Decathlon becomes a business

By Mary Georgevich

Eight members of the 2007 third-place Solar Decathlon team were missing from class Friday.

But this wasn't just a case of senioritis. The engineering students were finalizing the business plan for their new company Valence Energy before presenting it to potential investors Saturday morning.

The company derived its name from valence electrons, the farthest electrons from the nucleus of an atom.

"We're on the outer edge," James Bickford said. "We're integrating solar technology with information technology to create an energy management company."

Team member Agustin Fonts added, "It's a little bit scary that we're trying to start a company. We're kind of making it up as we go."

The idea to start a business together began with the Solar Decathlon team.

Senior Ryan Leary said the group wouldn't have been exposed to the solar industry if it weren't for the decathlon.

"We've proved we're a great team," Bickford said. "We love working together."

While enrolled in classes this quarter, they have been working on attracting private investors and creating a business plan.

Leary and Bickford agreed that age and lack of business sense will create some challenges for the fledgling company.

"We're nine engineering students and don't have a single business major," Bickford said. "We're teaching ourselves on the fly."

He said they're looking for an experienced chief executive officer who's older than the group of twenty-somethings.

"We don't have enough gray hair yet," Bickford joked.

Fonts said the newness of their product could also pose a problem.

"There are a lot of challenges to entering a new market," he said. "Mostly, it's just selling a product that's never been sold before."

"If it weren't for Santa Clara, this wouldn't have happened," Leary said.

Santa Clara has supported the students' endeavor, Bickford said.

"They're going to try to incubate the company in its early stages," he added.

With an office just across the street from campus, the new company plans to stay connected to the university.

"We'll be looking for interns," Bickford said.

They will give themselves a little break after graduation. But after that, there will be plenty of work to do.

Leary said they haven't assigned roles yet.

Meanwhile, Fonts is just excited to have a job that he cares about.

"It's better than sitting in a cubicle," Leary said.

Seniors Fonts, Bickford, Leary, Raymond Lam, Frank Altamura, Brian Dracco, Alberto Fonts, Anthony Ferreira and non-decathloner Ryan Harami have combined with a Carnegie Mellon and a Yale graduate to create the company Valence Energy.

Contact Mary Georgevich at (408) 554-4546 or mgeorgevich@scu.edu.