"I don't take anything for granted. I always challenge and question everything from different angles." -Gary Lam
FranklinWH Energy Storage co-founder and CEO Gary Lam spent his childhood in Hong Kong, and teenage years in Ecuador where frequent power outages gave him a visceral understanding of electricity's role in daily life. At Rutgers, he earned his BS degree in electrical and computer engineering (ECE), which launched his successful career in developing battery storage systems for solar energy. A great Rutgers booster, he enjoys cheering football and basketball teams on at home games.
Why Rutgers?
Rutgers was one of the largest, strongest, and most diverse universities in New Jersey, with an Asian student population of 30%, which fit my background so well. It was also where real innovations advancing wireless technology were happening at the School of Engineering's Wireless Information Technology Laboratory, or WINLAB.
Why electrical and computer engineering?
My goal was originally to become a computer chip engineer, but my ECE major let me study both electrical and computer engineering.
As a student, you managed Rutgers 2011 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon competition team, securing a whopping $500,000 donation from PSEG for your project. How did you manage that?
This was a big ask, and I wasn't expecting a lot. We were tasked with raising money to fund the competition challenge—to build a full-scale net zero home—with professors providing guidance. After some initial fundraising outreach with little feedback, our professors encouraged us to write directly to the decision-makers. That step made the big difference. After sending an email directly to the CEO of PSEG, we were able to engage with their team, and PSEG gave us a $500,000 contribution.
What did you learn from this experience?
This carried along with me after graduation, early in my career, as people recognized how persistent I am.
As a team, we learned a lot from it. We chose a difficult and non-traditional path to build a precast concrete house that would consume minimal energy. It took 27 trucks to ship it to DC, while those who used plywood only needed one or two containers.
What led you to help invent the first residential energy storage battery system to use solar power during outages?
My first job was at Petra Solar—another sponsor of the Solar Decathlon team. I had been an intern there before being hired, and my first task was to research how to have the U.S. electric grid accept more sustainable energy. We built a small storage system battery that responded to solar and grid fluctuations. The concept was proven and has extended to what we do now: combine solar, grid, and a battery to bring a net zero state to the grid.
What inspired you to co-found FranklinWH?
I saw gaps in energy storage systems. Our mission is to make home energy storage that is reliable, easy to use, and built around customer needs.
How has your international and multi-cultural background from growing up in Hong Kong and Ecuador impacted your business philosophy?
My background has empowered me to be adaptable and inclusive in everything. I admire everyone's ideas and never say no as I believe all ideas can blend together to represent a product or business.
I don't take anything for granted. I always challenge and question from different angles.
Did you have a faculty mentor?
Materials science and engineering professor Dunbar Birnie was my biggest mentor as he inspired my entire career because of his lecture on renewables. After his first class, I asked so many questions that he wondered if I'd like to do more with the topic. I was the first student he recruited for the Decathlon.
What do you value most about your SoE education?
I was nervous to come to New Jersey, but Rutgers helped me put down roots in the state and comforted me as a foreign student. I also met my wife, a business student at Rutgers, who I married right after graduation.
I love New Jersey. For the past nine years, I've worked remotely—I live in East Brunswick, ten minutes from campus—and commute every other week to Silicon Valley, to FranklinWH headquarters.
Do you have any advice for new Rutgers Engineering students?
Don't be shy or hesitant—go ahead and reach out to any resource in the school, including professors.
What did you do for fun as a student?
Being involved in projects like the Decathlon was a lot of fun. I like building things, and as my mom said, I was meant to be an engineer. It was also a time where I built lasting relationships that have carried into my life and career.
What do you do for fun these days?
I like to travel with my family to see different countries. We love traveling and we've taken our children to China to see their grandparents and tour around.
I'm non-stop in finding fun projects: right now, I'm building a new AI platform for FranklinWH, and am really enjoying it.
If you could go on a family vacation tomorrow, where would you go?
My kids like Japan and would like to visit again, and I'd like to take them to South America, where I grew up.
