As co-founder and chief strategy and operations officer of Benchmark Labs, Ulrik works to solve the complex problem of microclimate forecasting. Launched in 2019 with climate scientist Carlos Gaitan, Benchmark Labs leverages weather stations to collect localized data to provide point specific weather predictions. “We get really excited about our algorithms, but people don’t really care how we get it right,” Ulrik laughs, “just that the forecast is right.” Backed initially by a NASA grant, the company spent its early years in deep research and development and now works with clients like the Nature Conservancy and wineries such as McGregor Vineyard to highlight the unique impacts of regional climates.
Ulrik’s interest in climate began at Harley, where he worked on sustainability efforts with Chris Hartman ’93, P ’22, ’24 (Social and Environmental Sustainability, 2007-2016). That early work continued through his studies at the University of Rochester, where he earned a master’s in Data Science and met Carlos. Together, they blended data science and business strategy to launch Benchmark Labs.
Recently, Ulrik was invited back to Harley through the Commons Series, where he joined an environmental forum hosted in the Briggs Center for Civic Engagement. There, he reconnected with former teachers Peter Hentschke (Science, 2009-present) and Betsy Vinton (Math, then Science, 2001-present), sparking a collaborative project that brings Benchmark Lab’s cutting-edge forecasting tools to campus.
The project started with identifying the right weather station—Ulrik recommended an appropriate Ambient Weather station model—and now students are working at reading and interpreting the data for the school. They recently discovered another weather station on the other side of campus as well. Benchmark Labs will process the data collected at Harley and send hyperlocal forecasts back to the school. He is curious to see if there is a difference in climate depending on the location of the weather stations at one side of Harley versus the other. The next phase involves students Charlie Clark ’27 and Oliver Hood ’27, who are working with Ulrik and Art Rothfuss (Digital Media Coordinator, 2016-present) to develop a way to visualize the data on the school’s website and around campus, exploring how weather information can inform everything from athletic events to the campus microfarm.
Beyond Benchmark Labs, Ulrik is a Venture Partner at Marvin Ventures, a group of McKinsey alumni (McKinsey is a business consulting firm where he worked when he finished grad school, 2017-19) who invest in emerging businesses led by fellow alumni—a kind of Shark Tank for the consulting world.
Whether advising startups or helping students understand the science behind their local weather, Ulrik is proof that climate-focused work can be both profitable and purposeful. For Ulrik, the partnership with Harley is more than just a professional collaboration. He’s excited to give back to Harley and work with today’s students to help build a more sustainable future.
