Challenge: Becoming a presence in the global market
Solution: Select markets strategically then go deeper
Green Power Labs’ first foray into the global market was a matter of luck – an engineer in Australia called the Nova Scotia company out of the blue – but its continued success on the international playing field has been the result of forethought and planning.
“There’s no secret to this,” says Vice-President of Marketing Marlene Moore. “It’s hard work.”
Marlene notes that the initial tendency is to often dive into the global market, but this is not a sound approach. “For a small company, that is very challenging. Do your homework and find a focus.”
For Green Power Labs that focus was in southwestern California. The company, headquartered at Innovacorp's Technology Innovation Centre in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, looked closely at this market after California decided to actively support solar energy. The U.S. state was looking for firms that had a solid solar database and could predict next steps. Green Power provides critical weather and energy data for building and grid operations in real time. It works closely with clients to manage energy consumption and optimize energy efficiency.
Since its entry into the California market, Green Power has worked with clients in Spain and Turkey as well as the northeastern United States. In Canada, the company is now actively entering the Ontario market. “We are trying to establish ourselves in these markets then go deeper into them,” says Marlene. “We find collaborative or strategic partnerships work well for us."
Being a Canadian company in the global marketplace is an advantage, Marlene adds. “Canada is known to be fair. There is a sense Canadian companies share the international reputation Canada has as a country.”
Partnerships focused on innovation and developing new technology, such as this one with the Government of Canada, help Green Power Labs continue to thrive. The government has recently invested $500,000 through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) to bring control technology for building energy management to market. This innovation stems from previous successful research supported by ACOA under the Atlantic Innovation Fund.
Green Power Labs is a prime example of how innovation and resourcefulness fuel Atlantic Canada’s economy, at home and beyond.
For more information on programs and services available to businesses in Atlantic Canada call 1- 800-561-7862 or go to canada.ca/acoa.
