Paul Gruber

Paul has worked with various interdisciplinary teams across cleantech, environmental, and social impact fields to advance societal goals and find new value through design, development, and management of new start-up businesses, products, strategies, public-private partnerships, and related research.

Prior to joining Fresh Coast, Paul developed and managed clean energy pilot projects at Consumers Energy to achieve customer economic and resiliency benefits, greater electric grid reliability, and decarbonization goals. At advisory organizations, Paul has co-led teams to develop a battery management technology start-up business and win federal funding to build a major battery manufacturing facility on a brownfield site in Michigan. At start-up Sierra Energy, Paul led project and revenue development for new waste-to-renewable-energy systems, and he developed a project to build a zero emissions hydrogen-fueled locomotive. At UC Davis, Paul managed a clean transportation research consortium, engaging with sponsors from Fortune 500 auto and energy companies and US federal and state agencies.

Paul’s had the pleasure of developing new strategies and engaging with communities and suppliers to advance water purification in Mexico and improve water management practices in apparel factories in China. He’s also honored to have worked with populations of subsistence farmers, ranchers, and apparel providers on agri-economic and land conservation practices in Central and South America.

Paul received his MBA and MS in sustainable business and cleantech entrepreneurship through the Erb Institute program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and he received his BA in international studies from Middlebury College. He feels very fortunate to work with Fresh Coast’s clients to develop bold solutions that tangibly improve our collective transition to a more sustainable and equitable society.