Blueprint for Tough Tech entrepreneurship with Emily Knight
Blueprint for Tough Tech entrepreneurship
Read more about Emily's work on how to take Tough Tech innovation from idea to impact.
Please join us as Emily Knight, president and CEO of The Engine, presents our first MITEI Presents: Advancing the Energy Transition seminar of the spring 2025 semester.
The transition to a clean energy future depends on breakthrough technologies—but these solutions often require long development timelines, specialized infrastructure, and patient capital. At MIT and beyond, tough tech startups working at the intersection of science, engineering, and impact face significant barriers to scaling. Emily Knight, the president and CEO of The Engine (built by MIT) will discuss how The Engine provides the critical resources these early-stage teams need—from lab and fabrication space to deep networks—to advance innovations in industries like clean energy, industrial decarbonization, and sustainability. Join us to explore what it takes to bring these climate solutions to scale and drive real impact.
Light refreshments will follow.
This event is for the MIT Community. Please register with an MIT.edu email.
Speakers
Emily Knight
CEO and President, The Engine
Emily Knight is the CEO and president of The Engine, where she leads the organization’s strategic direction and builds partnerships to support Tough Tech founders working on transformative innovations. Since 2017, she has played a key role in developing The Engine’s ecosystem, which includes startups advancing sustainable ammonia, lithium production, and sustainable aviation fuel. Prior to The Engine, she managed operations, strategy, and product development at Workbar coworking spaces. Knight holds a BS from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.
About the MITEI Presents: Advancing the Energy Transition speaker series
We are in the midst of a major global shift in the types of energy we use and the ways we use them. We know that if we are to stabilize the planet’s climate and eliminate harmful emissions, we must transform our energy systems. This speaker series will connect you with energy experts and leaders who are actively working on the scientific, technological, and