Wanted: Solid Cleantech Business Plans

I’d like to re-extend an offer I made a year or so ago: If you’re trying to raise capital for a cleantech business from angel investors, venture capitalists, or private equity, and want objective feedback on your business plan (in any stage of formality), please send it to me. I’ll get right back to you with my honest opinion of your project – along with constructive suggestions for improvement you may want to consider.

Now in truth, I don’t want to see just any business plan. I would prefer that, in addition to its merely pertaining to cleantech, that it meet as many of the following features as possible:

1) Try to make it a game-changer. Is this an idea that has a very large available market? Does it offer a unique and obvious advantage over current solutions?

2) Demonstrate a market position that offers an opportunity for domination – or at least stability. Have you put yourself in a position where you’re likely to be usurped by large, powerful competitors? Perhaps you could own a market niche that is very unlikely to be challenged – at least for the foreseeable future.

3) Showcase the strength/quality of the team. At the end of the day, an investor has to walk away believing that you’re smarter than the other people who may be having similar ideas.

4) Present a solid marketing strategy. A good business plan contains a good marketing plan; “Build it and they will come” is fallacious business thinking.  How are you going to identify customer segments, and tell them your story in a clear, compelling way?

5) Understand what to expect from government. Most of the boom and bust cycles we’ve seen in cleantech to date have been driven by the rise and fall of incentives, subsidies, tax equity, loan guarantees, etc.   Where is the wind blowing in government?  How does that affect your trajectory for success – and your strategy for dealing with the uncertainties that come from each new election cycle? Can you succeed internationally, even if the US continues to drag its heels?

Again, I look forward to reviewing your ideas, and adding any value I feel I can.