Dr. Christina Lampe-Onnerud, Founder, CEO, Boston-Power
Why did you select New England as the headquarters for your business?
As a U.S. resident since 1995, a Swede by birth with ties to Europe, and a businessperson with extensive experience in Asia, I feel like a world citizen. I hear Bostonians criticizing the business and entrepreneurial landscape here but I couldn’t disagree more. I could have chosen any city in the world for Boston-Power’s headquarters, but I chose Boston -- and made it part of our company’s name to boot! Certainly the area’s preponderance of highly educated scientists made it attractive to me. Our competitive advantage relies on some very sophisticated science, and Boston offers a deep pool of qualified scientists. Boston’s cultural tone was another factor. The city has a rich entrepreneurial history, but it also has a history of passion in other areas like politics and the arts – not to mention sports! We at Boston-Power are passionate entrepreneurs, but we’re also passionate about other causes such as environmental responsibility. Our mentality feels right at home in Boston. Finally, we love Boston’s geography. Our employees love working near a major, cosmopolitan city that offers accessible varied geographical experiences in every direction. This includes some pretty exciting skiing not far to the North – I am, after all, a Swede!
If you weren’t doing what you are, what would you be doing?
I love my work with Boston-Power in particular and in the field of chemistry in general. I find it tremendously gratifying and intellectually fulfilling. I think less in terms of specific careers than I think in terms of opportunities to pursue my passions. Boston-Power allows me to pursue my passion for the intellectual challenge of advanced chemistry, and offers me an opportunity to show that companies can be ethical and respectful – including respectful of our environment – and still wildly successful. So if I wasn’t the CEO of Boston-Power I could see myself in a variety of other roles that would allow me to pursue these passions, and my lifelong passion for performing music, or skiing, or pursuing causes of importance like environmentalism… Of course all of these are complementary to enjoying life, my family and my friends.
On behalf of your firm, which accomplishment to date makes you most proud?
Without a doubt, I most am proud of the team we have assembled at Boston-Power. They are a collection of highly intelligent, highly motivated professionals who share a deep, passionate commitment to changing the world. It may sound clichéd, but it’s true. We all truly believe that we are building a new kind of company that can introduce a new way of providing the power that is so critical to so many facets of life around the world. Every day I come to work I feel proud to be pursuing this ambitious goal with such a talented, like-minded group.
