Dear Somerville City Council & Planning Board,
I am writing to express my support for the expansion project at Somernova led by Rafi Properties. The expansion of Somernova (Somerville's Innovation Hub) including the Climate & Equity Zoning Overlay is well-positioned to have a transformative impact on the climate tech ecosystem. The project is designed to attract a diverse range of companies working to solve some of the world’s greatest problems providing them with the resources, infrastructure, and support necessary to thrive and scale their innovations.
Form Energy started at Greentown Labs with twelve employees back in 2017. With the help of our landlord and partner, Rafi Properties, we expanded and built our first R&D facility at Somernova which allowed us to rapidly scale our organization, raising over $800 million in venture capital and hiring more than 500 employees to date. Rafi’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for entrepreneurs and innovators supports the acceleration of the development and deployment of climate solutions and promotion of sustainable practices.
Somernova’s campus expansion will not only provide the much-needed physical space for other climate tech startups and enterprises to grow and flourish but also create more dedicated spaces that bring together diverse stakeholders to collaborate, share knowledge, leverage resources and participate in the cross-pollination of ideas. It is important to consider both climate and equity when developing and implementing climate policies to ensure that the benefits of climate action are distributed fairly and that marginalized communities are protected and supported.
Driven by Form’s core values of humanity, excellence, and creativity, our team is deeply motivated and inspired to create a better world. We are supported by leading investors who share a common belief that low-cost, multi-day energy storage is a key enabler of a reliable, secure, clean electric grid. Form Energy is excited about the possibilities that lie ahead with the expansion of Somernova and the impact it will have on addressing the urgent challenges of climate change and providing pathways to jobs for today’s youth.
We were thrilled to extend our lease at Somernova for the next four years and commend Collin Yip and Rafi Properties for the dedication and leadership in creating a thriving ecosystem for startups. We look forward to the advancements and collaborations that will emerge from this exciting expansion project.
Yours sincerely,
TedWiley(Jul3,202416:50EDT) Ted Wiley
Ted Wiley, Somerville Resident Co-Founder, President & COO Form Energy
www.formenergy.com | info@formenergy.com
