Need help turning an idea into a real product? Work with Hard Stuff to build your MVP today: https://www.hard-stuff.com/
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In this episode of CleanTalk, we sit down with Matt Stedman, a startup engineer and fractional CTO who helps early-stage companies turn ambitious ideas into real, working products, particularly in climate and clean technology.
We explore what founders consistently get wrong when building MVPs, why “perfect” products are often the enemy of progress, and how marrying yourself to a solution instead of a problem can quietly kill a startup. Matt shares hard-won insights from working with hardware founders, from breaking perfectionism to testing whether anyone will actually pay for what you’re building.
We also dig into why climate tech isn’t just about big infrastructure and renewables, how niche physical products can make a meaningful impact, and why building “stuff that matters” requires humility, iteration, and the willingness to fail fast.
This episode is for startup founders, engineers, climate tech builders, product leaders, and anyone navigating the messy early stages of turning an idea into something real, especially when time, money, and certainty are in short supply.
Enjoy!
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Connect with Matt on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-a-stedman/
Join the CleanTalk community on Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12991627/
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CleanTalk is produced by Harmer Visuals, a film & media company specialising in brand & case study storytelling for organisations across the renewable energy and clean technology sector. To find out more about how we can help you, visit:
[https://www.harmervisuals.com](https://www.harmervisuals.com/)
Many thanks to…
Matt Stedman
Our rental suppliers –
O'RIORDAN | https://oriordan.io/
Sunipa Pictures | https://www.sunipapictures.com/
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Chapters for today’s episode:
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