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Highlights
From Regulator to Deep Tech CEO: Building a Climate Tech Company in a Highly Regulated Market
The path to commercializing deep tech rarely runs through regulatory agencies. Yet in a recent episode of Category Visionaries, Fourth Power CEO Arvin Ganesan shared how his unconventional background – spanning government, Big Tech, and now deep tech – has shaped his approach to bringing innovative energy storage technology to market.
Understanding the regulatory landscape isn’t just about compliance – it’s about unlocking market opportunities. “Getting technology to market in this space is more complicated than just building something big,” Arvin explains. “It’s about understanding your customer.”
This customer-first mindset stems from Arvin’s unique vantage point at the intersection of regulation and innovation. During his time at the EPA, he witnessed firsthand how regulatory pressures reshaped power markets. “Those are the first years where coal stopped being built and started getting replaced by renewables and natural gas,” he recalls, describing the market transformation driven by policy changes.
Later at Apple, leading global energy initiatives, Arvin approached the same challenge from a different angle – using commercial demand to drive change. This dual perspective revealed a universal truth about utilities: “If you’re a utility in Thailand or a utility in Kansas, you’re really driven by the same exact thing, which is you got to keep the lights on and you got to keep costs as low as possible.”
This insight drives Fourth Power’s go-to-market strategy. Rather than positioning their technology primarily as a climate solution, they focus on the core utility needs: reliability and cost. “The cost of our battery is one tenth the cost of existing battery technology,” Arvin notes. “It makes the future look much cleaner and more affordable to everyday rate payers in the United States.”
Their approach to market entry reflects a deep understanding of utility buying cycles. “Most of these expenditures need to get approved by regulators. So it’s not a one side negotiation,” Arvin explains. This means working within procurement calendars, navigating avoided cost tests, and securing regulatory approvals – a process that many founders might find frustratingly slow.
But rather than trying to disrupt this system, Fourth Power embraces it. “Don’t try to break it,” Arvin advises other founders entering regulated markets. “What I would do is deeply understand why it is the regulators are involved, understand the legal and regulatory dynamics of the markets you’re trying to get into.”
This pragmatic approach extends to how they communicate with customers. “When we talk with our customers, we’re not talking about leading with carbon,” Arvin reveals. “We talk about how we’re able to make their avoided cost tests when it comes to integrated rate plans easier for storage… That might not be sexy. That might not be a Time magazine article on best climate technologies, but it really resonates with our customers.”
Their commercialization timeline reflects this measured approach. After years of university-level development, they’re building their first integrated demonstration north of Boston, targeting completion in 2025. This will be followed by a utility pilot in early 2026, with plans for their first gigawatt-hour battery to begin construction in 2028-2029.
For founders looking to build in regulated markets, Arvin emphasizes the importance of credibility: “Credibility is gained in drops and lost in buckets.” This manifests in their fundraising approach, where they prioritize transparency about both knowns and unknowns, using peer review and data to support their claims.
The lesson? Success in regulated markets isn’t about moving fast and breaking things. It’s about understanding the system’s constraints, working within them, and finding ways to align innovation with existing market structures. As Arvin puts it, “I’m not saying don’t ever try to change the existing paradigm, but if you’re going to do it, be very informed on what you’re breaking and what you’re changing.”
Actionable
Takeaways
Leverage Multidisciplinary Experience:
Arvin's journey from government to corporate and then to a startup illustrates the value of diverse experiences. For founders, leveraging knowledge from various sectors can provide a unique competitive edge, particularly in industries that intersect with public policy and regulation.
Understand Regulatory Environments:
Founders in regulated industries should invest time in understanding the intricacies of regulations that affect their business. This depth of understanding can inform product development and go-to-market strategies, ensuring that innovations align with regulatory requirements and market readiness.
Prioritize Market Education and Trust Building:
In industries like energy, where new technologies are scrutinized, building trust through transparency and education is crucial. Demonstrating commitment to regulatory standards and customer needs can facilitate market entry and acceptance.
Develop Scalable and Sustainable Solutions:
The choice of materials and technology should consider not just the immediate impact but also long-term scalability and sustainability. Fourth Power's use of abundant materials like graphite highlights the importance of designing solutions that can grow without being limited by resource constraints.
Position Technology as a Market Necessity, Not Just an Innovation:
When introducing new technology, position it as a solution that not only addresses current market needs but also offers a strategic advantage in terms of cost, efficiency, and compliance. This approach can make the technology a necessity rather than a luxury in the eyes of potential customers and regulators.
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