Publications
Publications
- May 2009 (Revised October 2009)
- HBS Case Collection
Verne Global: Building a Green Data Center in Iceland
Abstract
Verne Global, a pioneering startup created to build the first large-scale data center in Iceland, faces critical challenges regarding its green strategy. Verne Co-Founder Isaac Kato is tasked with evaluating how the company can most successfully market and sell the green components of its service offering. Using only renewable energy in its data center facility, Verne can drastically reduce customers' carbon emissions, enabling customers to meet emerging government regulations and to capture the financial benefit of public goodwill arising from green initiatives. But how valuable are Verne's green benefits, and are they sufficient to compel customers to pay a premium for Verne services? Further, how can Verne best integrate its green strategy into its marketing and sales message? Finally, will Verne's green benefits enable the company to overcome obstacles in the sales process, or will they alternatively overcomplicate an already complex sales message? Kato's decision allows discussion of the emerging role of green marketing and sales and helps to identify how a product or service which is good for the environment can also be good for the bottom line.
Keywords
Buildings and Facilities; Business Startups; Marketing Strategy; Product Marketing; Sales; Environmental Sustainability; Pollutants; Green Technology Industry; Service Industry; Iceland
Citation
Steenburgh, Thomas J., and Nnamdi Daniel Okike. "Verne Global: Building a Green Data Center in Iceland." Harvard Business School Case 509-063, May 2009. (Revised October 2009.)