categories
HOT TOPICS
- The Accelerator Conundrum
- The Startup Velocity Question
- Platform as a Service
- Man and Superman
- Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS)
- The Future: End of Capitalism
- Capitalism 2.0
energy
Social Entrepreneur: Harish Hande (Part 1)
Dr. Harish Hande is the co-founder of Selco, a rural sustainable energy company which has over 80,000 installations and 25 retail sales and service centers all over Karnataka, a state in Southern India. Among its many accomplishments, Selco has created India’s first rural solar financing program using regional banks. I recently talked with Harish about
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 10)
The core of SunPower’s success has been its dominance of the high efficiency solar cell. Tom breaks down the marketplace by product type, and explains where SunPower fits into the picture. SM: Is your technology the most efficient on the market today? TW: We are the highest efficiency in the world, although Sanyo is close.
Leadership Profile: Sass Somekh (Part 10)
I conclude my discussion with Sass on hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles. He evaluates the positions of major world automotive makers, and illustrates how activities in the Valley can affect change by having Silicon Valley emerge as a technology center for hybrid / battery technology. SM: The goal is to let you cover your entire
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 9)
After discussing German and Japanese markets, Tom visits the North American markets with a particular emphasis on California. Of particular interest is the amount of growth which is expected, spurred in part by governmental policy and incentive programs. We use that discussion as a catalyst to have some quick discussions on the current and projected
Leadership Profile: Sass Somekh (Part 9)
Social activism has emerged into wide scale leadership, as Sass has led a drive in Silicon Valley for corporations to develop energy policies of carbon neutrality. After being spurned by members of Congress, he has kick started initiatives which are leading to substantive change. SM: When you say we, do you mean you have made
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 8)
Germany has a political environment, influenced by voters, which is very supportive and progressive about solar energy. This has resulted in creating a very large and solid marketplace which SunPower has been able to capitalize on. SM: What has been driving Germany’s big focus on solar? Is that part of their energy policy? TW: When
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 7)
SunPower went public in 2005, which is a monumental moment for most firms. It is always interesting to take note of firms who do not press the IPO, rather they wait for banks to begin courting them. Tom revisits that timeframe and explains SunPower’s progression during that period in thehistory of the company. SM: You
Tapping Into the Sun
In India, the scorching tropical sun is worshipped as a God. These days, it appears that countries like Germany and Japan, and more recently, sunny California are following suit. Solar energy, one of the purest forms of alternative energy, is making headways in becoming a major market phenomenon. I have recently been speaking with Tom
