detroit has always been a city of reinvention, and the latest wave of startups at newlab proves that innovation isn’t slowing down. through a partnership with ford’s michigan central, newlab fosters a community of forward-thinking entrepreneurs tackling sustainable mobility. among them is shandoka, an electric motorcycle startup led by ceo ernest eich, who is reimagining two-wheeled transportation. instead of building new electric motorcycles from scratch, shandoka retrofits existing models with eich’s structural adapter — an innovative power solution that replaces combustion engines. this approach reduces waste and accelerates the transition to cleaner transportation.

this shift aligns with the broader goals of a just transition — ensuring that workers and industries impacted by decarbonization aren’t left behind. newlab’s ecosystem provides essential resources, from state-of-the-art tools to industry expertise, helping companies like shandoka scale their greenhouse gas emissions impact. according to the epa, transportation accounts for nearly 29% of u.s. greenhouse gas emissions, and motorcycles contribute to air pollution that exacerbates asthma and heart disease. by transforming existing motorcycles into zero-emission vehicles, eich and his team are designing a product that contributes to a cleaner future.