▶ Available 15 March 2025
David Kohnstamm is a thermal engineer and the chief sustainability officer and co-founder of Leafcloud, which offers clients a truly green alternative to energy-hungry traditional data centres.
David is scathing about the misleading use of the word 'cloud' to describe most data centres, since they are not the nebulous things that the word conjures up. The reality is much more solid in fact; other people's computers located in large buildings in the middle of an open space, requiring air conditioning and water to cool down the resulting heat.
Despite calling himself an introvert-extrovert nerd David, who is based in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, didn't dream of becoming an IT entrepreneur. For a number of years he worked as a bicycle mechanic, a career choice that was partly the result of not fitting in at school because he is dyslexic.
After a few years David decided to study thermal engineering, graduated and started work. When his employer went bust he took all he'd learned from the company, joined forces with a green investor and together they co-founded Leafcloud.
David says entrepreneurship is one of the most fun ways to work, so if you've ever wondered what it takes, he has a few tips, including:
David admits he was privileged to do what he did, and that not everyone has the luxury of such choices. He loves his association with people building up cool tech and societal impact companies, and those who are fighting the good (green) fight without feeling a need to shout about it on social media.
While Leafcloud offers its clients solutions in the Netherlands, offloading the excess heat generated in its green-powered data centres to civic swimming pools and homes for elderly people, David still isn't always optimistic about the future (though he suggests asking again when it's warm and sunny). He feels too many people are happy ignoring what's going on in the world and living a comfortable lie.
Having children has saved David from working too hard and he thinks we should stop doing 'stuff' in favour of being less busy. And he signs off with an absolute show stopper of a philosophy...
Leafcloud
Deloitte report into rethinking data centres
68 percent of data stored = cat memes (and other trash)
How to become a bike mechanic (UK)
Season 1 Episode 4: Nick Molden, CEO and founder of Emissions Analytics
Season 3 Episode 7: Don Weatherbee, CEO of RegenX Tech
Season 3 Episode 12: Beccy Dickson, co-founder of Branded Bio and eco-entrepreneur
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