Foro Energy (B)

Joseph B. Lassiter; William A. Sahlman; James  McQuade

Supplement | HBS Case Collection | June 2012

Foro Energy (B)

by Joseph B. Lassiter, William A. Sahlman and James McQuade

Abstract

Foro Energy developed proprietary and patent-pending fiber-laser technologies that could disrupt existing processes and services for the exploration and production of oil and natural gas. These breakthrough laser technologies were protected by a strong intellectual property (IP) portfolio, which provided Foro with the flexibility to pursue a number of different business models. The market potential for oilfield applications was large, as global spending in the O&G E&P industry was expected to approach $600 billion in 2012.

Keywords: Disruptive Technologies; innovation ＆ entrepreneurship; development stage enterprises; entrepreneurial management; entrepreneurs; petroleum; Natural Gas; high technology; Energy; Entrepreneurship; Disruptive Innovation; Technological Innovation; Intellectual Property; Energy Industry;

Language: English

Format: Print

2 pages

Purchase

Citation:

Lassiter, Joseph B., William A. Sahlman, and James McQuade. "Foro Energy (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 812-163, June 2012.

In January 2018, Husk Power had just raised $20 million to scale operations for a second time. From 2007 through 2013, Husk built 80 biomass waste (primarily rice husk from rice mills) plants that provided electricity to 250,000 villagers and shop owners spread across 350 villages in India and Africa.
By 2015, Husk underwent a major pivot. Rather than a rural electrification vision aimed at providing power to rural households through biomass gasification alone, Sinha envisioned plants organized around village commercial customers that used biomass gasification, solar energy, and battery power in tandem, allowing for power generation nearly 24-7. To bring this vision to reality, Sinha ceased operations of nearly all of the existing plant locations and began the conversion to new locations built around the “new” hybrid plant. Thus in 2015, Husk was operating a mere 10 power plants and serving roughly 2,000 customers, down from the 80 plants and roughly 250,000 customers they had prior to this shift.
After downsizing and reorganizing operations, was Husk Power once again ready to scale?

Faculty & Research

Foro Energy (B)

Abstract

Citation:

About the Authors

More from these Authors