President Biden recently hosted the 2nd Annual Small Business Administration (SBA) Women’s Business Summit at the White House. His administration used the event to recognize women-led businesses and their role providing jobs, sustaining livelihoods and contributing to the nation’s economy.
“From day one President Biden has been a champion for American entrepreneurs,” said Isabel Guzman, Small Business Administrator. “From the smallest of the small, initially left out of the COVID relief, who reopened and thrived thanks to his American Rescue Plan, to inventors, manufacturers, supply chain companies and contractors seeing growth opportunities thanks to his historic investments in American infrastructure and clean energy.”
One of those recognized is from Detroit, leading the charge in the electrification manufacturing space supporting clean energy.
“We are on track to manufacture over 400,000 chargers by 2025,” said Natalie King, founder and CEO of Dunamis Clean Energy Partners, LLC, and its affiliated company, Dunamis Charge.
“Adding more than 150 good-paying jobs, including charger technicians, material handlers, engineers and much more.”
King made the comments before introducing President Biden to the stage. She leads a multi-million-dollar corporation with more than 135 workers across metro Detroit. King’s company is the first African American woman-owned electric vehicle charging manufacturer in the world.
King’s commitment to the future of clean energy doesn’t come as a recent epiphany. It’s been quite the journey and passion for her well before industries began to make this current transitional change in respect of climate and before millions of dollars in investment from the Biden administration.
She has always had a passion for the environment. With over 12 years of experience in the green energy industry, King is also a licensed corporate and real estate attorney by trade, with 20 years of legal experience. She operated The Law Offices of Natalie M. King, PLC, where she managed a successful corporate, real estate and entertainment law practice. She represented clients in a broad range of public and private industries, including tier one automotive suppliers, nonprofit corporations, construction and facility management firms, health care service providers, municipal corporations, and sports and entertainment ventures. She was also an adjunct professor of Contract and Business Law at Thomas M. Cooley Law School and Liberty University.
King earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctorate from Wayne State University Law School.
She believed at one point that she would become an environmental attorney. She believes life can be full circle at times when you are committed. Opportunities brought her back into the clean energy technology space. In 2007, she co-founded a solar integration company, serving as general counsel, where her passion for clean energy and the environment was rekindled, especially as it relates to the air we breathe and the impact it has on communities of color.
“Our communities of color [have been] the most disproportionately impacted by carbon omissions, having clean air issues challenges and clean water challenges, [my] passion was reignited in me.”
This passion drew King to stay in the industry versus practicing law. In 2012, she would establish Dunamis Clean Energy Partners and is now moving ahead in the electric vehicle infrastructure arena. She’s doing so while breaking barriers and being an inspiration to other Black women and young girls alike.
“I believe that representation matters. I believe that it’s very difficult to be something that you can’t see. My prayer is that what we’re doing here will impact other young Black and Brown girls that have the idea of doing something innovative that they’ve not seen anyone else do.”
Seeing others who look like you is an inspiration for King and for other women entrepreneurs at the White House summit which spoke volumes for King on the impact women like herself bring to the business table.
“My biggest takeaway was that this administration has put the type of support and focus on the clean energy and technology space that we have not seen in a really long time in this country,” King added.
“I believe that what the White House represents and what the SBA represents is a new commitment towards small business creation and innovation and really putting money behind it to really grow the industry and prosper it.”
King believes what the nation is witnessing is a new industrial revolution created through electrification and is hopeful that with intentional federal investment, small and Black-owned companies like hers won’t be left behind.