Sea6 Energy: Can this Deep-tech Start-up Scale-up Operations and Make it Big?

Sea6 Energy: Can this Deep-tech Start-up Scale-up Operations and Make it Big?
Case Code: LDEN222
Case Length: 11 Pages
Period: 2010-2022
Pub Date: 2024
Teaching Note: Available
Price: Rs.400
Organization : -
Industry :Energy
Countries : India
Themes: Entrepreneurial Strategy, Social Entrepreneurship, Product Strategy & Design,Innovation
Sea6 Energy: Can this Deep-tech Start-up Scale-up Operations and Make it Big?
Abstract Case Intro 1 Case Intro 2 Excerpts

Abstract

Sea6 Energy, founded in July 2010 by four engineering students under the mentorship of Shrikumar Suryanarayan, former R&D head of Biocon and adjunct faculty at IIT Madras, embarked on a mission to revolutionize sustainable farming. The case study explores their journey from the inception of the idea to develop large-scale agriculture on the sea using sea plants to produce marine biomass for biofuels. It delves into the deep-tech ecosystem in India and the challenges the team faced in securing funding and developing products.

The focus then shifts to Sea6's innovative efforts, including patenting products derived from sea plants, such as biofuels and biostimulants, to ensure exclusivity and monetization. Key innovations like the SeaCombine, the world’s first sea tractor, and Dweep, an artificial floating island system, highlight their approach to scaling production. The case concludes by examining the market for biostimulants and ocean farming, and the challenges Sea6 faces as it transitions from research and development to scaling, growth, and profitability. This case study is ideal for courses in Entrepreneurship, particularly those focusing on deep-tech startups and sustainability-driven ventures. It can also be used in Innovation Management to discuss technology commercialization and patent strategies, as well as in Sustainable Business courses that explore the balance between profitability and environmental impact, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Issues

The case is structured to achieve the following teaching objectives:

  • Understand the path of the entrepreneur from idea generation to market development to scaling up
  • Gain an understanding of the need for research and patenting in deep tech ecosystem
  • Examine the importance for a deep tech start-up moving from product development to commercial production to survive and grow
  • The importance of business pivot in Entrepreneurship
  • Learn about the challenges faced by technology entrepreneurs in growing a business

Contents

Keywords

Sustainable entrepreneurship; oOean farming; Sustainability; Innovation; Scaling and Commercial Viability; Sustainable business model; technology-to-market; Patent Strategy and Monetization

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