Cleantech Capital (B): Banking on a Green Future
The two-part case “Cleantech Capital (A) and (B): Banking on a Green Future)” follows John McNally, a senior investment banker who leaves a successful career to found Cleantech Capital, an investment bank dedicated to financing the clean technology sector. This case study is based on actual events; however, some elements, such as names, characters, places, or dates have been fictionalized. (The actual company name was Greentech Capital Advisors, and its founder was Jeff McDermott). In Part A, McNally faces the early strategic decision of how aggressively to build his firm in a nascent, uncertain market. Having raised $22.5 million from Capricorn Investment Group and other backers, he must decide whether to expand rapidly to capture first-mover advantage or scale more cautiously while the clean energy financing ecosystem matures. At the same time, he must ensure he is building the right team to go after the opportunity he believes is emerging.
Part B picks up five years later, when McNally’s optimis
Learning Objective
- 1. Understand the importance of resilience in sustainability-focused ventures and recognize how persistence impacts long-term success.
- 2. Analyze strategies for navigating setbacks and perceived failures, including when and how to pivot a sustainability business model effectively.
- 3. Identify and evaluate value-aligned partners, both financial and human, and understand their role in supporting the business’s objectives.