Josh Goldman would never describe himself this way, but he may be one of the most important people in the world. As co-founder of KoBold Metals he has helped develop technologies that do a much better job finding deposits of lithium, nickel, cobalt, and copper, and do so at a fraction of the billions of dollars that have become the industry average.

These are items on a shortlist of what governments call critical minerals, which are vital for energy production. So, basically, Josh and his colleagues are helping keep the lights on. For example, KoBold uncovered what it projects will be one of the largest copper mines in the world. That deposit in Zambia is one reason the company, a startup, is already worth a few billion dollars.

To reach this point, Josh and his team have had to solve tough scientific problems, navigate domestic and i ...