Josh Aviv of SparkCharge and Matt Petersen of LACI on Scaling Mobile EV Charging Through Cleantech Innovation and the Power of Climate-Focused Incubation

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This conversation offers an illuminating view into the intersection of entrepreneurship, climate innovation, and ecosystem-building, as seen through the partnership between SparkCharge and the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI). Josh Aviv, Founder and CEO of SparkCharge, and Matt Petersen, President and CEO of LACI, detail the transformative impact of incubator support on the successful deployment of cleantech solutions—particularly in addressing the critical infrastructure gap in electric vehicle (EV) charging.

SparkCharge has emerged as a category-defining company in mobile EV charging. Its innovation lies in offering modular, off-grid battery systems capable of delivering fast, flexible charging to electric vehicle fleets without requiring permanent infrastructure. This is particularly significant in a landscape where the traditional rollout of fixed EV charging stations can take years. By contrast, SparkCharge can bring fleet operations online within days. The technology is not only scalable and cost-effective but addresses a central barrier to EV adoption in underserved or infrastructure-poor locations.

Central to SparkCharge’s success is its long-standing relationship with LACI. Matt Petersen outlines LACI’s mission to build an inclusive green economy by supporting early-stage climate-focused ventures through incubation, access to capital, and workforce training. SparkCharge’s trajectory through LACI exemplifies this support in action. From winning the California Climate Cup in 2019 to refining investor pitches, connecting with early customers, and leveraging non-dilutive funding and working capital, SparkCharge benefited from a full-spectrum, hands-on approach to scaling.

LACI’s model demonstrates how climate incubation can go beyond office space and mentoring. Their wraparound support includes executive coaching, pilot funding, capital stack innovation through debt and equity funds, and workforce integration. Notably, SparkCharge leveraged LACI’s microloan program—created to fill a critical gap in startup financing—alongside its ecosystem of commercial partners and regulators, including influential environmental agencies and private investors who visited the LACI campus to see SparkCharge’s technology in action.

Aviv articulates the entrepreneurial journey with candor, underscoring the emotional endurance, strategic clarity, and spiritual conviction required to lead a startup addressing systemic challenges. He emphasizes that being an entrepreneur demands both resilience and vision, particularly when pioneering novel business models that must educate the market as much as serve it.

Petersen complements this by advocating for a broader understanding of entrepreneurship—not just for founders, but also for civic and social actors he calls “citizen entrepreneurs.” He urges others to find opportunities in their own communities to champion sustainability, reinforcing the importance of localized, mission-driven leadership at every level.

About Matt Petersen

Matt Petersen is the President and CEO of Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI). LACI

is creating an inclusive green economy by unlocking innovation (e.g., incubating leading

startups), transforming markets (i.e., creating aspirational partnerships), and enhancing

community (i.e., inspiring future entrepreneurs). LACI’s three priorities are accelerating

transportation electrification, clean energy, and sustainable cities.

Prior to joining LACI, Matt Petersen was appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti as the first

ever Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Los Angeles. Serving as CSO for four years,

Petersen helped spearhead water conservation city wide, was the chief architect of the

groundbreaking Sustainable City pLAn, and led efforts to make LA a global leader in EVs.

Petersen also helped co-found Climate Mayors, bringing mayors together from across

the country to accelerate equitable climate action.

Until 2013, Matt co-founded and led Global Green USA as President and CEO. The

organization was a pioneer in greening of affordable housing, schools, and cities as well

as helping grow the solar sector. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Matt put forth a

vision and mobilized resources to green the rebuilding of New Orleans, including schools

and neighborhoods like the Lower 9th Ward.

Matt chairs the Climate Mayors board, as well as serving as a board member of UNITE-

LA, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, Center for Environmental Health, and

the Sir Edmund Hillary Institute for International Leadership. Matt is a member of the

Council on Foreign Relations.

About Josh Aviv

Josh Aviv is the founder and CEO of SparkCharge, a mobile electric vehicle charging network. SparkCharge aims to make electric vehicles more accessible and convenient by allowing users to request a portable charger delivered directly to their location. This service eliminates the need to wait at charging stations or risk running out of power on the road. Through both on-demand and scheduled charging options, SparkCharge seeks to reduce range anxiety—the concern that an EV battery will deplete before reaching a charger—and encourage wider EV adoption. Aviv has earned multiple accolades for his work with SparkCharge, including securing a $1 million investment from Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner on the television show Shark Tank. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s in information management from Syracuse University.