Copyright The Boston Globe
Joe Curtatone left municipal government behind when he went to work for a regional trade group that lobbies on behalf of clean-tech businesses in early 2022. Now, the former Somerville mayor has narrowed that focus down to one business in particular: Woburn EV company Indigo Technologies. Curtatone started in the job this week, as its vice president of government affairs and strategy. Indigo is led by chief executive Will Graylin and focuses on motorized wheel technology developed at MIT to design commercial delivery and fleet vehicles that can be lighter and roomier, and thus more efficient, than typical battery-powered vans. Curtatone stepped down from the Alliance for Climate Transition at the end of last month, a group that he led for nearly four years, including under its previous incarnation as the Northeast Clean Energy Council. The ACT board appointed Trish Fields, most recently the executive director of the Solar Energy Business Association of New England, as interim executive director, and aims to find a permanent replacement for Curtatone next year. At Indigo, Curtatone will help the 130-person company transition to full-scale manufacturing, in late 2027 or 2028. He said Indigo, whose investors include FedEx and Foxconn, is in the midst of a national search to open a manufacturing plant. Advertisement Curtatone said his job will involve “building relationships with our policymakers in the public sector so they understand who Indigo is and the impact we’re having.” Curtatone got to know Graylin and his team during his time at ACT. He said he made the change in part because of the effect that Indigo’s technology could have on the future of transportation, particularly with regard to reducing carbon emissions. “It’s a new adventure,” Curtatone said. “It’s a new opportunity, being part of momentum to build a team [and] chase another dream.” This is an installment of our weekly Bold Types column about the movers and shakers on Boston’s business scene. Jon Chesto can be reached at jon.chesto@globe.com. Follow him @jonchesto.
