Approach

Branding and communications:

Positioned the Volt as an integral member of the Chevrolet brand and window to other GM innovations in a messaging hierarchy used as a reference across GM and its agencies

Credible messaging:

Provided nuance to the Volt target customer persona and helped shape the tone and content of environmental messages for executive talking points

New partnerships:

Initiated and facilitated the collaboration between GM, the world’s preeminent electric utility association, and utility representatives on electric transportation infrastructure and other issues integral to the success of plug-in vehicles

Results

• Successful product launch; strong, credible environmental messaging; and highly engaged, excited customers
• Motor Trend “Car of the Year” and dozens of global accolades
• Increased sophistication on environmental marketing and external engagement

Approach

Industry and market assessment:

Identified and validated market for advanced building energy and water services, benchmarked competitive landscape, and identified comparable solutions

New partnerships:

Conducted due diligence on partnership landscape and recommended potential partnership models for Grundfos

Results

• Validated a range of services, and identified key additional solutions for consideration
• Prioritized recommendations for services roll out based on market readiness
• Identified key partnership criteria and models for services roll out
• Developed partnership strategy recommendations

Approach

External innovation strategy:

Identified strategies, structures, and best practices for newly launched corporate venture initiative

Venture engagement:

Interviewed over 15+ US and EU VC firms to determine strong candidates for limited partnership investment

New partnerships:

Brokered introductions through high-potential meetings and prepared E.ON for successful outcomes

Results

• Consensus on corporate venture strategy, funding, and organizational structure
• VC road-shows in Silicon Valley and London led by Cleantech Group that informed Board recommendations on LP investments

Approach

Industry and market assessment:

Conducted data-driven primary and secondary diligence to landscape Israeli cleantech ecosystem across wind, solar, energy efficiency, smart grid, energy storage, and water/wastewater

Regional cleantech database:

Identified, prioritizing, and profiled top five target Israel startups within each sector

New partnerships:

Identified key success factors for partnerships and facilitated meetings between EDF and selected leading innovators

Results

• Connection to diverse set of industry experts and innovators
• Commitment to pursue Israel startup roadshow
• Intent to help BUs expand strategic innovation partners

Approach

Capacity building:

Assessed internal organization, process, and tools needed to successfully manage innovation sourcing process

Opportunity identification:

Evaluated strategic gaps and piloted a set of technology sub-sectors for company sourcing

Implementation:

Launched the Veolia Innovation Accelerator in February 2010; monitored external press and feedback

Credible messaging:

Raised visibility in the cleantech sector and enabled successful partnerships with leading cleantech companies

Stakeholder engagement:

Organized a Silicon Valley road show introducing key executives to leading investors to strengthen Veolia’s innovation network

Results

• Secured a pipeline of 100 target companies for consideration
• Announced five partnerships by May 2011 (including NanoH2O, Vantage Point, and SDTC)
• Signed two new partnerships in first half of 2011 (ISD and Hara)

Approach

Internal alignment:

Worked with data center energy procurement team, data center engineers, and sustainability leaders to understand and align on energy procurement vision focused on mitigating both costs and carbon.

Industry and market assessment:

Developed a market landscape of the fuel cell sector, identifying emerging trends and technologies

Partner evaluation and engagement:

Interviewed fuel cell companies, investors, gov’t agencies, and adjacent technology providers. Identified and prioritized most promising vendors for Microsoft needs and provided introductions to begin internal diligence

Results

• Identified 150+ fuel cell vendors for review
• Conducted 20+ interviews of prioritized vendors and developed landscape of technology readiness based on client data center performance specifications
• Provided 3 introductions for internal diligence, of which one vendor is currently participating in in-situ testing

Approach

Internal alignment:

Worked with innovation group to engage internal stakeholders in R&D and commercial programs in order to identify strategic initiatives and priority areas for external collaboration.

Sector and company evaluation:

Evaluated priority sectors, identified most promising potential partners, and facilitated introductions between startups and internal client stakeholders.

Partner engagement:

Set partnership goals, created initial business cases, and developed MOUs for top partnerships based on internal interest and readiness to engage.

