This presentation was given to UW students who are graduating from Engineering. I was asked to share my storey about how I got into doing what I now do, how Mindscape was founded, what inspired me, what help I needed, what mistakes I made, ... entrepreneurial stuff.
Enjoy!
2. Presentation Agenda
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Intro. to Derek Satnik
Intro. to Mindscape
How it all started
Some of my / Mindscape’s projects
Advice for would-be entrepreneurs
Resources
Q&A
6. A bit of my story:
Derek Satnik, P.Eng., LEED
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®
AP
From rural Kingston. Studied @ UW (EE ‘02)
Electrical Engineer, renewable energy / green
building specialist (LEED®, net-zero, etc)
Consulting with Stantec / Enermodal /
Mindscape since ’99 (various capacities on
engineering / sustainable design teams)
Father of six (ages 11, 9, 6, 4, 2, and 5 mos)
Volunteer actively (Built Green Canada,
CaGBC, NZEHC, CRESNET, OSEA, GEA,
CREW, LIFE, Sustainable Waterloo, CC, …)
hiking, reading, music (mostly percussion:
djembe, didgeridoo, rain sticks, etc)
Authoring a book (“Unintended
Consequences” on globalization, environment,
and community)
7. Mindscape = Engineering & Consulting
• Turn-key full lifecycle solutions for
environmentally and technologically enhanced
homes, businesses, and communities.
• 15 awards since 2007: municipal - international
• Core enabling services to both the green building
sector and the renewable energy sector: such as…
– Engineering studies, audits, and energy system (re)designs
– Policy and (incentive) program development;
– Project management, and processing grants and incentives
– Training & certification for high performance buildings
(ENERGY STAR, LEED, Net-Zero, and more)
Photo by K. Stevens, 2008 – Ulsan
13. Solar PV Experience: >20,000 kW
Canada’s first solar
neighbourhood,
Waterloo, ON
~2.5kW / home
Power Spar
Menova Energy
Inc.
Region of
Waterloo EMS
Fleet Centre
20kW
15. Social Friction:
Myths & Misunderstandings About Wind Energy
Myths
• Infrasound
• Bird / bat kill
- more likely to die from
a cat, car, or building
• Ground vibrations
… A long list of
unfounded and
unprovable silliness
Misunderstandings
• Land use
- farm up to tower base
• Audible noise
- quieter than the wind
• Intermittent (“blows when
it wants to”)
Online FAQ:
www.mi-group.ca/faq
16. Advice to Would-be Entrepreneurs…
• Identify your passions
• Scan for opportunities: seek advice, volunteer
• Know the business basics:
1. Need a Market
2. Need a Product/Solution
3. Need a Method
• Invest in your weaknesses & get help
• Build from your strengths
• Don’t try to do or be everything: have a specialty
• Tell your story!
17. Humbling Reminders
• Every small business is a family business
• Most fail
• Technical specialists are not necessarily business
leaders
• Don’t be afraid to share: 10% of something great is
much better than 100% of nothing
• Have a plan
18. Resources for startups…
• Regional Small Business Centres
• Community Futures Development
Corp
http://www.ontcfdc.com/
• Ontario’s Ministry of Small
Business & Entrepreneurship
http://www.ontariocanada.com/ont
can/1medt/smallbiz/en/sb_startbiz
_en.jsp
• On green buildings & energy:
http://www.mi-group.ca/
(blog, news, more)
What to expect: 30 minutes or so for arrivals, networking, food and refreshments, followed by the alumnus talk for 30 - 45 minutes, followed by 15+ minutes for questions, then another 15 - 30 minutes for networking again
What to speak on: The students would love to hear about how Mindscape Innovations came to be, how Derek’s experience led him down his current career path, and how his education as an Electrical Engineer at UW helped him throughout his career so far.
Contacts:
Kristopher Cates-Bristol, David Birnbaum, EngSoc President, and Puneet Natt, EngSoc Student Life Commissioner
To begin with, it’s worth noting that all the insanity around us notwithstanding there will be a moment when this age will start to make sense: That brave new world will look very different than it does now...
Joshua Cooper Ramo, author of The Age of the Unthinkable
The environment is hitting its limits.
Human industry is changing.
“Change” = opportunity, which calls for leadership
(recall “Who moved my Cheese?”)
The ways that industry used to feed itself are no longer working.
Like mice in a maze, their cheese has been moved, and they’re lost: learning from scratch.
I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge, so the environmental challenge has drawn me in.
Who am I, and why am I here today?
From rural Kingston. Studied @ UW (EE ‘02)
Electrical Engineer, renewable energy / green building specialist (LEED®, net-zero, etc)
Consulting with Stantec / Enermodal / Mindscape since ’99 (various capacities on engineering / sustainable design teams)
Father of six (ages 11, 9, 6, 4, 2, and 5 mos)
Volunteer actively (Built Green Canada, CaGBC, NZEHC, CRESNET, OSEA, GEA, CREW, LIFE, Sustainable Waterloo, CC, …)
hiking, reading, music (mostly percussion: djembe, didgeridoo, rain sticks, etc)
rec sports (ultimate, squash, soccer, more hiking)
Environmental issues (climate change, local energy / food)
Authoring a book (“Unintended Consequences”)
Volunteer stuff:
CaGBC LEED for Homes (Tech Co-Chair) & ND Committees
Net-Zero Energy Home Coalition (NZEHC), Tech Advisor
High Performance Homes Partnership (HP2), Founding Pres.
Canadian Residential Energy Services Network (CRESNET), Founding Member
Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA), Director
Green Energy Act, Management Committee
CREW President & CREW-green Founder
LIFE (Baden energy co-op), Advisor
Conestoga College PAC helping create a renewable energy trades program
Prefer personal power instead of community owned (eg: coop)? Contact Mindscape.
Keep brief: <1 min.
Mindscape Innovations, the 2008 Gowlings "New Business of the Year", which provides core enabling services to both the green building sector and the renewable energy sector: from feasibility studies to renewable energy system solutions to processing grants and incentives to certifying ENERGY STAR or LEED buildings.
Small not necessarily the best example
Not a good wind regime locally
Scalable – offers a valid business model that is bankable
Bottom line:
There are some legitimate drawbacks to wind energy, but they’re extremely minor compared to the alternatives, or even compared to the risks we take when we get into the car and drive to work every morning.
Note: wind is not unreliable – it’s intermittent. Important difference. Turbines are the most reliable generators around – far more so than nuclear.
“unfounded and unprovable silliness”:
Ask for recent reports based on recent data – note that the industry has advanced significantly over the last few decades, and every year counts. All of reports against wind that actually have valid concerns are very obsolete.
20 yrs. of reports in Europe, Canada (yes local), and around the globe that deal with all the concerns raised thus far.
“There is nothing new under the sun”, especially with wind energy antagonists.
Bird kill stats from CanWEA (per 10,000 avian fatalities):
<1 from wind turbines
50 from communication towers
710 from pesticides
850 from vehicles
1060 from cats
1370 from high tension lines
5820 from collisions with buildings / windows
Work to live, don’t live to work (you won’t survive)
Enjoy your work: startups are tough
90% of lone shark startups fail in the first 5 yrs
40-50% of partnered stratups fail in the first 5 yrs (drastic improvement in odds)
Minority shares of something great are better than 100% of nothing
It’s up to me. It’s up to you. It’s up to us.
Start where you are. Get some help. Let’s go make a difference.