Lex Forsyth: Founder & COO at Janus Electric

In this episode of Engineering in the Hunter, NTP Talent’s Melinda Sietsma sits down with Lex Forsyth, founder and COO of Janus Electric, to discuss the real-world transformation of Australia’s heavy transport sector. Lex explains how Janus is converting existing diesel trucks into zero-emission vehicles using swappable battery technology. He breaks down the hard maths, showing that the shift to electric isn’t just an environmental pitch — it’s a high-stakes economics game that slashes operating costs, improves driver wellbeing and ultimately supports Australia’s energy sovereignty.

You’ll get a candid look at the grinding realities of scaling a hardware startup in Australia, from listing on the ASX to surviving hundreds of investor rejections. Lex digs into the hurdles of grid infrastructure, why megawatt fast-charging isn’t a silver bullet, and the importance of keeping manufacturing and engineering talent local.

About the show

Engineering in the Hunter (formerly Engineering Success) is hosted by Melinda Sietsma with NTP Talent founder James MacDonald. It is produced by Day One®, trusted partners in the technology space and the team that helped build Blackbird Ventures' Wild Hearts.