Results

• 120+ partner candidates reviewed and prioritized
• MOUs under development for 4 companies for immediate collaboration, with 2-3 additional companies in the pipeline
• Developed pipeline of potential partners, accessible by client’s innovation team via the cloud on CTG’s i3 platform, for continuous additions and refinement
• Helped innovation group prove value of open innovation approach among R&D and commercial groups, increasing engagement across the company

Approach

Industry and market assessment:

Interviewed key stakeholders and conducted primary research to develop a point of view on clean construction

Integrated business processes:

Created and rolled out a sustainability metrics tracking system for operational and industry-specific goals used to collect data for the company’s first sustainability report

Organizational governance:

Expanded the sustainability team and supported extended network of data owners in adopting sustainability responsibilities

New partnerships:

Facilitated a multi-stakeholder partnership with an environmental NGO and U.S. EPA, resulting in a co-authored LEED Pilot Credit application for clean construction sites

Results

• Published the company’s first Sustainability Report, with GRI rating
• Published widely cited white paper profiling clean construction standards
• Solidified the company’s public image as advocate for clean construction, reinforced by collaboration with outside stakeholders

Approach

Market landscape:

Assessed the historic development of the energy efficiency services industry and evolution toward digitally-enabled services as a disruptor of traditional ESCOs

Value chain analysis:

Analyzed energy efficiency services business model evolution by value chain profitability perspective, identifying most profitable opportunities for new services

Target identification and prioritization:

Per value chain analysis, provided preliminary diligence on prioritized set of US-based digital energy efficiency providers for potential equity stake or acquisition

Results

• Delivered objective analysis of relevant energy efficiency service market trends, cutting through industry hype
• Identified, categorized, and prioritized 50 technology and service providers for review
• Provided SVP of strategy with introductions to 7 entrepreneurial digital energy efficiency providers for early stage diligence

Approach

Corporate & business unit strategy:

Helped define sustainability goals and metrics; conducted proprietary analysis of effects of global trends on markets, which served as major input to 10-year strategy refresh process

Organizational governance:

Co-designed organizational structure to engage leadership and establish accountability; facilitated internal workshops to fine-tune processes and deepen engagement

Integrated business processes:

Built a tool forecasting environmental impacts of operations, which is now used as basis for quarterly CEO-level reviews measuring business unit progress against sustainability goals

Enhanced or expanded offerings:

Helped assess, select, and gain business unit buy-in for a product sustainability standard

Results

• Chairman, CEO, and executives aligned on sustainability as pillar of overall business strategy
• Created product sustainability standard, a qualification process, and product portfolio
• Enabled publication of first sustainability report
• Incorporated sustainability into corporate rebranding effort

Approach

Industry and market assessment:

Conducted industry case studies and stakeholder interviews to help client better understand chemical safety concerns, their potential business impacts, and appropriate responses

Corporate & business unit strategy:

Identified and evaluated strategic options balancing product development and external engagement; facilitated alignment on approach consistent with growth objectives while addressing stakeholder priorities

Value chain engagement:

Directly engaged with customers and OEMs to gain feedback on the company’s product standard and gauge willingness to collaborate on broadening its applicability along the value chain

Results

• Developed product sustainability standard to position portfolio to meet customer and stakeholder sustainability requirements
• Enabled participation in a third-party chemical standard
• Product reviews of environmental and human health attributes within existing portfolio

Approach

Corporate & business unit strategy:

Conducted comprehensive market, policy, and competitive analysis; developed business strategies for energy efficiency, alternative fuel vehicles, grid modernization, distributed generation and storage, and natural gas growth

New business models:

Created and implemented a strategy for community-based partnerships to gain deeper customer insights and incubate new, integrated energy solutions

Stakeholder engagement:

Facilitated customer & community workshops and 40+ interviews to develop a shared energy partnership vision

Branding and communications:

Advised corporate brand refresh supporting new customer-oriented vision and built internal alignment

Integrated business processes:

Created and implemented a solutions development process and tool, guiding customer-centric solutions

Results

• Strategic customer partnerships, including a medical campus that won a national award
• Articulated strategic rationale and business case for pursuing new customer solutions
• Customer advocate in rate case filings
• Local, state and federal support for customer-utility partnerships
• Team-wide adoption of new solution development process

Approach

Market landscape:

Evaluated market dynamics across value chains of client’s top interest areas, including wind and solar, transmission and distribution, energy storage and battery management systems, power electronics, and lighting controls.

Target identification:

Developed and implemented an iterative M&A target identification and prioritization process to evaluate potential acquisitions and refine market entry hypotheses.

