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Greentown Labs Announces Shell as a Founding Sponsor of the Global Center for Cleantech Innovation

The Shell Prototyping Lab is scheduled to open in late 2017 and will support Greentown Labs’ growing community of 60+ cleantech, hardware-focused startups

Somerville, Mass., – October 20, 2017 – Greentown Labs, the largest cleantech startup incubator in the United States, today announced Shell International Exploration and Production, Inc. (“Shell”), as a Founding Sponsor of the Greentown Labs Global Center for Cleantech Innovation. Both organizations are committed to society’s clean energy future and recognize the important role collaboration plays in bringing new energy solutions to market. Shell has served as a Terawatt Sponsor of Greentown Labs since 2013 and by deepening their partnership, Greentown Labs and Shell will enable more cleantech startups to succeed and solve society’s big energy challenges.

Just steps away from Greentown Labs’ current location, the Greentown Labs Global Center for Cleantech Innovation will serve as the incubator’s headquarters and transform the incubator into a multi-facility campus totaling more than 100,000 sq. ft. When the Global Center opens in November 2017, it will provide additional prototyping lab space, office space for more than 100 cleantech startups, a 24-bench wet lab, electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicle charging stations, and a 500-person event space which will serve as a convener for the global cleantech community.

Shell’s Founding Sponsorship has played a critical role in bringing the Global Center to fruition. Key elements of this sponsorship include:

  • The Shell Prototyping Lab – The prototyping lab is the most highly sought after space at Greentown Labs and with Shell’s support, the exclusively named Shell Prototyping Lab will help hundreds of hardware-focused clean energy startups build their products. Greentown Labs’ flexible lab space allows cleantech startups to develop their technology from initial R&D to rapid prototyping, and helps prepare them for manufacturing and commercialization.

 

  • Founding Sponsorship – As a Founding Sponsor, Shell will be among an elite group of global corporations that have partnered with Greentown Labs to highlight their dedication to clean energy innovation and will be named a Founding Sponsor of the Global Center for the duration of occupancy by Greentown Labs.

 

“Shell is committed to clean energy innovation and we’re proud to continue our strong and long-standing relationship with Greentown Labs and collaborating with innovative startups around the world,” said Yuri Sebregts, Executive Vice President of Innovation and R&D and Shell Chief Technology Officer.

In 2016, Shell created a New Energies business, which goes beyond traditional renewables by looking at ways to connect customers with new business models for mobility and energy services. Mark Gainsborough, Executive Vice President of New Energies, adds “We aim to provide the world with cleaner energy and we believe working with the nation’s largest cleantech incubator will help bring new, groundbreaking technologies to market faster which will ultimately help society adopt and implement new energy solutions.”

Shell and Greentown Labs have collaborated on a variety of initiatives over the past five years and Shell serves as an exemplary corporate strategic partner within the Greentown Labs community. Shell has participated in or supported numerous activities at Greentown Labs including but not limited to, a corporate startup accelerator program, the build-out of their custom lab space as a corporate member company, the co-development of safety standards and protocols for the incubator, and led the series A investment round for one of Greentown Labs’ member companies, called Sense.

“The Greentown Labs community is dedicated to innovation, collaboration, and a determination  to develop solutions to today’s environmental and energy problems,” said Dr. Emily Reichert, CEO, Greentown Labs. “Since joining us in 2013, Shell has been a key corporate strategic partner not only because of their integration and immersion within our community, but also because they are committed to a similar mission. We’ve been fortunate to work closely with Shell’s team over the years and see how deeply they value new energy technologies. We’re proud to have them as Founding Sponsor and we’re eager to see all the cleantech advances that will be developed in the Shell Prototyping Lab for many years to come!”

Emily Reichert and Julie Ferland, General Manager of Shell TechWorks, will share more details about the partnership at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York City on October 24. During their panel at 1:00PM ET, Fueling Ingenuity with Shell: How Big Business Is Collaborating With Innovators to Unlock the Future of Global Energy, Reichert and Ferland will discuss how business giants are incubating entrepreneurs and tech innovators to create future clean energy solutions.

Check out the Fast Company panel to learn more about the partnership or visit www.greentownlabs.com for additional information.


About Shell

Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales, has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London, Amsterdam, and New York stock exchanges. Shell companies have operations in more than 70 countries and territories with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of liquefied natural gas and gas to liquids; manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects. For further information, visit www.shell.com.

About Greentown Labs

Greentown Labs is a community of bold, passionate entrepreneurs creating game-changing energy technologies that transform the way we live, work, and play. Located in Somerville, Mass., and founded in 2011, Greentown Labs is the largest cleantech incubator in the United States, operating a 40,000 sq. ft. facility that enables entrepreneurs to solve today’s biggest energy and environmental problems. Its mission is to enable a vibrant community of startups to realize their visions by providing access to the resources, labs, and funding they need to thrive. The incubator is expanding and will open its Global Center for Cleantech Innovation in late 2017 which will provide an additional 58,000 sq. ft. of prototyping, office, and event space for 50 additional startups. For more information, please visit www.greentownlabs.com or find us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

Greentown Labs Media Contact:

Julia Travaglini

[email protected]

888-954-6836 ext. 1