Skillshare Class MVP Final

1. GreenPlanet
Heroes.Com
Helping Everyone Afford Energy
Efficiency and Sustainable Energy
Minimum Viable Product - Sept 11, 2012

2. Problem
Being Solved?
Few people can afford to implement energy efficiency
and renewable energy projects due to the up-front
costs. Those who need it most, can afford it the least.

3. Elevator
Pitch
Making it easy for anyone to afford energy
efficiency and sustainable energy projects
through crowd-funding.
Think: Green Kickstarter

4. How it Works
Basic Process:
1) Create a project on the web site.
2) Set donation amounts, offer premiums per donation level.
3) Social network to bring in donors.
4) Donors donate.
5) Recipients who succeed implement their project & provide premiums.
The site may have a means of indicating riskiness (ex: a documented BPI or LEED energy audit indicates a level of
commitment that is less risky than a DIY guesstimate). Donors could choose the level of risk they're willing to accept
with their donations. Most donations would be small, so risk is minimal, anyway. A portion of every donation goes to the
company.
We'd ask recipients to donate a small portion of their energy savings toward a "pay it forward" fund, managed via a
separate 501(c)3. We'd ask donors to donate a small extra percentage toward the fund. We’d ask larger renewables
projects to sign over Renewable Energy Credits to the fund to help create a matching funds pool for funding larger
projects, such as solar on a school roof. As the fund grew, we’d retire RECs instead of selling them into the market.

5. MVP Hole #1: Will
People Donate?
Answer: Yes.
Cost:
$0 Web template
$0 Google forms
$0 Live interviews
$4.69 domain name
$0 hosting, already had paid hosting service for email.

6. MVP Hole #2:
Too Many Big
Projects
Answer:
Interviews indicate not a big risk
*Survey datapoint to watch:
- Donors favor renewables.
- Projects favor efficiency.
Photo: Liane Allen - Solar installation

7. MVP Hole #3:
Competition
Answer:
Efficiency and sustainable energy-related
projects are an underserved niche that
gets little attention elsewhere.

8. MVP Hole #4:
Take the Money
and Run (Fraud)
Answer: Invitation-only pre-launch, 5
projects, 20 funders. Goal: 3 successful
projects, 1 completed before public
launch.
Watch & Verify:
*
Does 1st-follower principle result in
honesty post-launch?
Photo: zioneyes - kickstarter project

9. Action Step 1:
Site Mockup w/Photoshop and InVision by
Sept. 21.
Cost:
$0 mockup
$0 InVision

10. Action Step 2:
Get 50 People to Try the
Mockup by Oct. 5, 2012
Cost:
$0 to walk around and share on social media (facebook,
google+, reddit, digg, twitter)
$0 to produce short YouTube video including efficiency
work in progress, a solar installation, and some expert
commentary.

11. Action Step 3:
Build Basic Site by Dec. 31:
- Home Page
- Create Project Page
- Project Details Page
- Project Updates Page
- Donation Page
- Donation Thank You Page
- Amazon AWS Flexpay
Cost:
$0 hosting (already have hosting account), $0 AWS
signup, $250 AWS developer, $250 designer, $? extra AWS
charge based on sales.

12. Action Step 4:
Week of Jan 7, 2013:
- Identify 5 Readily Achievable Projects
- Invite to Post on Site
- Invite 20 Donors
- Solicit Feedback
- Address Roadblocks
- Iterate

13. Action Step 5:
Public Launch:
- Critical Roadblocks Fixed
- 3 Projects Funded
- 1 Completed Success Story