Dr. Robin Podmore
Dr. Podmore has a unique track record in startup and financing of entrepreneurs in the electric power industry. In 1979, he co-Founded ESCA which is now GE Grid, the largest supplier of Energy Management and Market Management Systems worldwide. He initially led the research and development group and then the business development group. He secured major Energy Management contracts in the $10 – $30 M range and launched the innovative system upgrade business. The early customers that he secured and the proposal process that he formed laid the foundation for ESCA to become the market leader in the world-wide energy management business.
Dr. Podmore founded IncSys in 1990. IncSys with its long-term partner PowerData has grown to be the premier independent supplier of Operator Training Simulators world-wide. IncSys has the reputation of being called in to help operate the world’s most challenging power systems. The IncSys trained system operators have the world’s toughest assignments including managing rotating outages in Baghdad, keeping the power and lights on for the stadiums for the Brazil World Cup and the Brazil Olympic Games, managing the public safety power shut offs to avoid California wildfires and keeping the power and the lights on for the annual Hajj.
In 2010 Dr. Robin Podmore co-founded and is currently Senior Vice President of IEEE Smart Village. In 2020 he founded and is currently President of the Rotary Smart Village. He is working with 27 CEOs and entrepreneurs who are implementing renewable energy mini grids as well as productive uses of electricity across twelve countries including Canada (1), Cameroon (2), Kenya (4), Malawi (1), Nigeria (4), Rwanda (2), Sierra Leone (1), South Sudan (1), Tanzania (1), Uganda (2), USA (6), Zambia (2) and India (2). The mentoring works both ways. Dr. Podmore is learning as much from the CEOs and Entrepreneurs as they are learning from him. Every mini grid business started over the last 10 years is still in business today with the founders at the helm.
Dr. Podmore is a NERC Certified Reliability Coordinator, IEEE Life Fellow and Member of the National Academy of Engineers.