Acquisition hypothesis:

Provided diligence on top prospects. Developed investment narrative for top prospects to illustrate and pressure-test strategic fit and growth trajectory.

Results

• Market research resulting in re-prioritization of client’s initial target acquisition areas
• Interviews conducted with acquisition targets, VCs, and industry veterans
• 1,000+ companies reviewed with initial filter screen
• 155 companies identified and prioritized for acquisition long list
• 25 companies in 4 target areas reviewed in detail and prioritized for acquisition according to client M&A scorecard

Approach

Vision and goals:

Created an overarching goal structure with long-term, specific goals and metrics in order to drive action on the new strategy and clarify objectives for the business units

Corporate & business unit strategy:

Refreshed the sustainability strategy, marrying traditional operational efficiency with new focus on products’ and customers’ footprints

Enhanced or expanded offerings:

Identified opportunities to help customers improve their IT energy efficiency or use emerging technologies to reduce their footprints, prioritizing based on existing capabilities and market potential

Credible messaging:

Benchmarked energy efficiency messaging across the industry, highlighting product-specific and portfolio-level approaches

Results

• Three new areas of focus for the company and business units, supported by clear 2020 goals
• Cross-business unit working groups to provide ongoing support for implementation
• Support from the CEO and CMO for the new strategic direction

Approach

Internal engagement:

Conducted focus groups with functional leaders and “green teams” to identify major barriers to success, such as applying product-oriented innovation to sustainability initiatives and closing cultural gaps between management and workforce

Industry and market assessment:

Used customized tool to benchmark competitors’ sustainability strategies based on motivations, objectives, focus areas, and effectiveness; interviewed competitors and industry thought leaders to help frame vision-setting exercise

Vision and goals:

Facilitated executive workshop to deepen engagement among leadership and discuss megatrends impacting the technology sector, which led to alignment on the desired level of ambition for the company’s sustainability vision, goals, and related investments

Results

• Established cross-functional alignment among executives on ambition level for sustainability
• Gained robust understanding of competitor goals and strategies
• Identified internal opportunities and challenges, priorities, next steps, and barriers to implementation by synthesizing “Voice of the employee” analysis

Approach

New business models:

Outlined initial strategy for city-scale, integrated, clean energy projects; developed financial models for smart grid pilot for commercial buildings cluster

Policy engagement:

Provided analysis of state, federal, and international policy developments, including scenario planning for proposed cap-and-trade legislation

New partnerships:

Created a CEO-level advisory board of international thought leaders and counseled executives on engagement in U.S. Climate Action Partnership

Branding and communications:

Crafted and advised on messaging to support strategic initiatives targeting policy makers, influencers, and media (including op-eds, executive speeches, etc.)

Results

• Successful launch of major smart grid pilot with support from stakeholders like President Bill Clinton
• Significant progress towards achieving ambitious energy savings and peak reduction goals
• Insights for long-term plan on carbon policy and U.S. EPA regulation

Approach

Enhanced or expanded offerings:

Assessed and refined strategic value proposition of selling “clean energy” bundles and solutions, including renewables, energy efficiency, and customer branding support

Industry and market assessment:

Identified and prioritized over 100 new major commercial account targets by interest in renewables and influence in the market and local community

Integrated business processes:

Trained sales & marketing teams to articulate broader benefits of clean energy solutions to non-traditional energy buyers, such as commercial executives

Value chain engagement:

Leveraged Cleantech Group’s extensive network of commercial and industrial utility customers to facilitate introductions for business development and pilot new sales strategy

Results

• Initiated business development dialogue with 10 leading commercial prospects
• Proposed 5-8 new clean energy solution bundles
• Clear roadmap for current sales and marketing organization
• Customizable collateral for consultative clean power sales

Approach

Benchmarking:

Analyzed peer energy companies’ strategies and structures for innovation sourcing, including data-driven review of activities, resources, governance structures and portfolios

Trend analysis:

Drew out patterns in the development of peers’ approaches to innovation sourcing and articulated drivers and barriers to change

Strategic recommendations:

Synthesized industry benchmarking and internal interviews to develop a set of recommendations for CVC strategy, resources and governance

Internal alignment:

Supported innovation team in building case to senior leadership by providing data and external validation for recommendations

Results

• Recommended new vision for CVC and broader innovation activity
• Materials developed provided evidence base in presentations to company board
• Broader scope of external innovation was approved and CVC team was grown to address new technology areas