Crusoe Energy CEO Chase Lochmiller sits down with Sequoia Capital to discuss building one of the most operationally complex AI companies: a vertically integrated operation that develops power plants, manufactures electrical equipment, operates gigawatt-scale , and runs managed AI cloud services. The company recently closed a funding round at a $31 billion valuation after divesting its Bitcoin mining business.
Lochmiller explains how he holds a 2,000-person operation in his head, his approach to scaling leadership and accountability through weekly staff meetings and designated responsible individuals (DRIs), and why the company is modeled on energy infrastructure firms like Exxon rather than traditional cloud providers. He discusses the strategic shift from Bitcoin mining to AI , hiring and firing decisions, the importance of developing leadership skills like public speaking, and why data center companies face perception and marketing challenges rather than technical ones.
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