History
CleanCapital is an industry-leading clean energy investment platform based in New York City, U.S.A., founded in 2015 to accelerate investment in renewable energy to combat climate change. Recognising the need for innovative solutions to overcome the stagnation in clean energy investment, CleanCapital's founders envisioned a platform leveraging technology to streamline processes and facilitate efficient transactions in the renewable energy sector.
CleanCapital's platform was developed to organise vast information accompanying renewable energy portfolios, enabling swift and accurate acquisitions. Marc Garrett, co-founder and CTO, emphasised the importance of technology at the core of their strategy.
Leveraging Technology
To expedite the platform's development, CleanCapital partnered with Thorgate, an Estonian development company, leveraging their expertise in Python programming. The collaboration allowed CleanCapital to focus on strategic aspects while Thorgate managed the technical implementation. Daily development discussions via Slack ensured progress updates despite the time difference between the two companies.
Strategic Outsourcing
The decision to partner with an external team was driven by the scale of goals and the tight delivery timeline. Outsourcing development enabled CleanCapital to access specialised skills efficiently and cost-effectively, supplementing their in-house team. Thorgate's selection was based on their expertise in Python programming and previous experience in clean energy projects. The time difference between the U.S. and Estonia facilitated round-the-clock development, enhancing productivity.
While outsourcing offered numerous benefits, CleanCapital acknowledged the importance of clear communication and collaboration with the external team. Maintaining an in-house product manager was crucial for aligning technical requirements with business needs. Despite successful remote collaboration, CleanCapital plans to solidify a long-term relationship with Thorgate through face-to-face interactions. They emphasise the significance of thoroughly researching potential partners and highlight the competitive advantage of European pricing.
“Looking at the scale of goals and the tight timeline for delivery, we concluded that partnering on the development of our investment and diligence platform was the most time-efficient and cost-effective route to take.”
- - Marc Garrett, CTO of CleanCapital
How does the platform work?
- Single location
All of the information needed to diligence and close an acquisition lives on the platform. Different parties can view, add, remove, and edit all the necessary information within the same ecosystem. - Checklists
Additionally, a project checklist helps organize process flow and keep all parties informed of the deal's status and any outstanding items. - Reporting
Post-closing, investors can access reporting on the performance of their renewable energy portfolios. The organization of documents also makes it simple for CleanCapital to refinance existing portfolios without repeating work.
Why was it necessary?
CleanCapital's custom-developed platform facilitates quick and accurate assessment of potential investments, due diligence, deal closure, and future asset management, including investor communication. This technology-driven approach has positioned CleanCapital as a leader in renewable energy investment, opening up significant untapped opportunities.
The platform is a comprehensive tool for managing renewable energy portfolios, centralizing information, streamlining processes, and ensuring transaction smoothness through its reliability and security.