Warning — Trite Statement to Follow: The leadership at a startup makes or breaks the success of the company.
Yes, you’ve heard it a million times. There are multiple reasons for this, and that topic alone calls for a whole different article. But right now let’s focus on one particular skill-set of a leader that has been a positive indicator of success time and time again for energy and cleantech venture-backed companies: a successful energy investment requires a Commercialization Executive.
Many venture capitalists will tell you that this is not so, and there are examples where a technical founder is the right CEO to lead the company from startup through the early growth phase, through a public offering and beyond. There are even studies showing that founder-led companies tend to outperform professionally led firms three years after an IPO. However, these studies usually look at high-tech companies creating new products for new markets. Having worked with and sat on the board of many energy and materials companies for years, we have observed that this sector necessitates this particular commercialization skillset.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Cleantech startups, here’s why you need a Commercialization Executive | VentureBeat
Author:Rachel Sheinbein
