Somerville-Based Greentown Labs Names Former Obama Appointee As CEO

SOMERVILLE, MA — Greentown Labs, a climate tech incubator based in Somerville and Houston, Texas, announced Thursday that Kevin Knobloch has been appointed as the company's new CEO by the Greentown Labs Board of Directors.

Knobloch, who is scheduled to begin his new position on Sept. 5, most notably served as the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Energy during President Barack Obama's second term, from June 2013 to January 2017.

According to Greentown Labs, which has an office at 444 Somerville Ave., Knobloch was chosen following an extensive, national search process conducted by the Board of Directors CEO Search Committee.

Knobloch was most recently the president of Knobloch Energy, a consulting firm that helped companies and nonprofits accelerate the deployment of clean energy and technology.

Knobloch also has served as the president of New York OceanGrid LLC, leading the effort to develop offshore wind transmission in New York. He also was a senior research fellow at the Center for International Environmental Resource Policy at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

Now, Knobloch takes over at Greentown Labs, which bills itself as the largest climate tech startup incubator in North America. According to its website, the company brings together startups, corporates, investors, policymakers and many others with a focus on scaling climate solutions.

"I'm delighted to be asked by Greentown Labs' Board of Directors to be the next leader of this highly effective organization — and very excited to get to work," Knobloch said. "I've long admired the critical role Greentown plays in supporting the growth and impact of early-stage climate and energy transition technology companies, as well as the impressive efforts by former longtime CEO Emily Reichert and the talented Board and staff to build Greentown into a national powerhouse and model for other incubators around the world."

Knobloch continued: "The climate crisis demands that we accelerate our collective pace of deployment and I look forward to collaborating with our startups, staff and partners to support that acceleration."

Jason Hanna, the co-founder of Greentown, is currently serving as interim CEO, and he will work with Knobloch during the transition process and remain on the company's Board of Directors, according to Greentown Labs.

"I'm honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to once again pass the leadership baton," Hanna said. "Especially so given Kevin's incredible record of climate leadership. I'm excited for the future of this organization and the impact he can make as Greentown enters the second decade of its climate mission."