On September 26th, 2024, Newlab put on our second annual New Climate Futures event as part of NYC Climate Week. Hosted at our Brooklyn Navy Yard location, the event drew more than 1,500 attendees—including startups, industry leaders, policymakers, and investors—focused on the urgent work of decarbonizing the global economy.

Satish Rao, Chief Product Officer at Newlab, kicked off the event’s sessions by asking: “What does it really take to create the impact we need to make progress toward [climate] challenges?" Throughout the day, that question was answered with practical, actionable insights from speakers across industries, each sharing how they are tackling some of the toughest climate issues we face.

The Exhibiting Startups

A diverse lineup of 80 startups exhibited their cutting-edge technologies designed to solve critical problems in the race to net zero. These companies are not just focused on innovation—they are developing real-world solutions. From building micromobility systems to removing and storing CO2, the exhibiting startups are tirelessly paving the way for a more sustainable future.

Main Stage Highlights: Keynotes and Conversations

The main stage show at NCF 2024 featured impactful keynote addresses from Dr. Vanessa Chan (Chief Commercialization Officer, U.S. Department of Energy) and Elijah Hutchinson (Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice).

Dr. Chan captured the importance of Public-Private Partnerships, stating, “[We need to] catalyze the private sector so that we have a government-enabled, private-sector led clean energy transition."

In addition to these keynotes, 27 leading innovators took the stage, participating in fireside chats and panel discussions. The topics covered an extensive range of climate-related issues, including:

• Emerging opportunities in nuclear energy and the role of critical minerals in clean energy technologies.
• Financing and commercializing climate tech ventures—how to take innovations from the lab to market.
• Building effective public-private partnerships to drive decarbonization and create economic growth.

New Climate Futures 2024 made it clear that the future of climate tech is multi-faceted, with coordinated action across sectors and initiatives being key.

Looking Ahead

With over 1,500 participants, engaging main-stage content, and an impressive startup showcase, New Climate Futures 2024 solidified itself as a leading climate tech event. As we look ahead, it’s clear that continued collaboration between startups, industry leaders, policymakers, and investors will be crucial in driving decarbonization and growth.

Learn more about the work Newlab is doing to commercialize critical technology – download our 2024 Impact Report.