What A CEO At Blue Dot Motorworks Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Climate Tech Industry
In the climate tech startup industry, success favors those who pursue "low-risk solutions with decent market potential," attracting private capital and grants; however, this focus on incrementalism may leave "core challenges unanswered."
Problem-Solving, Entrepreneurial Skills, Risk Assessment, Strategic Thinking, Grant Writing
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Tom Gurski
CEO
Blue Dot Motorworks
MIT 1999
N/A
Engineering - Mechanical
Automotive & Auto Parts
Entrepreneurship and Business Owner
Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. In climate tech startups, those who identify low-risk solutions with decent market potential tend to thrive, attracting private capital.
2. Focusing on low-risk solutions can lead to incrementalism and a focus on peripheral solutions, potentially leaving core challenges unanswered.
3. Grant opportunities often exist for existing solutions in this industry.
Transcript
How would you describe the people who typically thrive in this industry?
If we describe the industry as climate tech startups, it seems the people who have the easiest time or make the most progress quickly are those who can identify low-risk solutions with decent market potential.
Going after those tends to attract private capital because of the low risk. If you're talking about an existing solution, there are grant opportunities available.
The downside is that this leads to a lot of incrementalism, with peripheral solutions being emphasized while core challenges go unanswered. But that's just the nature of where we are.