Enact

systems
Friday, October 21, 2016 9:18 PM

SOLAR FINANCE & VC

Workflow Automation
and Green Button Data
Cut Soft Costs From
Residential Solar
Look out, Clean Power Finance. Here comes the next generation of
solar workforce automation.

The solar industrys drive to reduce soft costs has produced a new variation on sales
workflow automation.

EnACT, a just-launched software-as-a-service offering for solar, aims to streamline

interactions between potential customers and providers of residential solar or energy
efficiency.

The solar sales process has three steps, according to enACT CEO and founder Deep
Chakraborty. First is origination, the pursuit of the customer; second is inside sales,
which is about getting to an initial contract based on the estimated costs and benefits;
and, finally, the on-site team does the roof assessment, design and installation.

EnACT can save hours of time in the first two steps and get to a 90 percent
accurate estimate, Chakraborty said. To get to 100 percent accurate requires
climbing the roof. No software tool can achieve that.
which is about getting to an initial contract based on the estimated costs and benefits;
and, finally, the on-site team does the roof assessment, design and installation.

EnACT can save hours of time in the first two steps and get to a 90 percent
accurate estimate, Chakraborty said. To get to 100 percent accurate requires
climbing the roof. No software tool can achieve that.

By automating the sales process, the software eliminates inefficiencies in things like
lead generation, proposal management, credit checks, and financial structuring.
Addressing inefficiencies in customer relationship management with workflow
automation lowers the transaction costs that are a big part of why solar can cost four
times more in the U.S. than in other parts of the world, Chakraborty said.

An early step in every solar sales process is obtaining the customers

energy bills for the most recent twelve-month period, Chakraborty
explained. That can often take days or even weeks. We solved that
problem. We partnered with San Diego Gas and Electric to take
advantage of the Department of Energys Green Button initiative.
In San Diego, a one-click request and a one-click consent grants
immediate access to twelve months of data on any customers energy
usage. Thats an example of how every step in the process can be
improved.
EnACT intends to eventually provide the Green Button service to
customers of the 3,500 utilities in its complete U.S. database. That
database also includes every solar module manufacturer, every inverter
manufacturer, and every bank and credit union that lends money for
solar, Chakraborty said. And we are adding PACE programs.
Ambassador Energy was one of the twelve small- and medium-sized
solar installers that took part in enACTs beta test. Ambassador has
used software-as-a-service tools ranging from its own in-house system
to those supplied by SunPower and Sunnova, according to CEO
Steve Fulgham. It is now using CPF Tools, but after using enACT
close to 50 times during the beta test, Fulgham is switching.
CPF runs $100 to $130 per seat, he said. Chakraborty said enACT is
$199 per month for ten or fewer users, and Fulgham confirmed that
number. CPF did not reply to a request for a statement.
CPF is the benchmark, Fulgham said, but it requires separate
portals for different types of transactions, whereas enACT handles all
transactions through the one portal.
number. CPF did not reply to a request for a statement.
CPF is the benchmark, Fulgham said, but it requires separate
portals for different types of transactions, whereas enACT handles all
transactions through the one portal.
ModSolar and Genability are also competing in the online
proposal/CRM space and seem to be out ahead of enACT and evolving
their business models.
With enACT, companies that dont have large sales forces can focus
on the customer and getting the transaction done, Chakraborty said. It
also is designed to manage the five sets of documents involved in most
solar transactions and move companies from paper to online,
Chakraborty said. You can do a proposal in somewhere between five
and ten minutes, even over the phone.
EnACT will also be marketed as a service to financial institutions. K2
Clean Energy Capital, which is developing a new residential solar
lease and loan program, was one of the beta test participants. We were
trying to make everything as automated and easy to use as possible,
explained K2 director and co-founder Jonathan Pickering. We
shopped around, and they were very price-competitive, they knew the
sector, and they were fast and flexible, so they got the edge.
EnACTs designers solved the mind-numbingly complicated
challenge of establishing a secure interface with K2s finance company
and built in features that included secure, sortable fields for each
installer and solar product, Pickering added.
After using enACT for "hundreds of dummy transactions" over six
months, "we know it works," Pickering said. They are the real deal.
During an online demonstration of the tool, Chakraborty said he
expects to have 50 users and ample data documenting enACTs cost-
effectiveness within six months.
After an address was entered for the demonstration, the tool displayed
a Google Earth image. Chakraborty chose module and inverter brands
and used point-and-drag to create a hypothetical installation. He then
used enACT databases to do energy output, cost, energy savings, and
payback period calculations. The only misstep was when the database
After an address was entered for the demonstration, the tool displayed
a Google Earth image. Chakraborty chose module and inverter brands
and used point-and-drag to create a hypothetical installation. He then
used enACT databases to do energy output, cost, energy savings, and
payback period calculations. The only misstep was when the database
misidentified L.A. Department of Water and Power as the address
utility instead of Southern California Edison.
EnACTs databases and software also do cost-benefit calculations for
combined solar-energy efficiency projects, Chakraborty said. We see
companies offering the full range of solutions including solar, lighting,
HVAC, other efficiency upgrades, as a major trend. Our system can
handle all of it.

