California is taking its first steps on the path toward recovery. Thanks to bold and swift state and local leadership, we have avoided what could have been a much worse public health catastrophe. Now, as we begin to slowly reopen our communities, we must apply that same leadership to a robust economic recovery that puts our state, businesses, and workers on a stronger footing than when the pandemic began.
As our institutions strain under the uprising in cities across the country, I’ve been struggling to comprehend the depth of racism in America.
I understand why these moments of police violence, the senseless destruction of black bodies caught on tape, would spark a fire that rages across this country. I also know that the tinder has been building for generations and is about so much more than this one horrific moment. Every sector plays a part. Including clean energy.
It’s no secret that there are grave inequities in clean energy. In the spirit of this moment, I turned the microscope on my own sector to ask, how does racism manifest in clean energy?
The city of Santa Monica’s main business district has been chosen as the pilot for the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator’s new Neighborhood Zero Emissions Delivery Zone. The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) has put out an RFI (request for information) to companies far and wide who may have the technological solutions they need to solve this challenge. It’s one of the first tools in their Transportation Electrification Partnership, which you must have read about here.
Apply to submit your product, service, or startup (if it’s at the Market Access Program phase in the firm’s growth) by June 29, 2020!
The proposal sets out four big initiatives, including zero-emissions vehicle manufacturing, assembly and adoption; zero-emissions infrastructure investments; commitments to public transit investments; workforce development; and job training.
Updated Incubation Program Includes the First Ever Equity Earn Back Option for Founders; New Cohort are Advancing Zero Emissions Mobility, Clean Energy, and Other Climate Tech Solutions While Creating Green Jobs
LOS ANGELES, CA (April 20, 2020) – Today the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) announced the first cohort of 16 startups selected to participate in its renewed LACI Incubation Program.
The startups are led by the most diverse slate of founders in LACI history, with 31% of the participating entrepreneurs female, 56% persons of color, and 6% veterans. Half of the startups in the new cohort are focused on zero emissions mobility, 25% on clean energy, and 25% on the circular economy. A more detailed overview of each of the 16 startups is below.
“LACI is committed to not only incubating startups whose solutions are key in tackling the climate crisis and creating green jobs, we need to support underrepresented entrepreneurs who reflect our energetic, diverse, and innovative city,” says Matt Petersen, CEO of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator. “Cleantech entrepreneurs and startups are key to restarting our economy and ensuring that the improved air quality we are enjoying right now remains permanent.”
The new two-year incubation program was created to help entrepreneurs, including entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups, with game-changing climate and clean technologies to become market and investor ready. The program also includes the first-of-its-kind equity earnback approach, where LACI returns a portion of the equity stake to founders as they and their startups make demonstrated, lasting commitments to key impact milestones. Linking social, economic and environmental goals to finances embeds LACI’s commitment to impact and provides an attractive investment for impact-focused investors.
The 2020 LACI Incubation Program officially kicked off on April 20, 2020.
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About the 2020 LA Cleantech Incubator Cohort:
Thanks to the City of Los Angeles Mayor and City Council’s support, the Economic and Workforce Development Department provides LACI with CDBG economic development funding to run our incubation programming. LACI and startups we support are housed at the La Kretz Incubation Campus (LKIC), a world class LEED Platinum and WELL Gold certified facility owned by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and managed by LACI.
About LACI
The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), a City of Los Angeles established nonprofit organization, is creating an inclusive green economy by: unlocking innovation through working with startups to accelerate the commercialization of clean technologies, transforming markets through partnerships with policymakers, innovators and market leaders in transportation, energy and sustainable cities; and enhancing communities through workforce development, pilots and other programs. Founded as an economic development initiative by the City of Los Angeles and its Department of Water & Power (LADWP), LACI is recognized as one of the most innovative business incubators in the world by UBI. In the past eight years, LACI has helped 78 portfolio companies raise $221M in funding, $220M in revenue, create 1,750 jobs, and deliver more than $393M in long term economic value. Learn more at laci.org.
