In this episode of BIC Presents, host PJ Moynihan sits down with Noble Carbon co-founders Jared Lebos and Andrew Crane to discuss how their climate tech startup is developing smart circuit breakers designed to improve energy efficiency and grid resilience. Lebos, who previously worked in financial services, and Crane, an engineer originally from Berkshire County, met while attending business school and later began collaborating on a solution inspired by energy challenges Lebos experienced abroad. Their early prototype evolved into Noble Carbon’s core technology: a compact smart circuit breaker capable of managing energy use more intelligently within homes.
The founders describe how participation in the Berkshire Innovation Center’s Stage 2 Accelerator helped move their concept from a basement prototype to a deployable product. They also discuss the role of state support, including the InnovateMass Grid Tech Spotlight program and an M2I2 grant, which provided critical non-dilutive funding to develop hardware, testing equipment, and manufacturing processes.
Looking ahead, Noble Carbon is preparing a pilot program with Eversource that will deploy its smart breakers in homes across Western Massachusetts, gathering data on energy efficiency, grid performance, and affordability for low- and moderate-income households.
Links:
Noble Carbon: https://www.noblecarbon.io
Jared Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-lebos-32146410b/
Andrew Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-crane-25039935/
Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/