Solar startup ENACT Systems

sees business booming, as
revenue shoots up 250% in a year
Jul 14, 2016, 11:49am PDT
Industries & Tags

Kevin Truong Multimedia producer San Francisco Business

Times
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Deep Chakraborty, the CEO of ENACT Systems, founded the
company in 2013 to address problems he faced during his
first go-around leading a solar company.
As the co-founder of Centrosolar America Inc., Chakraborty
found that one of the biggest challenges in his business of
designing and shipping solar kit units was the logistical part.

Enlarge
Deep Chakraborty, CEO and co founder of ENACT Systems
Americans pay more than twice for the same solar systems
that Germans or Australians pay. Thats mainly because of
the steps involved in getting things done, Chakraborty said.
Too many people are involved in the project without
coordinating their efforts.
Americans pay more than twice for the same solar systems
that Germans or Australians pay. Thats mainly because of
the steps involved in getting things done, Chakraborty said.
Too many people are involved in the project without
coordinating their efforts.
The whole process could be months-long.
By the time a deal was done, sometimes the customer
moved on, Chakraborty said.
It highlighted a need to create a software platform where
designing, developing and financing solar projects could be
taken care of in one place.
With the companys product, Chakraborty said, what used to
take weeks or months can be done in a matter of minutes.
The company makes money through user subscription fees
as well as platform usage fees from financing and related
service providers. More than 300 solar developers in 30
states use the platform now.

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Still, getting the initial platform off the ground proved to be a

massive struggle. From 2007 to 2013, venture capital
investors lost billions of dollars by betting on thin-film solar
panels, which meant that when ENACT went looking for
funding, there was none to be found.
Many of these VCs were telling me, We really like your
business model, we really want to invest in it, but our
investors dont want to hear the word solar anymore, said
Chakraborty.
The company failed to raise any VC funding for the first year
of its existence, leaving the founders to inject their own
capital into the business and use it to build the platform.
In 2015, the company started to gain traction, catching the
eye of angel investors. With their help the company was able
to rebuild and relaunch the product.
of its existence, leaving the founders to inject their own
capital into the business and use it to build the platform.
In 2015, the company started to gain traction, catching the
eye of angel investors. With their help the company was able
to rebuild and relaunch the product.
ENACT was also buoyed by two grant awards from the U.S.
Department of Energy as part of the organizations Sunshot
initiative, which is an effort to make solar energy cost-
competitive by the end of the decade. Looking forward,
Chakraborty said hes hoping to raise his first round of
institutional funding, with the ultimate ambition of helping to
spread solar energy across the globe.
In America, solar is a new way of saving money and
generating financial products, but in the rest of the world
solar systems really bring a kind of democracy, Chakraborty
said. You have a source of energy that you can get access
to, you can buy it, you can run your home or business on it,
feed you community with it. That really is a game changer.

Keys to Success
Focus:You have to focus on the problem you have identified,
you have to solve it. Not just talk about the solution, actually
solve it, Chakraborty said.
Persistence:If you do not stick to the business model for at
least a couple years, nowadays its hard to get interest from
investors. Investors have become more risk-averse.
Dont be afraid to make your own mistakes:Investors have
their own ideas on how the company should be run, and
sometimes entrepreneurs make the mistake of listening too
much.

