Powerhouse, which successfully debuted its New Dawn party last summer, held its second annual fête this August. The event was a reflection of the spirit of Powerhouse, the world’s first solar incubator and accelerator. The incubator excels at bringing solar enthusiasts together to create something bigger than what can be achieved alone. This spirit of collaboration, even across competitive lines, was palpable at New Dawn.
New Dawn was held at Oakland’s hip club, the New Parish. With entertainment provided by Inovateus Solar’s band, delicious paella, and a photo booth with props, there was something for everyone to enjoy. Before bringing on the live band, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch introduced keynote speakers Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of NEXTracker and Billy Parish, co-founder and CEO of Mosaic. The two entrepreneurs shared their experiences of success, failures and lessons learned. The stories resonated with the audience, people who have been in the solar industry from a few weeks to a few decades. There have been so many ups and downs in the solar industry, it has gotten the nickname the “solar coaster.” But those who are committed to the ride develop a wisdom and sense of optimism that carry them through. Budding solar entrepreneurs and enthusiasts were reassured about the potential for success by the words of the weatherworn yet successful professionals on stage.
It was exciting to see the shared commitment to revolutionizing our energy system. It was a uniting factor at New Dawn as competitors from all areas of the solar industry took a moment to gather, connect and re-envision ways to bring our world into the New Dawn of a more sustainable future.