Clean Technology and Renewables

My “Clean Technology” involvement began years ago, when I provided pro-bono consulting to a Brazilian entrepreneur seeking to improve and automate recycling operations.

My “Clean Technology” involvement began years ago, when I provided pro-bono consulting to a Brazilian entrepreneur seeking to improve and automate recycling operations.

Later I spent a fair amount of time on water issues. Water is likely the biggest challenge the world is facing today; certainly the lack of clean water represents a clear and present danger, hurting more people than the carbon footprint of our energy consumption.

Israel is at the forefront of water technology. As the staff for National Nanotechnology Committee for Israel, 2002, and Israeli Nanotechnology Initiative Board of Directors, 2003-2004, I helped the Committee map opportunities for using novel technologies for water recycling and remediation.

Where I spent most of my clean tech time, though, was energy . As the head of strategy planning at Applied Materials, I analyzed clean energy as a growth industry which could leverage the Company’s know-how in thin film processing and high-volume, automated, large-substrate fabrication, thanks to its semiconductor industry leadership role; this was coupled with an apparent rise in fossil fuel prices (due to supply-demand imbalance) and availability of government subsidies (across the globe) for renewable energy.

As a corporate strategist involved in a significant transformation, my focus was on setting the “case for change” and work with senior management to determine the proper timing for entering the clean energy space — starting with the solar segment. With the rationale for market entry set up, Applied mobilized several teams to drive technology, engineering, and business initiatives in this space.
P.S.: Applied’s approach and execution (which took place while I was no longer involved in the initiative) were unfortunately flawed and the company subsequently folded a fair amount of its operations in this area.

Later I founded Strat Man Consulting, a consulting firm focused on leveraging quantitative decision-making tools to improve strategic management of clean/green technology companies. This was a pivotal period in the renewable energy industry, and I worked with clean tech innovators in renewable energy, energy efficiency, advanced materials, and water technologies to secure funding for new opportunities.

During the same period I was also mentor to start-ups at the Clean Tech Open (the world’s largest business competition for cleantech entrepreneurs) and the Environmental Business Cluster (the largest environmental and cleantech incubator in the USA).

As a mentor and consultant I helped clients to commercialize new capabilities in varied areas, including flex solar, solar concentration, geothermal power, advanced batteries, LED lighting, heating efficiency, computer power management, and combustion efficiency.

Based on my solar expertise, I also served as merit reviewer for Department of Energy programs to fund renewable energy deployment.

Over the years, my clean tech work also involved a significant level of M&A work — both buy-side and sell-side. For example, I advised several successful sell-side deals in the clean tech space, where promising technologies were sold to corporate buyers.


Clean Tech Blog (Clean-tech-nomics)

My “Clean Technology” involvement began years ago, when I provided pro-bono consulting to a Brazilian entrepreneur seeking to improve and automate recycling operations.

My “Clean Technology” involvement began years ago, when I provided pro-bono consulting to a Brazilian entrepreneur seeking to improve and automate recycling operations.

Later I spent a fair amount of time on water issues. Water is likely the biggest challenge the world is facing today; certainly the lack of clean water represents a clear and present danger, hurting more people than the carbon footprint of our energy consumption.


Israel is at the forefront of water technology. As the staff for National Nanotechnology Committee for Israel, 2002, and Israeli Nanotechnology Initiative Board of Directors, 2003-2004, I helped the Committee map opportunities for using novel technologies for water recycling and remediation.


Where I spent most of my clean tech time, though, was energy . As the head of strategy planning at Applied Materials, I analyzed clean energy as a growth industry which could leverage the Company’s know-how in thin film processing and high-volume, automated, large-substrate fabrication, thanks to its semiconductor industry leadership role; this was coupled with an apparent rise in fossil fuel prices (due to supply-demand imbalance) and availability of government subsidies (across the globe) for renewable energy.

As a corporate strategist involved in a significant transformation, my focus was on setting the “case for change” and work with senior management to determine the proper timing for entering the clean energy space — starting with the solar segment. With the rationale for market entry set up, Applied mobilized several teams to drive technology, engineering, and business initiatives in this space.
P.S.: Applied’s approach and execution (which took place while I was no longer involved in the initiative) were unfortunately flawed and the company subsequently folded a fair amount of its operations in this area.

Later I founded Strat Man Consulting, a consulting firm focused on leveraging quantitative decision-making tools to improve strategic management of clean/green technology companies. This was a pivotal period in the renewable energy industry, and I worked with clean tech innovators in renewable energy, energy efficiency, advanced materials, and water technologies to secure funding for new opportunities.

During the same period I was also mentor to start-ups at the Clean Tech Open (the world’s largest business competition for cleantech entrepreneurs) and the Environmental Business Cluster (the largest environmental and cleantech incubator in the USA).

As a mentor and consultant I helped clients to commercialize new capabilities in varied areas, including flex solar, solar concentration, geothermal power, advanced batteries, LED lighting, heating efficiency, computer power management, and combustion efficiency.

Based on my solar expertise, I also served as merit reviewer for Department of Energy programs to fund renewable energy deployment.

Over the years, my clean tech work also involved a significant level of M&A work — both buy-side and sell-side. For example, I advised several successful sell-side deals in the clean tech space, where promising technologies were sold to corporate buyers.


Clean Tech Blog (Clean-tech-nomics)