As CEO of Newlab, Cam Lawrence helms one of the most important innovation platforms solving for climate change in NYC and in the world. In his two-part interview with Planet First Action, Cam shared an abundance of insights and expert perspectives for all to benefit from and be inspired by.
Watch the interview on YouTube at the below links, or tune in to the audio only on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and dive deeper into Cam’s insights and the incredible work being led by Newlab below!
Newlab’s Motto:
“Hope is a consequence of action.”
Featured Marquee Event: (9/26/2024)
Newlab New Climate Futures
If you had just one day to spare in your schedule, and one event that you could choose to attend during this year’s Climate Week NYC - be sure to head over to Newlab at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Thursday, September 26th for Newlab’s New Climate Futures Event.
The all-day flagship event, held by the world-leading venture platform and community Newlab, will convene over 1,000 of the most innovative entrepreneurs, industry leaders, investors, and policymakers to connect and network, share ideas and resources, and leave energized and equipped to continue to advance progress.
Learn more here, and be sure to grab your tickets here. And don’t worry if you can’t attend in person - you can still join the main stage show virtually, here!
Newlab Brooklyn, 19 Morris Ave, Brooklyn Navy Yard
Thursday, September 26th, 10am-7pm EST
A Leader And An Organization That Need No Introduction
Cam Lawrence, CEO of Newlab
A model for leaders to follow: Cam Lawrence
To his role as CEO of Newlab, Cam brings a wealth of experience from a storied and successful career, with roles in executive positions across finance, operations and strategy for some of the largest and most impactful organization in the world today.
Cam brings that experience and leadership to the nexus of what is going to drive effective climate action, with a focus on unblocking new innovations from entering the market and our communities, and serving as the connector between new entrepreneurial startups pioneering new solutions, and the government and corporate partners that can enable them to grow and succeed.
Cam and his leadership at Newlab, and the entire Newlab team are not only a driving force behind one of most important innovation ecosystems in the world, but also are a model and an inspiration for others.
Mobility, Materials, & Energy:
Based in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Newlab’s focus as an innovation platform centers on three core pillars - mobility, materials, and energy. And for each of those areas, applying that lens of achieving of a sustainable future realized through a just and equitable energy transitions. For everything from how people and goods travel the world, to the new materials with which we build our homes and communities, to the novel solutions we depend in the realm of clean energy generation and storage.
Put simply, Newlab is laser-focused in on solving the climate crisis in the areas that will have some of the biggest impacts on the health and well-being for people across the country and the world, while also taking on the sectors that represent the largest portion of carbon and other GHG emissions.
Resurget Cineribus - ‘It shall rise from the ashes’
That latin phrase is a part of the motto of Detroit, the city that is the home of Newlab’s second location, on Ford’s billion-dollar mobility innovation district. And as you’ll see from Cam’s incredible insights, the energy transition itself, as well as climate innovation more broadly, play a crucial role in economic development, and when applied correctly, can serve to revitalize entire communities.
In fact, Newlab’s approach is specifically focused on being ‘place-based’ - leveraging the local resources and advantages to enable new innovations to succeed, but in a way that is a part of the local community and serving the local community.
Dive deeper into the world of Newlab, and the insights and expert perspectives shared by Cam Lawrence in his two-part interview and with the resources below!
Continuing A Rich History Of Mobilization & Action
Newlab is headquartered in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, also known as the “Can-Do Shipyard” because of it’s tremendous activity and role in defending democracy during WWII. The Brooklyn Navy Yard has built 160 ships, and during WWII repaired over 5,000 ships, and converted 250 to warship standards.
At it’s height during the war, the Yard employed 71,000 workers, many of which were women joining the labor force for the first time. The Brooklyn Navy Yard constructed the warship upon which the ‘Instrument of Surrender’ was signed by representatives from the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, the USS Missouri, signaling the end of WWII.
Today, Newlab continues on that tradition of mobilizing action towards the most pressing challenges of our time, harnessing the resources and location to drive successful deployment of new technologies to combat climate change.
The USS Franklin arriving for repairs, April 28th, 1945
Hear Cam Lawrence’s Perspective On This Incredible History:
An Unmatched Innovation Platform
Launched in 2016 - Newlab is already breaking records and winning awards for it’s incredible work as an innovation platform. Newlab was awarded Fast Company’s Design Company of the Year in 2020, and under Cam Lawrence’s leadership, the success continues to grow in the Brooklyn Navy Yard location and beyond.
Today, Newlab has over 1,000 member companies, over 500,000 square feet of acceleration assets, and is the home to more than 300 startups. In just a few short years, the startups it has supported have achieved over $2.3 billion in exits, driving forward in part by Newlab’s tremendous piloting program - a whopping 30% of Newlab’s pilots advance toward commercialization, with more than a 100 completed so far, with over 60 government and industry partners.
And the future is bright for Newlab, and thanks to Newlab.
Newlab will continue to deepen it’s partnership and impact in the New York ecosystem, serving as one of the three core pillars and the anchor organization behind the new Harbor Climate Collaborative - a crucial initiative stemming from the Green Economy Action Plan, designed to realize a just and equitable energy transition and the development of the workforce of the future, here in NYC.
And beyond NYC, Newlab is bringing its expertise, resources and impact to bear in other parts of the country and the world. Check out more on the new initiatives and locations of Newlab below.
Expert Advice From Cam Lawrence
While the full episodes featuring Cam’s two-part interview are further below, these short excerpts feature Cam’s valuable insights on key topics for all stakeholders to consider, learn from, and be inspired by:
Economic Development As Common Ground In An Election Year
With The Upcoming Elections, The Role Of International Markets
Advice & Inspiration For Founders & Entrepreneurs
Planet First Action is beyond proud to have partnered with Newlab for the premiere Planet First Action Podcast Series.
Planet First Action brought a range of world-class leaders on to the stage at Newlab - a stage that has already secured a special place in Climate Action history - to share their insights for all stakeholders to learn from. Be sure to check out the full episodes, and the special three-guest series focused in on the critical policy known as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
Planet First Action Full Interview With Cam Lawrence
CEO, Newlab
Part I
Part II
“The broader economic development story is central to what we do. It is extremely important for us to be reflective of our local communities.”
— Cam Lawrence, CEO of Newlab