ENACT Systems
Founders: Deep Chakraborty, Manasij Kar and Manish Anand
What it does: Provides a platform for designing, developing
and financing solar projects
Founded: 2013
ENACT Systems
Founders: Deep Chakraborty, Manasij Kar and Manish Anand
What it does: Provides a platform for designing, developing
and financing solar projects
Founded: 2013
Headquarters: San Ramon
Year-over-year revenue growth: 250 percent
Value of solar projects originated:$50 million per month
Website: enact-systems.com
Kevin Truong is the multimedia producer for the San
Francisco Business Times.

Frequently Asked
Questions

What is ENACT SaaS?

ENACT Systems was founded by a seasoned group of Solar industry leaders
with one common goal: to slash soft-costs in the energy services sector. Having
experienced the inefficiencies first-hand, they joined forces to simplify and
automate core business processes and financial transactions.

ENACTs industry-leading Software as a Service (SaaS) platform is the end-to-

end solution for the distributed energy ecosystem. It empowers thousands of
distributed energy businesses to automate sales, operations and financing all
automate core business processes and financial transactions.

ENACTs industry-leading Software as a Service (SaaS) platform is the end-to-

end solution for the distributed energy ecosystem. It empowers thousands of
distributed energy businesses to automate sales, operations and financing all
from one place. Using ENACTs platform, our customers reduce operating
costs while accelerating revenue growth, allowing them to scale faster.

How will ENACT help my business?

Among other benefits, ENACTs SaaS platform enables you to reduce soft costs
associated with customer acquisition, operations and financing, track and report
your sales and finance pipelines, and improve your internal team
communication and collaboration.

How do I get started?

Our sign-up process is quick and simple, just like our platform. All it takes is a
few minutes to start saving hours.

To get started, click here

How much does ENACT cost? 100 for 10

users
ENACTs pricing is calculated by number of users, so you only pay for what
you use. We offer several options and integrations to help you choose the best
plan for your business, and you can save an extra 10-20% if you select an
annual contract.

Click here to get a one-on-one demo with an expert.

Is there any on-going commitment to sign-

up?
Is there any on-going commitment to sign-
up?
Nope! We offer a free demo with no strings attached. You can use your demo to
get your questions answered all at once by a member of our Customer Success
team.

When will I receive my login information?

Your login credentials will be sent within 24 hours after sign-up. The email
address used for registration will be where we send important product updates
and account information, so add us to your contact list to stay in the loop.

Does ENACT offer any pricing discounts?

Absolutely! In addition to getting your one-on-one demo completely free, you
have an opportunity to save even more with an annual plan. We offer a 10%
discount every month, or you can save 20% by making one simple payment a
year.

What are my payment options?

We accept all major Credit Cards, including VISA, Mastercard, DISCOVER,
and American Express.

Is your website secure?

Yes, security is our biggest priority at ENACT. Your Credit Card information is
processed through Authorize.net within a Secured Socket Layer (SSL, HTTPS).
This security protocol is considered an industry best practice standard.

Will ENACT share my information with any

outside parties?
This security protocol is considered an industry best practice standard.

Will ENACT share my information with any

outside parties?
No. We will never disclose or share your contact information, billing
information, or client information to any outside parties. We have taken extra
precautions to ensure that privacy of our users will remain protected.

Are tablets and mobile devices supported?

ENACT is optimized for use on a computer (PC or Mac) with Google Chrome
browser. Tablet and mobile device support will be available in the future.

Can features be added or customized?

Yes, once you are signed up with ENACT our team will work with you to
develop customizations, API integrations, or enhancements specific to your
business needs. To learn more, contact us here

Are there additional costs for customization?

Maximizing the benefits of ENACTs platform for your business may incur
additional costs depending on the type and scope of the customizations and/or
enhancements desired. For more information, please contact us to learn more.

READY TO GET
STARTED?
Automate your energy services business with ENACT.
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ABOUT US
 STARTED?
Automate your energy services business with ENACT.
SIGN UP
ABOUT US

ENACTs end-to-end business platform accelerates sales, financing and operations

for distributed solar project developers, distributors and installers. ENACTs
platform also provides marketplace and analytics services for a range of
stakeholders.
The Distributed Solar Cloud
SOCIAL NETWORKS

CONTACT US

hello@enact-systems.com

2600 Camino Ramon Suite 300B,

San Ramon, CA 94583

+1-855-50-ENACT