Finding Growth in Energy Market Uncertainty

Maintaining optimism helps startup leaders navigate challenges and inspire their teams.

"Bob, I've got a kick in my step right now. I like our chances, but I think volatility creates opportunity to even further differentiate ourselves."

• Stay positive to motivate your team.
• View volatility as a chance to stand out.

Focusing on customers' needs helps startups find product-market fit and drive growth.

"You know, I think we've got opportunities to serve these markets throughout, and we're going to work really hard to earn those opportunities."

• Understand customer markets and tailor solutions.
• Work diligently to earn customer trust and opportunities.

Partnerships with leading institutions drive innovation and technological advancement.

"We've been talking with MIT for the better part of 18 months on this alliance. There's an incredible amount of both technical and policy enthusiasm on how to practically move the needle on technology that can electrify and decarbonize the world."

• Collaborate with institutions to access cutting-edge research.
• Co-develop solutions to industry challenges.

Investing locally helps startups scale efficiently and build stronger customer relationships.

"I would say more we need to be a local company for our local markets. I think in your bigger markets, you're going to have a local supply chain to serve that market, local teams to serve that market."

• Build local supply chains for key markets.
• Invest in local teams to enhance market presence.

Effective marketing helps startups communicate their mission and motivate customers even amid challenges.

"This is very much about bringing a new energy to the energy transition. When it comes to climate change, there's a lot of people that go at that conversation with a somber, negative, pessimistic tone that we reject inside GE Vernova."

• Launch campaigns that resonate with industry transitions.
• Use positive messaging to inspire stakeholders.

Startups must remain agile when external factors like policies change.

"Now, policies are gonna change, they're gonna evolve. This is gonna force us to relook at where we source certain things. It'll force us to revisit our terms with some of our suppliers in different locations, but we know how to do that."

• Reevaluate sourcing and supplier relations proactively.
• Leverage experience to navigate policy changes.

Adapting to external changes can be advantageous for startups seeking growth.

"We're not gonna suck our thumbs and cry in our beer as things kind of change. We want to use change as an opportunity to improve."

• View change as a chance to improve.
• Use challenging times to strengthen your business.

Building a strong team culture is vital for startups aiming to scale effectively.

"Now is the moment to really say, OK, who really is leading with what we call a 'we' culture? Of open palms towards how do I help versus what we try to avoid, which is a 'you' culture of finger pointing."

• Encourage a 'we' culture focused on collaboration.
• Avoid finger-pointing; focus on collective problem-solving.

Educational partnerships can help startups build a strong talent pipeline.

"I'm really excited about the MIT Alliance, and I think it's one of many things we'll do. When you think about the number of STEM graduates we need in the US to meet this growth, we'll also look for opportunities to be involved in STEM programs throughout the country."

• Partner with educational institutions to access top talent.
• Invest in STEM programs to build a skilled future workforce.

Building products using AI can significantly enhance quality and efficiency, crucial for startups in competitive markets.

"We use a crawler that crawls through the inside of the blade and takes visual images that we're now leveraging with artificial intelligence to strengthen the quality of our blade manufacturing process."

• Implement AI-driven tools to automate quality inspections.
• Use AI and imaging to enhance product consistency.