Enterprenuer
David Lu is the co-founder and CEO of Clarity Motion Co.
This environmental tech startup focuses on improving our understanding of the environment by deploying dense networks for accurate air quality monitoring.
David is driven by his passion for improving the environment and addressing global environmental crises.
David worked with Greenpeace’s Arctic Campaign Director and was a key leader at the University of California’s Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign.
David received his BS degree in Atmospheric Science at California, Berkeley.
What is the story of Clarity Movement Co?
Although the seeds sprouted in college at UC Berkeley, where I was studying for my Bachelors in Atmospheric Sciences (BAS), they were planted earlier.
Everyone grew up in China and knew that the air quality was poor, and it wasn’t healthy.
I realized that you could not fix what you don’t measure and started to think about the path.
With a bit of help from friends, I saw the first signs of my company’s existence halfway through my Bachelor’s degree.
How do you stay productive?
My to-do lists are divided into three categories: must-do, day-today, and nice-to-do.
We work remotely, so regular meetings are an intentional practice. My day is calendar-driven.
My core three lists are updated as I go about my day.
If I have more time, I can tackle the things that are nice to do.
How do you bring ideas to life?
My passion and my mission are what I begin with.
Our mission is to help the world fix its environmental problems by measuring them.
With a talented team that shares our vision, we build on it.
From there, I add determination and grit.
What’s your favorite trend?
The recent momentum in calling for climate action is exciting.
The growing public awareness about the severity of climate change is a positive sign.
Hopefully, this will lead to fundamental changes in society, technology, and politics.
What habits make you productive?
I do a few things to help, but the most important is my regular exercise.
This includes backpacking and hiking after every quarterly board meeting.
It helps me clear my mind, get focused and connect with nature.
What’s your advice for the Noob?
Product is only one aspect of a business. Marketing and PR are also essential and should be a top priority for founders.
It doesn’t matter if you have the most innovative product globally.
What is one thing we can all agree on?
Individual action (e.g., Personal step (e.g., being vegan and driving an electric vehicle) is not enough to combat climate change.
Global emissions are 71% attributed to just 100 companies[1].
While personal action is essential, fundamental changes must be made in society.
What do you recommend as an entrepreneur?
Originality is not essential; execution is.
There is no unique idea globally, and very few people implement it.
What’s your rich strategy?
We have seen regional growth in these regions because of our initial focus on landing flagship projects in well-known cities like London, Paris, and Mexico City.
We now have Clarity networks in over 60 countries.
How do you overcome Failure?
Because of my early scares, I learned the importance and necessity of cash management.
We had poor cash flow management from the beginning.
We were able to raise funding at the right time and have a loyal team that has stayed.
Can you share a business idea?
Vertical farming is something I love. It includes vegetables but also lab-grown meat.
It is excellent for the environment. It restores the land to the natural world.
It can help reduce GHG emissions, and it can potentially support our population growth.
What’s your recent best buy?
A large-diaphragm condenser microphone with 25mm diameter, the MAONOA425 Plus USB mic.
It comes with a stand and several mic holders.
A decent webcam setup and microphone are equivalent to a suit for business meetings in the modern zoom era.
What are your favorite Softwares or Apps?
A calendar. Spotify is a great tool. It doesn’t have to be on my calendar.
I find that Spotify helps me concentrate and gets more done.
Which book would you recommend?
John Doerr, “Measure what Matters: The simple idea that drives 10x growth.” Focus is crucial when you have limited resources.
OKRs can help you focus and communicate your priorities to the entire team.
What’s your favorite quote?
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.”
John Doerr
This is evident in everything we do. We are a unique company that focuses on air quality data.
This allows us to provide accurate measurements to help you optimize industrial process adjustments or policy changes.
TL;DR by David Lu
- Begin with passion and a purpose
- Execution is key
- Regular meetings should be a regular practice
- What you don’t measure, you can’t fix.
