Tuesday, January 1, 2008

disruptive cleantech - the beginning

Everyone is excited about cleantech. Everyone should also be concerned at the dramatic impact that our world will experience if we do NOT harness technology to help solve some our most fundamental challenges in reducing CO2 levels, finding cleaner ways to produce energy, regulate our water consumption, and reuse and recycle materials to reduce waste.

As we move forward into this nascent industry, I will focus on analyzing the NEW entrants in this space that are likely to make the most dramatic impact. Given that this space is so broad, I am planning to initially focus on companies which are pursuing disruptive approaches.

Now disruption is often a mis-used term so let me first define it so that we are all in the same page. In my mind, disruptive technologies are solutions that initially are lower performing than existing alternatives but are also at a lower-price point. Initially, these "less-for-less" solutions, as one of my HBS professors once quoted, are able to quickly penetrate a non-consuming segment (or individuals that for some reason or other decided to not adopt the existing technologies).

Now how does this relate to the broader theme of disruption. Today, most of the world is looking to invest in technologies that are making our existing infrastructures more environmentally sound. For us that live in the U.S., these solutions will still provide access to energy through our grid infrastructure or water through our pipes. What I am interested in, are individuals who are finding ways to bring power, water, and waste processing in radically different ways. These types of solutions have the potential to arise in emerging markets as much as in developed markets.

I am in the lookout for the "Google" of cleantech. Stay tuned to this blog if you are also interested.

For related posts check out the following:

http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9867655-54.html

http://blogs.greentechmedia.com/cleantechinvesting/2008/02/18/the-two-kinds-of-disruptive-clean-technologies/

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