Telling Your Cleantech Story for a Greener Tomorrow

Avva Communications

 

A good story can make getting that funding a lot easier

Does your story get the Cleantech funding you want?  Does it excite an investor? Successful funding starts with writing a well crafted message. Cleantech Storytelling provides writing services for both Cleantech entrepreneurs seeking funding and investors looking for good ROI.

For entrepreneurs, to get your funding, you need a complete tool set to make sure your message is powerful and succinct. I work on getting that initial or follow-on funding with a great story and business plan.

For investors, I work with your companies of interest to strengthen their message and business plan to make sure there are no questions or hesitancy in supporting initial or follow-on funding requests. Your Return on Investment (ROI) in me is paid back by my diverse technology background combined with my market focus. I take Cleantech technology and translate it into investment language you can use to make key investment decisions.

Cleantech Business Plan Elements

Inspiring, informative documentation requires a strong technology background with good common sense writing. Investors don't want fluff; they want solid reasons for believing in your Cleantech company and concept. You probably already have the following critical elements identified to get that funding (just maybe not how to say it in investor-eze):

Your Investment Premise — Why is your idea or concept a good one for Cleantech? What does it have to do with Cleantech? Grab the reader by the throat and bring them in with a fantastic hook. This section will be the foundation for an elevator pitch.

The Problem — What are you trying to solve and why is it important to Cleantech?

Your Solution — Why is it better than anything else out there or even more important, what makes it unique or attractive to an investor?

Your Target Market — Who's going to buy it and why? Do you have a believable pricing plan?

Your Competition—Who else is doing the same or similar thing? Why do you think your idea is more profitable or better than theirs? Will your market think so?

The Numbers — What financial resources do you already have? How much more do you need to succeed AND return on investment? How long will it take you?

Your Team — Who are your all-stars? It's OK if you need to add someone later to the team, but you need to have some strength to start with.

The Grand Finale — Close the sale while the investor is salivating

 

Investor-eze Language Examples

Investor-eze addresses concepts in investor language before moving forward. A few examples of these language concepts include:

· Return on Investment (ROI)

· Competitive Advantage

· Value Proposition

· Industry Experience

· Pricing & Delivery Models

· Target Markets

· Intellectual Property

· Compelling Business Model

· Risk Mitigation in Market, Technology, Management & Finance, etc.

3 Stages of a Cleantech Business Plan

With Cleantech Storytelling, three essential formats for your message are needed:

· The 30 second elevator pitch

· 1-2 page executive summary and

· The detailed business plan

All three stages are required to get the final funding approval and can be done in one effort to be consistent.

Storytelling Services for Cleantech Startups

The primary need for storytelling services in Cleantech is ensuring well crafted documentation to secure funding.

To that end, I provide the following services to get that initial or follow-on funding or to help investors prepare the funding proposal for consideration:

· Elevator pitch(s) - 30 second, easy-to-remember content in terms any non-techie can understand. Can be easily changed on the fly to fit the audience, i.e., investors, potential customers, Grandma, etc.

· 1-2 page Executive Summary - covers all the key points needed to explain the funding need at a high level.

· Detailed Business Plan

To develop your story, I follow an proven process that gets the information identified quickly and comprehensively, with minimal pain on your part.

First I collect the essential information for a complete business plan, through interviews and prepared questions with you and your team:

· Your Investment Premise

· Describe the Problem

· Describe Your Solution

· Identify Your Target Market

· Identify Your Competition

· Calculate the Numbers

· Brag About Your Team

· Close Out With a Grand Finale

Then I take that raw information and mold it into a business plan that speaks to the investor in language they need.

I’ll go through a couple of reviews and changes until you are completely satisfied. From this plan, I’ll generate the elevator pitch and the executive summary.

As an experienced Toastmaster, I can also prepare the presentation you use at Investor Forums or I can even give the presentation for you.

Later on, after you have received the funding, I can develop the support documents detailed on the Storytelling Services page.

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To get started, please

e-mail me at requestinfo @ cleantechstoryteller.com or

call me at 678-935-7343

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“During my time managing the PMO for Warranty Corporation of America I had the pleasure of working with Krishna Avva on two very large projects. The first was the re-engineering of our operations which delivered savings of over $9 million dollars. The second was in support of the merging of contact center operations in the US and Canada. In both instances Krishna reconfirmed his ability to establish himself as a true leader and a project management professional. In both cases he established and managed to a stringent scope statement. Krishna's strongest attributes in both instances was his ability to communicate and keep all parties informed of progress, risks and issues, and successes.”

Leslie Hermitt, Senior Consultant, Wipro Technologies

“Krishna is one of the few individuals I have met that possesses a rare combination of visionary, strategic thinker and doer. He is able to take a new product or idea, develop a business model that optimizes the competitive positioning of both the business as well as the consumer, and implement it with the highest quality standards. Krishna is also an excellent communicator and writer, exhibits exemplary networking skills and is adept in the art of negotiation. He brings success to any endeavor or partnership!”

 

Likun (Anita) Mishra, Senior Product Manager, BellSouth (currently AT&T)

“I currently work as the VP of Business Development at Echoworx Corporation. I have known Krishna for a number of years and worked with him in the past at BellSouth Corporation. I absolutely endorse Krishna for his work ethic, general ethics, passion for his craft, and his compassion for his colleagues. He is a rare combination of an individual who understands how to communicate complex technology and principles into consumable and digestible bits. Krishna is a seasoned professional without the seasoned attitude. I recommend Krishna to anyone looking to work with him, hire him, or just getting to know him.”

 

Robby Gulri, Product Strategy, BellSouth