Stanford Graduate School of Business (USA)
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KiOR: The Quest for Cellulosic Biofuels
Reichelstein, S; Rosenthal, S; Sahoo, ACase SGSB-E427-EEntrepreneurshipIn 2012, KiOR was in the process of starting biofuels production at its first plant in Columbus, Mississippi. This initial plant was to provide a commercial scale proof-of-concept of KiOR’s production technology, and the company expected to build another set of plants in Natchez, MS using “copy exact” principles. These latter plants would be three times the size of the Columbus plants, and KiOR anticipated a number of improvements in its produc...Starting at €8.20
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KiOR: The Quest for Cellulosic Biofuels - Teaching Note
Reichelstein, S; Rosenthal, S; Sahoo, ATeaching Note SGSB-E427TN-EEntrepreneurshipIn 2012, KiOR was in the process of starting biofuels production at its first plant in Columbus, Mississippi. This initial plant was to provide a commercial scale proof-of-concept of KiOR’s production technology, and the company expected to build another set of plants in Natchez, MS using “copy exact” principles. These latter plants would be three times the size of the Columbus plants, and KiOR anticipated a number of improvements in its produc...Starting at €0.00
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ENGIE: Strategic Transformation of an Energy Conglomerate
Reichelstein, S; Schifrin, DCase SGSB-SM256-EStrategyIn 2016, the €75 billion French multinational energy conglomerate ENGIE was massively transforming its strategic and operational imperatives toward renewable energy. The 200-year old company owned Europe’s biggest natural gas pipeline and was a major global producer and supplier of natural gas and other energy sources. ENGIE had announced the transformation in 2014—following a sharp drop in global fossil fuel prices—viewing it as the beginning of...Starting at €8.20
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Sustainable Investing at Generation Investment Management
Reichelstein, S; Bebb, DCase SGSB-SM257-EStrategyIn 2015, Generation Investment Management celebrated the successful 10-year track record of its flagship Global Equity Fund, which outperformed its benchmark index by over 500 basis points per year. A mainstream investment firm whose founders included former United States Vice President Al Gore and former head of Goldman Sachs Asset Management David Blood, Generation integrated qualitative sustainability factors such as environmental, social, an...Starting at €8.20
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Restructuring a Utility: RWE's Carve-out of innogy
Reichelstein, S; Comello, S; Bebb, DCase SGSB-SM278-EStrategyIn 2016, the German utility RWE undertook a carve-out in which substantial parts of the company’s assets and liabilities were offered to the general public as part of an IPO. The case describes the developments in the German energy landscape that led RWE to this unusual move. The case also examines how investors responded to this carve-out in terms of the valuations attached to RWE and the new subsidiary.Starting at €8.20
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Nova Pioneer in 2019: Becoming a Pan-African School System
Ciesinski, Stephen; Rosen, Howard; Kavanaugh, BlakeCase SGSB-E706-EEntrepreneurshipNova Pioneer was a private school system in South Africa and Kenya that offered preschool through secondary education for students ranging in age from 3 to 19. The earliest of Nova Pioneer’s precursors was Pioneer Academies, founded in South Africa by Chinezi Chijioke in 2013. Pioneer was started to offer the affordable, quality education needed to develop Africa’s next generation of leaders and innovators. In 2015, Pioneer Academies merged with ...Starting at €8.20
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Cumplo in 2019: Regulated Growth Across the Americas
Ciesinski, Stephen; Rosen, Howard; Kavanaugh, BlakeCase SGSB-E707-EEntrepreneurshipNico Shea founded Cumplo in 2011 to enable peer-to-peer lending for consumers before changing the company’s focus to small-to-medium businesses (SMBs). Cumplo was a financial technology (“fintech”) company that provided a platform for SMBs applying for a loan to be matched with investors willing to fund that loan. The platform further differentiated itself among SMBs by allowing companies to use unpaid invoices as collateral. Despite significant ...Starting at €8.20
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Buck Jack Capital: Closing or Quitting
Dodson, David; Kavanaugh, BlakeCase SGSB-E735-EEntrepreneurshipThis case describes how Laura Franklin and William Colt conducted their entrepreneurial acquisition process. After the duo honed their method for contacting potential sellers, they found a company they were excited to close a deal with. Over the course of many months of diligence, and overcoming a large mistake, the duo were prepared to acquire their ideal company – then COVID-19 hit, leading them to consider pausing the deal.Starting at €8.20
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Calyx Capital Partners
Dodson, David; Kavanaugh, BlakeCase SGSB-E736-EEntrepreneurshipThis case describes the formation of Trista Engel and Jessica Markowitz’s search fund. It begins by describing their process for deciding if they should pursue entrepreneurship through acquisition and, if so, if they should partner together. Upon deciding to raise a search fund, the duo work through the process of fundraising. Surprised by the positive response, they are faced with deciding who they should choose to have as investors.Starting at €8.20
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Retail Services & Technologies
Dodson, David; Kavanaugh, BlakeCase SGSB-E737-EEntrepreneurshipThis case describes the tumultuous experience Eduardo Ruiz had as CEO of Retail Services & Technologies. Ruiz had acquired Arizona-based RST at the end of his search process, but soon began to experience difficulties with the seller and former CEO. These difficulties strained Ruiz’s relationships with his board, employees, and key customers. As the situation deteriorated, he faced the prospect of filing for bankruptcy.Starting at €8.20