He leaves Tesla to suck CO₂ out of the air

Thoralf Gutierrez is a Belgian engineer, co-founder and CEO of Sirona Technologies, the startup that develops machines for the direct capture of CO2 from the air to concretely fight climate change.

After 5 years at Tesla in California, he returned to a path that few engineers dare to take: leave Silicon Valley at the top, return to Belgium, and build from scratch a climate deeptech with the culture and intensity of an American company.

He also tells the story of the question that changed everything, the doubts about its real impact, and what finally pushed him to create Sirona rather than join an existing company.

On the program:

• Tesla culture from the inside. Thoralf explains why "it's not possible" doesn't exist, and what it changes concretely in the way of solving problems.

• Direct CO2 capture: demystifying the technology. How we suck CO2 into the air, why it's so difficult to industrialize, and where the market stands today.

• Carbon credits: opportunity or greenwashing? Thoralf gives his views on a controversial market.

• Building a climate startup in Belgium. Why Sirona wants to embody the "Silicon Valley in Belgium", and what this means in terms of corporate culture.

• Working on the world's most important problem. The question asked by a mentor who changed everything in Thoralf's trajectory.