The iMasons Innovation Podcast Thought Leadership

John Cowan is the founder of Next Wave Partners, a venture studio and investment fund redefining early-stage capital through founder-aligned financing structures. He is the author of Venture Capital 2.0, a widely circulated critique of the legacy VC model and a blueprint for building startups in the post–power law era. 

Next Wave developed the Safer—a hybrid investment instrument that prioritizes revenue-based returns and long-term alignment—offering founders capital without control loss, and investors access to a perpetual fund unconstrained by traditional VC timelines. 

Our conversation dives into why Wall Street and Silicon Valley often overlook infrastructure, where new sources of capital could emerge, and how to ensure that investments unlock the right opportunities for AI, smart cities, and autonomous systems. We examine different modes of investment—from patient capital to community-driven models—and consider how smart city and autonomy initiatives highlight the diversity of funding approaches. 

Moderator:  
Romain Tranchant, iMasons Innovation Committee Chair 

Guest: 

John Cowan, founder of Next Wave Partners and author of “Venture Capital 2.0” 

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Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) is a global, non-profit, professional association of individuals connected and empowered to build a greater digital future for all. 

#iMasons #InfrastructureMasons #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership 

Liam Round, Managing Director for Teksan UK and Regional Director for Europe & Africa, joins us to share his inspiring journey from military service to leadership in the data centre industry. A proud member of the iMasons Veterans’ community, Liam reveals how his service shaped his people-first approach in recruitment. He shares lessons from rebuilding teams from the ground up and emphasizes the importance of transferable skills in driving innovation and sustainable business growth. 

As Liam puts it: “Nothing changes if nothing changes.” This mindset continues to fuel his commitment to transformation, resilience, and progress – both in business and in life. 

Moderator:  
Romain Tranchant, Chair of the iMasons Innovation Committee 

Guest: 

Liam Round, Managing Director UK and Regional Director for Europe & Africa, Teksan 

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Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) is a global, non-profit, professional association of individuals connected and empowered to build a greater digital future for all. 

#iMasons #InfrastructureMasons #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership 

 

Innovation Committee Chair, Romain Tranchant, leads a panel at the IRENA Conference in BONN on behalf of the iMasons Climate Accords. 

This session unpacks how the rapid growth in global data centre electricity demand, driven by AI advancement, can be transformed from a grid challenge into an opportunity for accelerating renewable energy deployment and achieving decarbonisation targets. 

Moderator:  
Romain Tranchant, Chair of the Innovation Committee, iMasons Climate Accord 

Panelists: 
Andres Acosta, Director of Innovation, LevelTen 
Trigya Singh, Head of Corporate Sourcing, Global Renewable Alliance 
Sylvie Tarnai, Chief Strategy Officer, Energy Pool 
Jill McArdle PhD, International Corporate Campaigner, Beyond Fossil Fuels 
Gema del Río Castro, IDAE – Spanish Government  

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Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) is a global, non-profit, professional association of individuals connected and empowered to build a greater digital future for all. 

#iMasons #InfrastructureMasons #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership 

 

Innovation Committee Chair and host Romain Tranchant interviews Waleed Zafar.  

Waleed Zafar is the Director of Mission Critical at XYZ Reality, a company transforming how mission-critical projects are planned, built, and delivered with its innovative construction delivery platform. With a background in investment banking, Waleed joined XYZ as its first employee, playing a pivotal role in developing the company’s core technology. He then partnered with the largest developers in the construction of data centres, using augmented reality and precise positioning to improve the rate of delivery and health and safety in construction. 

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Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) is a global, non-profit, professional association of individuals connected and empowered to build a greater digital future for all. 

#iMasons #InfrastructureMasons #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership 

Innovation Committee Chair and host Romain Tranchant interviews Alison Marlow and Courtney Popp. 

Alison is Account Executive at Schneider Electric and the Global Chair for Armed Forces at Infrastructure Masons. Due to her non-traditional background, she is passionate about helping people find success who have taken alternate paths in life. 

