives. Coolness excites people about tech. But I think we need to keep impact top of mind when it comes to innovation, and that’s what Kara investigates.

Why is diversity important for the energy industry?

Because of the energy transition, the industry is making systemic decisions, influencing what our energy future will be for generations to come. And since energy touches every aspect of our lives, this will have ripple effects across all sectors. How could we possibly build a just, fit-for-purpose energy system with input from only a subset of the population? We need diverse perspectives because we are designing this for all of humanity – not just those fairly represented in the sector.

What is the biggest challenge and opportunity for the energy transition in the next year?

The challenge is getting better at moving from innovation to business as usual. Problems are urgent and solutions are emerging in real time. So, on one side, we need to practice faster piloting and adoption. On the flip side, innovators need to focus on their value-add, not on reinventing the wheel. Those who can innovate for function, not form–fit with existing frameworks but add a missing ingredient will be the game changers. I believe we got this right with IONATE.

What do you love about your job?

I love working with engineers. They are some of the most interesting people I can surround myself with. 

If you could go back to when you started work, what career advice would you give to your younger self?

Boring problems are usually undervalued. Focus on the stuff that others are missing and keep having lunch with the engineers!

You might also be interested in:
Emma Pinchbeck: ‘We need an energy workforce that looks like the population we serve’
Turning the tide: How Inna Braverman is making waves in marine energy

THIS OR THAT