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
solar
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: 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
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 6)
The later half of 2004 marked the beginning of production operations. SunPower began producing solar cells, a result of $150M of capital investments. On the books, this timeframe represents the greatest period of loss in the company’s history, due largely to the development of the new production lines. It was, of course, necessary. SM: What
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 5)
Tom joined SunPower in 2003, and the IPO occurred in 2005. Here we review the steps the company took in that timeframe which led to not only a successful IPO, but also laid the foundation for its current success. SM: Between the time you showed up and the IPO, what was happening to the business
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 4)
During its early phases SunPower was, out of necessity, not as focused of a company as it is now. It engaged in several other business areas to ensure positive cashflow, yet such activities detracted from the development of high efficiency solar cells which became one of its core competencies. SM: Did SunPower engage in any
Leadership Profile: Tom Werner (Part 3)
In this next segment of the interview, Tom takes us through the history of SunPower. From the inception, it was a company driven by innovation, yet faced the common business challenges which have been the demise of numerous other hi-tech startups. SM: Can you briefly tell us about the history of SunPower? TW: SunPower is,
