Cold Call Partnerships Power Highland Electric’s Expanding Fleet of School Buses
19 snips
Sep 2, 2025 
Duncan McIntyre, Founder and CEO of Highland Electric Fleets, is on a mission to replace diesel school buses with electric vehicles across the U.S. Joining him is Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a Harvard Business School professor and expert in leadership and innovation. Together, they dive into scaling electric transportation and the partnerships needed to succeed. They discuss the environmental benefits, technological advancements, and the excitement of kids embracing electric buses, spotlighting the clear impact of innovation and community engagement.
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Pick Scalable, Popular Climate Wins
- Highland targets climate solutions that also delight customers rather than provoke backlash.
- Duncan built the business around a big, scalable need with clear health and cost benefits.
Personal Moment Sparked The Company
- Duncan started Highland after realizing his son's mouth was at the height of a diesel tailpipe and that tailpipes drive urban air pollution.
- He left his job to stitch services, capital, and implementation into a single offering to fix the problem.
Execution Beats Tech Alone
- Implementation and ongoing support are the hardest parts of bus electrification for districts.
- Highland vertically integrates to control delivery and offer a performance-based, one-stop solution.
