Danielle Fong

For the paralympian rifle shooter, see Danielle Fong (sport shooter).

Danielle Fong
Fong in 2011
Born (1987-10-30) October 30, 1987 (age 37)
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Education
Occupation(s)Co-founder and Chief Scientist of LightSail Energy
Websitewww.daniellefong.com

Danielle Fong (born October 30, 1987)[1] is a Canadian scientist and entrepreneur. She was the co-founder and chief scientist of LightSail Energy.

Education

Fong was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was raised in Dartmouth.[2] At age 12, she enrolled in Dalhousie University, where she got her Bachelor of Science in Physics and Computer Science in 2005 at age 17.[3][4][5] She joined the plasma physics program at Princeton University as a Ph.D. candidate, but later dropped out at age 20.[6][7]

LightSail Energy

See also: LightSail Energy

In 2009 at Berkeley, California, Fong co-founded LightSail Energy with entrepreneur Stephen Crane and Edwin P. Berlin Jr.[3][8] LightSail Energy developed a form of compressed air energy storage, which was termed regenerative air energy storage (RAES). The company was initially backed by Khosla Ventures.[3]

In 2013, Fong stated she wanted to solve an energy problem and help democratize the storage of energy, in order to change how the average person lives in their home.[9]

LightSail raised over $70 million, including $2 million from Nova Scotia's Innovacorp, a government owned enterprise.[10] In 2016 it pivoted to producing transport modules for natural gas.[11][8] It entered hibernation and shut down in 2018,[12] with Khosla Ventures retaining the patents.[13]

Recognition

In 2011, Fong was featured in Forbes' "30 Under 30" entrepreneurs under the Energy category[14] and interviewed by Forbes.[15] She was named by the MIT Technology Review in their 2012 "Innovators Under 35" list.[16] In 2013, Fong was included in Time's "30 Under 30" list.[17]

Fong was a speaker at the Women 2.0 PITCH Conference & Competition in 2012.[18]

References

  1. ^ Nicols, Georgia (October 30, 2017). "Daily horoscope for Monday, October 30, 2017". National Post. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  2. ^ "Nova Scotia to test potentially revolutionary energy storage technology". CBC News. July 29, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c Holt, David (October 2014). "Reaching for the moon". Progress Media. Archived from the original on April 16, 2016.
  4. ^ Porter, Stephanie (October 7, 2014). "Storage Solution". Atlantic Business. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  5. ^ Lim, Burton (April 20, 2013). "'It's good to have fun sometimes': Scientists divided over appropriateness of using sex to market their work". The National Post. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  6. ^ Garling, Caleb (July 2, 2012). "World's Most Wired – Steam Punk – Danielle Fong". Wired. Archived from the original on January 12, 2018.
  7. ^ Jones, Kevin B.; Jervey, Benjamin B.; Roche, Matthew; Barnowski, Sara (April 24, 2017). The Electric Battery: Charging Forward to a Low-Carbon Future. ABC-CLIO. p. 149. ISBN 978-1-4408-4902-2.
  8. ^ a b Haislip, Barbara (February 22, 2016). "Energy-Storage Startup LightSail Plots Long-Term Game Plan". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  9. ^ Ryan, Christine (October 10, 2013). "Hot 20: The Transformer, Danielle Fong". 7x7. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  10. ^ "Province likely to lose $2M in failed energy-storage project | CBC News". CBC. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  11. ^ "LightSail launches lightweight gas transport module targeting breakthrough economics in natural gas transport". www.jwnenergy.com. October 12, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  12. ^ "LightSail Energy Enters 'Hibernation' as Quest for Game-Changing Energy Storage Runs Out of Cash".
  13. ^ "Long overdue updates RE: LightSail Energy". Insights by Danielle Fong. January 12, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  14. ^ Helman, Chris; Gies, Erica; Woody, Todd (December 19, 2011). "30 Under 30 – Energy – Danielle Fong". Forbes. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  15. ^ Noer, Michael (July 24, 2013). Forbes 30 Under 30 – Danielle Fong May Save the World (Television production).
  16. ^ Metz, Rachel (August 21, 2012). "Innovator Under 35: Danielle Fong, 24". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  17. ^ Nicks, Denver (December 5, 2013). "Danielle Fong – These Are the 30 People Under 30 Changing the World". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  18. ^ Chang, Angie (December 19, 2011). "Where Are The Women In Forbes "30 Under 30"?". Forbes. Retrieved January 17, 2018.