LUX FORUM BOSTON
From Silicon Valley to Climate Tech Coast: Building a New Innovation Ecosystem in the Northeast

Opening Remarks

Marisa Kopec
CEO at Lux Research

What the Northeast Needs to Win the Sustainable Innovation Race

The Northeast is blessed with a vibrant, developed clean-technology ecosystem — but is that enough to scale up sustainable technology? More is needed — from clean energy to human capital.

This talk outlines the policy, investments, and resources that will be crucial in transforming the Northeast from an invention ecosystem to the premiere destination to commercialize cleantech.

Anthony Schiavo
Senior Director and Principal Analyst at Lux Research

Decarbonization of Industry: Transformational Technologies Shaping the Future of Industry

The industrial sector, encompassing steel, cement, and chemicals, is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the urgent call for decarbonization. While industry is actively pursuing near-term solutions, a fundamental reshaping of industrial processes will be indispensable as the sector journeys toward 2050.

This presentation will introduce Lux’s Industrial Decarbonization Framework, characterize the challenge of integrating technology solutions, and highlight the transformational technologies poised to alter the steel, cement, and chemicals industries. We’ll also discuss the policy and strategic drivers that will shape where innovation ecosystems are centered and how the Northeast can build on its early potential here.

Ian Rinehart
Associate Research Director at Lux Research

Thomas Briggs
Research Associate at Lux Research

Building the Biobased Future of the Chemicals Industry

The chemicals industry faces a tough triple threat: It must decarbonize, build a circular economy, and phase out harmful chemicals at the same time it navigates the energy transition upstream. No other sector faces as complex a challenge over the next 20 years; but the chemicals industry’s success is crucial to delivering on the promise of the green economy.

Biobased chemicals and materials are a potential silver bullet offering solutions to emissions waste and health — but have struggled to scale. This talk explores the role biobased materials and chemicals will play in the future of the chemicals industry and how innovations in the Northeast can accelerate that future.

Kristin Marshall
Associate Research Director at Lux Research

Varsha Sethuraman
Research Associate at Lux Research

Fireside Chat: Innovation Hub Leader

This discussion with the leader of an innovation hub will cover how companies can partner to accelerate cleantech development, the barriers and hurdles faced by early stage companies, and how the Northeast can position its ecosystem to win.

Moderator:

Anthony Schiavo
Senior Director and Principal Analyst at Lux Research

Guest Speaker:

Laura Teicher
President & Executive Director at FORGE

The Shifting Landscape of Consumer Views on Climate Tech

Climate tech is often thought of as big industrial machinery — green steel mills and giant wind farms. But none of this will be built without buy-in from the broader public, as the struggles of offshore wind in the Northeast have shown.

This talk digs into the changing consumer views around climate tech and low-carbon or sustainable consumer products and discusses how innovators can plan for future deployment while remaining agile to potential shifts in public perception.

Anthony Schiavo
Senior Director and Principal Analyst at Lux Research

Cheryl Auger
Senior Director at Lux Research

Closing Remarks

Marisa Kopec
CEO at Lux Research