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Partners Call for Additional 25 Percent Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions Beyond Current Commitments Through Acceleration of Transportation Electrification in the L.A. Region by 2028
LOS ANGELES (Sept. 11, 2018) The unprecedented Transportation Electrification Partnership—convened by the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) —today released the 1.0 version of their Zero Emissions 2028 Roadmap, setting the goal to move toward an additional 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution beyond current commitments—through accelerating transportation electrification—by the time the world arrives in Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Partnership’s Leadership Group—comprised of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Southern California Edison (SCE), & LACI—have already made ambitious commitments to transportation electrification for the region that are aligned with California’s climate change and air quality goals, as well as the Paris Agreement’s 2 degrees Celsius goal. The additional 25 percent goal to reduce GHGs and air pollution reflects the Partnership’s ambitious commitment to help the region go further, faster together, including through the Roadmap’s principles and targets for key sectors.
With its release on the eve of California Governor Brown’s Global Climate Action Summit, the Roadmap’s targets include ensuring that 20 to 45 percent of all passenger cars are electric by 2028, and 10 to 40 percent of all heavy-duty drayage trucks on the road are zero emissions by 2028. LACI and the Partnership’s Leadership Group, Advisory Group, and other stakeholders will work together over the coming year to conduct further analyses in preparation for the release of the Roadmap 2.0 by Fall 2019.
“Climate change doesn’t respect any city lines or national borders, so our response to it requires strong partnerships, unified action, and the urgency demanded by the greatest threat to our planet’s health and our families’ futures,” said Mayor Garcetti. “This Zero Emissions Roadmap will help us set ambitious transportation targets in our Sustainable City pLAn, while strengthening L.A.’s economy, reinforcing our commitment to environmental justice, and accelerating the reduction of dangerous emissions between now and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
“Los Angeles County is proactively investing in zero-emissions transportation,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose district includes the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. “Communities along our freeways and in the Harbor Area have shouldered the air pollution burden of our car culture and goods movement system for too long. We have the technology we need to kick our reliance on fossil fuel and drive a zero-emissions future—and with this roadmap we can get started building that future today.”
“Using the deadline of the Olympics in 2028, we can use the LA region’s can do attitude along with California’s leadership to make things possible that were never before,” said Mary D. Nichols, Chair of CARB. “That’s why this partnership is so powerful and critically important to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, cleaning up our air, and leading the transition to a zero-emissions future.”
The Roadmap also includes targets for the deployment of charging infrastructure, electric buses and medium-duty electric delivery trucks, among other targets. The Roadmap will be a key tool that other cities and regions outside Greater Los Angeles can use to inform their own efforts to move towards zero-emissions, working to combat climate change in the manner inspired by the Paris Climate Accord.
“As the White House rolls back air quality and fuel efficiency standards, the Partnership and Roadmap reaffirm that the L.A. region and California are leading the way to cleaner air and a brighter future,” said Matt Petersen, president and CEO of LACI. “Thanks to the landmark Transportation Electrification Partnership, the Zero Emissions 2028 Roadmap will help keep the Los Angeles region focused on our important 25% additional reduction goal while unlocking innovation through startups.”
As part of the Partnership and Roadmap implementation, LACI will begin to identify catalytic pilots, demonstration showcases and testbeds for transportation electrification and shared mobility, and also host technology competitions and incubate start-ups, while helping develop the needed workforce for bringing the benefits of transportation electrification to disadvantaged communities. For example, LACI and the California Clean Energy Fund recently announced finalists for the first-ever California Climate Cup, a global startup competition with over 100 entries focused on promoting the next generation of technologies that will help megacities—as well as states and regions—accelerate reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and enhance resiliency in the face of climate change.
The Partnership’s Leadership and Advisory Groups are instrumental to achieving and fostering the necessary collaboration to realize the Roadmap’s ambitious goals. The Advisory Group is comprised of diverse partners including BMW Group, PCS Energy, Itron Idea Labs, Greenlots, South Coast Air Quality Management District, Tesla, Pacific Gas & Electric, BYD, Southern California IBEW-NECA, California State University, Northridge and the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy.
“LADWP has made great strides in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution and we are making significant investments in supporting electrification because a cleaner and greener transportation system is key to continuing the progress we have made in the Los Angeles region, said LADWP General Manager David Wright. “We are excited to partner with other utilities, local, regional and state government and others in the Transportation Electrification Partnership.”
