CleanStart

Simulating a Clean Energy Startup

Simulation Overview

The dynamics of entrepreneurship are unique and can be difficult to master without real-world experience — or at least experimentation. In this single-player clean energy startup simulation, learners build a business, starting with a great idea and a little startup capital. They must win customers, hire and motivate people, improve the product, and finance their growth. Learners can choose external financing from venture capitalists or seek to build a fully employee-owned firm.

Players

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Single Player


Languages

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English


Simulation Time

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Total Time: 2.75–3.25 hours

Intro 15-30 minutes, Gameplay 2 hours, Debrief 30-45 minutes


Accessibility

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No Accessibility Compliance


Price

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$162 per person

The Story

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You’re launching a promising clean energy startup—an innovation with the potential to reshape an industry. But the path ahead is uncertain. Customers are cautious, competitors are entrenched, and your venture’s cash reserves are dwindling. Every decision counts: how you price the product, who you hire, how fast you grow, and where you seek funding.


As market conditions shift and pressures rise, you must steer your venture through the notorious “valley of death”—the stage where many clean energy startups falter. Will your strategy lead to strong customer adoption and financial stability, or will you run out of time and capital?


In this simulation, learners experience the tension, urgency, and complexity of scaling a clean energy venture in a world that urgently needs sustainable innovation.

Core Competencies

Entrepreneurship

Decision Making Under Pressure

Analysis and Business Acumen

Strategic Decision Making

Risk Awareness and Management

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Financial Decision Making

Innovative Strategy

Learning Objectives

Introduce key concepts in entrepreneurial management, including financial, human resource, and strategic decisions
Build and scale an early-stage venture in a challenging, innovation-driven market.
Illustrate the interplay between the many factors required to make entrepreneurial ventures successful. Evaluate tradeoffs across pricing, staffing, financing, and product development.
Interpret market signals, financial statements, and operational data to guide growth.
Navigate uncertainty, long sales cycles, and the financial “valley of death.”
Identify leverage points within a dynamic system and adjust strategy as conditions evolve.

Resources to Power Your Simulation

Each simulation comes with a Facilitation Guide along with 1:1 facilitator training and free trials.

Available with this simulation

Intro Slides

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Author Video

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Student Video

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Free Trial & Demo

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