15.366  Energy Ventures

Energy Ventures Class This Week

I wanted to confirm that we WILL have Energy Ventures class this week. For the first part of class, we will hear the perspectives of VCs as well as strategic investors, and then in the second part of class we will ask each team to present for eight minutes. You are not required to use the same pitch you use for your final presentation, but we would expect you to draw on this material. At the end of class we will be having a short end-of-term reception.

Please be in touch if you have questions.

Best,
Vanessa

Announced on 06 December 2010  9:57  p.m. by Vanessa Layton Green

Final E-Ventures Deliverable

The final deliverable for Energy Ventures should be the same as the requirements for the MIT $100K (see below).

12 Slide PowerPoint Pitch Deck:

* PowerPoint decks cannot exceed 12 total slides (including the title slide). All titles, content, exhibits, and other information must be included on these 12 slides. <<Energy Ventures Note: Up to 10 back up slides are also acceptable but they should be considered truly back up and the presentation should stand on its own.>>

* PowerPoint decks must include one title slide that includes company name, team member names, team member email addresses, and company logo

* The PowerPoint deck must use standard-size slides (default to PowerPoint) Note: Any color or theme is allowable, but the slides must be legible when printed in black and white, four slides to a page.

20 Page Business Plan + 1 Page Cover Sheet:

* Business Plans should include one Cover Sheet that does not count toward the page limit. This Cover Sheet may include only company name, team member names, team member email addresses, and company logo.

* The Business Plan should include no more than 20 pages (8.5" x 11"), including all charts, graphs, exhibits, footnotes, etc. <<For Energy Ventures class, you may add appendices of up to 10 pages which would include more detail including summary of primary market research.>>

Additional notes on the Energy Ventures Final Presentation and Business Plan Deliverable:

1. While there is 2 hours maximum allocated for the final business plan presentation, the agenda for the meeting will be as follows:
- First 15 minutes - Team does first pass through slides with no Q&A by audience
- Second 30-45 minutes - Q&A based on the presentation directed to different members of the team
- Third 30-45 minutes -- Feedback and deeper dive
- Final 15 minutes - Discussion and advice on going forward

2. Expectations are high now that this is the final and you have had a lot of feedback from last week.

3. One to three people on the team should present but not everyone as that will really be unrealistic and make it a "up-and-down" show rather than a good business discussion. However, each person's role needs to be very clear even if they do not present. Questions will be directed to different team members, for the most part, on their specific assigned areas of expertise.

4. The final business plan needs to be turned in no later than Saturday December 11th at noon.

5. At your presentations, there may be one friend of the class invited who has not heard your plan before to provide a fresh set of eyes for us to evaluate. They will agree to hold the contents of the plan confidential if the team so desires.

6. Identify who the audience is before the presentation and it does not have to be a VC investor but you do have to show a full business plan with all the elements (including exit strategy, etc.) for this class even if it is not appropriate for the audience you have targeted. Examples of potential target audiences: Investors, corporate partner, someone you are recruiting to be on your board, a new customer, a new member to your management team, etc.)

Announced on 05 December 2010  3:06  p.m. by Vanessa Layton Green

VC Internship Opportunity

Great work this afternoon! We received very positive feedback from all our guests. I hope that the activity was rewarding for you as well! One of the guests, Rob Day, has an internship opportunity with his firm that he asked us to share with the class (see below). Also remember to send in any specific questions you have about next week's final. We will be circulating instructions tomorrow.

Best,
Vanessa

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MBA IAP and school year internship opportunity in cleantech VC/PE

Black Coral Capital’s Boston office is seeking an MBA student to intern full-time with the firm during the Independent Activities Period. Ideally, the internship would continue on a part-time basis (10-20 hours/week) during the second semester. The intern will work directly with the investment team to track, screen and evaluate investment opportunities. Additional responsibilities will include managing special projects such as profiling emerging sectors and assisting on portfolio company initiatives. The position is based in Black Coral’s offices located at Government Center. A stipend to cover expenses will be provided. The ideal candidate will have a consulting, finance or industry background and strong existing knowledge of clean technologies and addressable markets. Experience in entrepreneurial settings is also welcomed. Applicants are requested to send a resume and brief cover letter to nikhil@blackcoralcapital.com with the subject line “Black Coral Internship”.

Announced on 02 December 2010  10:49  p.m. by Vanessa Layton Green

Clarification: Simulation Logistics + Finance Section

There continues to be some confusion about the logistics of the simulation session. Each team will have four 30 minute meetings with the people listed after your team name. For example, the schedule for the LED team:

4:30-5pm: Fiona Murray

5-5:30pm: Michael Pomianek

5:30-6pm: Rob Day

6-6:30pm: Brian Chemel

Information for Financial Plan Assignment.

This body of this section should read like the financials section of a business plan. In addition, we would ask that you include a quarterly income statement, balance sheet and cash flow for years 1-3.

The financial plan is the basic evaluation of investment opportunity and needs to represent your best estimates of financial requirements. The purpose of the financial plan is to indicate the ventures potential and present timetable for financial viability. It can also serve as an operating plan for financial management using financial benchmarks. This section unites the assumptions from all other sections in the plan (sales forecasts, gross margin assumptions, technology development, etc.).

Using sales forecasts and accompanying production or operations costs, prepare pro forma income statements for at least three years. Please discuss assumptions made in preparing the pro forma income statement (e.g., the amount allowed for bad debts and discounts, sales expenses were general and administrative costs being a fixed percentage of cost or sales).

I hope that helps!
Vanessa

Announced on 01 December 2010  8:11  a.m. by Vanessa Layton Green

Presentation Materials + Schedule for Thursday

There are a number of new presentation examples posted under "Business Plan Resources." Please have a look in preparation for your 30 minute simulation pitch meetings on Thursday. The presentation schedule will be as follows:

Group 1

CoolFlux: Tod Hynes, Elise Zoli, Arif Padaria, Bill Davis

Synthetic Biology: Bill Davis, Tod Hynes, Elise Zoli, Arif Padaria

PK Clean: Arif Padaria, Bill Davis, Tod Hynes, Elise Zoli

Pellion: Elise Zoli, Arif Padaria, Bill Davis, Tod Hynes

Group 2

Energy Eff Fin: Michael Pomianek, Rob Day, Brian Chemel, Fiona Murray

Green Water: Rob Day, Brian Chemel, Fiona Murray, Michael Pomianek

MP Cooling: Brian Chemel, Fiona Murray, Michael Pomianek, Rob Day

LED Bulbs: Fiona Murray, Michael Pomianek, Rob Day, Brian Chemel

Announced on 01 December 2010  12:43  a.m. by Vanessa Layton Green