“Southern California Edison has been aggressively moving forward with a range of programs that will help to electrify transportation across many sectors,” said SCE President Ron Nichols. “These programs support California’s greenhouse gas and air pollution reduction goals to achieve cleaner air for our communities. SCE is pleased to be part of a regional Transportation Electrification Partnership that has come together to accelerate the L.A. Region’s role as a national leader in zero-emission vehicles by 2028.
“LA Metro has 105 electric buses on order and will deploy a fully electric bus fleet on the Orange Line by 2020 and the Silver Line soon thereafter,” said LA Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington. “Our goal is to convert the entire 2,200-plus Metro bus fleet to zero emission vehicles by 2030, and we will do everything possible to accelerate that date. We believe it’s important to lead in the effort to fight climate change and improve air quality in Southern California.”
“Transportation is a leading source of air pollution that causes negative public health outcomes in Southern California and drives global climate change,” added Stella Li, President of BYD Motors. “BYD’s North America operations, with nearly 900 employees in Los Angeles County alone, is working to tackle this problem head-on by providing a range of battery electric bus, truck, forklift and rail options that will help the region, state and nation meet its clean transportation goals. BYD is pleased to partner with LACI on this important Zero Emission Roadmap.”
“The BMW Group is excited to be part of the LACI Transportation Electrification Advisory Group helping to identify ways to reduce GHG emissions and air pollution by accelerating zero emission mobility,” said Lisa Errion Saums, Vice President Government and External Affairs Americas, BMW of LLC. “The targets elaborated in the ZEV roadmap are very ambitious and require a substantive investment in infrastructure, additional financial and non-monetary incentives and continuous customer education and outreach. In order to reach these ambitious objectives joint efforts from all stakeholders involved are needed. LACI is bringing together an unprecedented partnership of local government leaders, utilities, regulators, start-ups and carmakers to work collaboratively and achieve regional transportation electrification faster. The BMW Group is committed to help transform mobility in L.A. to meet air quality and climate goals.”
“Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy because climate change is real and happening right now,” shared Rohan Patel, Director of Policy and Business Development for Tesla. It’s why we recently announced our decision to enter the heavy-duty market and why all our vehicles are 100 percent electric and zero-emissions. As both a California-based manufacturer and a provider of charging infrastructure with 20,000 employees throughout the state, we’re pleased to be part of the LACI Advisory group that is helping to shape and meet these goals.”
“The electrification of transportation is one of the biggest steps we can take to reduce carbon emissions and improve regional air quality,” Roberto Aiello, Director at Itron Idea Labs said. “We are proud to join this innovative group of stakeholders to create new opportunities for clean energy that can be readily adopted by cities around the world.”
“Although we operate in 13 countries across 3 continents, Greenlots is proud to call Los Angeles our home,” said Brett Hauser, CEO of Greenlots. “We share the city’s vision for a carbon-free future and believe that widespread and equitable access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure is key to achieving that vision. By embracing an ambitious sustainability agenda, Los Angeles is setting the standard for other large cities around the world. Greenlots is proud to work alongside LACI and other organizations to help the city shine ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.”
Jennifer Kropke, Director of Workforce and Environmental Engagement for Southern California IBEW-NECA added, “The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 11 and National Electrical Contractors Association Los Angeles Chapter are so proud to partner with LACI under the vision of Matt Petersen to usher in a new era of transportation electrification. The fruit of these efforts will be better air quality and good green jobs that pay family-sustaining wages. The future of transportation is electric and we are ready to make it happen.”
“Los Angeles will create the proof with its population of early adopters that electric vehicles cost less than half of traditional combustion engine vehicles so hence the future will be driven with EVs,” said Paul Jennings, Principal of PCS Energy.
About LACI
The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) is a private non-profit organization creating an inclusive green economy by unlocking innovation (working with startups to accelerate the commercialization of clean technologies), transforming markets (through partnerships in transportation, energy and sustainable cities) and enhancing communities (through workforce development, pilots and other programs). Founded as an economic development initiative by the City of Los Angeles and its Department of Water & Power (LADWP), LACI is recognized as one of the most innovative business incubators in the world by UBI. In the past six years, LACI has helped 73 portfolio companies raise $184M in funding, $220M in revenue, create 1,700 jobs, and deliver more than $379M in long term economic value. Learn more at laci.org.
Media Contact:
Kristen Rockwell Caloca
Mercury for Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator
(424) 202-1671
KCaloca@mercuryllc.com
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