What do product leaders need to consider when building a differentiated decarbonization platform? The scale and urgency of the transformation required to fight climate change has never been more clear. Building hardware and software products, acquiring the funding and creating a diverse community to enhance talent capacity and to drive innovation, is essential to tackling this global environmental crisis. In this podcast, host and Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank, Climate Tech & Sustainability SVP Maggie Wong will be interviewing Gravity Climate Founder & CEO Saleh ElHattab to discuss combining software and physical solution in decarbonization, positioning their product to provide sustainable value and how diversity impacts understanding customer needs and product go-to-market.
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Show Notes
- Gravity Climate is a startup addressing climate change through sustainable products and solutions.
- Salah is the co-founder of Gravity Climate, which marries software and hardware to help industries reduce emissions.
- Gravity Climate’s platform aims to make climate transition economical for industries through tailored solutions.
- Gravity Climate focuses on underserved industries like manufacturing and warehousing.
- Gravity Climate differentiates by addressing supply chain emissions often overlooked by other carbon accounting companies.
- Gravity Climate offers a comprehensive decarbonization platform including emissions identification, strategy, supply chain engagement, and project execution.
- Transitioning from software to physical solutions introduces new complexities in hardware deployment.
- Government programs like the IRA and Jobs Act have funneled capital toward climate technologies.
- Target customers may abstain from participation due to perceived economic setbacks of climate action.
- Pragmatic approach will help Gravity scale through economic headwinds by focusing on value-driven solutions.
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion are emphasized in Gravity’s founding and product development.
- Personal experiences help understand target customers like those in warehouses.
- On-the-job learning is inevitable for those new to climate tech due to its broad impact.
- Functional skills like data analytics and customer empathy are important traits to have in climate tech.
- Product management should maintain ownership across an organization regardless of size.
- Specialization can reduce customer empathy, creativity, and talent utilization.
- Empathy, strategic thinking, and stakeholder management are keys to success.
- Women make up over half of chief sustainability officers.
- Climate tech offers opportunities for diverse talent and backgrounds.
About the speaker
Saleh ElHattab is currently the Founder and CEO of Gravity, a company that focuses on helping industrial businesses and their supply chain partners manage their carbon footprint. At Gravity, Saleh oversees the development of a software platform that facilitates carbon measurement, operational decarbonization, and the promotion of sustainability efforts. Before founding Gravity, Saleh served as a Venture Partner at Eclipse Ventures from August 2021 to July 2022. And, prior to this, he worked at Samsara, Inc., where he held multiple roles. Saleh started as a Product Manager in January 2018 and eventually became the Director of Product Management from April 2019 to June 2021. Before joining Samsara, Saleh worked at Salesforce, holding the positions of Software Engineer from August 2015 to January 2016; Product Owner from October 2015 to May 2016; and Head of Solution Architecture & Product Owner - IoT from May 2016 to January 2018. During his tenure at Salesforce, Saleh specialized in solution architecture and product ownership, particularly in the field of Internet of Things (IoT).
About the host
Maggie is an accomplished product management leader with over 15 years of experience in driving product strategy, managing customer journey, identifying global user needs and leading cross-functional teams. Outside of her current role as Director of Product Management, she is also experienced in increasing program impact, growing community reach and implementing DEI initiatives at travel and fintech non-profits. Maggie is passionate about making a social impact for the next generation, tackling climate change and traveling. She is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese and a beginner in Spanish.