Steve Schell
CPO, SolGrapH, Inc.
Steve Schell builds and scales deep-tech innovations designed to solve hard physical problems. Over the past 25+ years, he has operated at the intersection of engineering and entrepreneurship, leading diverse teams to bring complex, first-of-their-kind hardware technologies from concept to commercial market.
Currently serving as Chief Product Officer at SolGrapH Inc., Steve leads product and engineering efforts to develop advanced, direct solar-heated methane pyrolysis reactors that produce battery-grade graphite, aiming to decarbonize critical material supply chains.
His track record includes:
Scaling Deep-Tech: As CTO and Chief Scientist at Heliogen, he helped guide the company from an early-stage, 10-employee startup through major venture rounds, a public debut, and a $39M U.S. Department of Energy award for their high-temperature "Gen 3 CSP" demonstration project.
Full Product Lifecycle: As Co-Founder and CEO of New Matter, he led the development of a consumer 3D printer from concept to an award-winning mass product, manufacturing and shipping over 10,000 units globally.
Core Engineering Foundation: A Caltech mechanical engineer by training, Steve holds patents spanning solar thermal energy, robotic sensor systems, and additive manufacturing.
Beyond his role at SolGrapH, he active in supporting the hard-tech ecosystem by advising climate tech startups and serving as a technical advisor to solar thermal research teams at Sandia National Laboratories and the National Laboratory of the Rockies.