Courtney Popp is iMasons' Director of People Programs, with a decade of workforce development expertise and a deep commitment toward opening pathways to opportunity, especially for underserved populations. 

They have accepted our invitation to talk about the new recruitment methods that might help to fix the shortage of skills in our industry. 

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Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) is a global, non-profit, professional association of individuals connected and empowered to build a greater digital future for all. 

#iMasons #InfrastructureMasons #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership 

Innovation Committee Chair and host Romain Tranchant interviews Venessa Moffat, Executive Board Member at the Data Centre Alliance.  Venessa has worked in the sector for over 20 years, holding various roles across IT and facilities. Today, Venessa is exploring the ever-evolving world of software in data centres, focusing on how AI is contributing to our increasingly complex, data-driven system of systems.  

💡 Key Takeaways:

✅ Real-world applications of AI agents in data centers

✅ The evolution from manual processes to intelligent automation

✅ Strategic insights for leaders to stay ahead of the curve

👉 Start the conversation—𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 and 𝐭𝐚𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 in digital infrastructure.  

#iMasons #InfrastructureMasons #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership 

 

Innovation Committee Chair and host Romain Tranchant interviews Dan Tennakoon, CEO and Founder at RE24 - an enterprise platform that enables data centre to procure renewable energy directly from power generators.  

RE24 streamlines contract management while providing powerful analytics on renewable consumption, ensuring operators optimise their use of green energy. Through its advanced hourly matching system, RE24 connects generators with data centres in real-time, maximising the share of renewables in their operations.  

This year, they have been accepted in the iMasons incubator programme, and Dan will take us through his knowledge and experience of the renewable energy market. 

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iMasons Launches Innovation Showcase and Incubator Programs 🌍 

*Innovation Showcase: A platform for sharing ground-breaking products, services, and ideas with the iMasons community and industry leaders. 
*Innovation Incubator: Supports innovators by fostering connections, providing expert validation, and raising awareness, focusing on sustainability and collaboration. 

We invite you to join us in our mission to connect, grow, and give back as we empower sustainable projects, address industry challenges, and drive innovation forward. 

Please, feel free to reach out to Romain Tranchant, our Innovation Chair, or apply directly through our Incubator Application Form. 

Email: 📧 innovation@imasons.org 

Infrastructure Masons (iMas ons) is a global, non-profit, professional association of individuals connected and empowered to build a greater digital future for all. 

#iMasons #InfrastructureMasons #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership 

Innovation Committee Chair and host Romain Tranchant interviews Maximilian Weidl, CEO and Co-Founder at Clear Decisions.

Clear Decisions is the first AI-powered compliance platform tailored for data centers. It automates compliance and streamlines audits. By optimizing these processes, Clear Decisions drives sustainability, ensuring data centers operate more efficiently and with a reduced environmental footprint.

This year, Clear Decisions have been accepted in the iMasons Incubator Program. In this episode, Maximilian shares his insights on compliance and reporting, and delves into the vital link between efficient operations and a sustainable future.

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iMasons Launches Innovation Showcase and Incubator Programs 🌍

iMasons is proud to announce the launch of two transformative initiatives: the Innovation Showcase and the Innovation Incubator programs.

The Innovation Showcase highlights ground-breaking products, services, and thought leadership, offering a platform to share innovative solutions with the iMasons community and industry leaders. It's your chance to celebrate creativity and inspire progress!

The Innovation Incubator is designed to help turn visionary ideas into reality. Focused on sustainability and powered by collaborations with the Climate Accord and the State of the Digital Infrastructure Industry report, this program supports innovators—from emerging start-ups to established enterprises—by fostering connections, providing expert validation, and raising awareness within the iMasons network. Join us to be part of something truly transformative! Connect, grow, and give back as we empower sustainable projects, address industry challenges, and drive innovation.

Want to share your innovations or get involved? Reach out to Romain Tranchant, our Innovation Chair, or apply directly through our Incubator Application Form.

For more info: 📧 innovation@imasons.org