Electric cars are as good for the economy as the environment and could put $80 billion in consumers’ pockets by 2030, according to a new study from the University of California.

Not surprisingly, the oil industry would take a $175 billion hit under the scenario sketched by UC Berkeley’s Global Venture Lab, while a booming battery business would gain $130 billion as the internal combustion engine sputters out. “There will also be significant changes in the balance of payments among nations as petroleum imports decline,” the authors wrote. “We find the net imports of the U.S. will decline by $20 billion.”

The report makes several assumptions to arrive at its optimistic conclusions: The Cal researchers are counting on 39% of cars on the road to be electric by 2030 and powered by electricity generated from renewable sources like wind and solar.

Electric car owners would save an estimated $7,203 in operating costs, mainly because with no engines to maintain, battery-powered vehicles rarely see the inside of mechanic’s garage.

Merisant Co., the closely held maker of Equal and Canderel artificial sweeteners, is working with Purchase, New York-based PepsiCo to obtain FDA clearance for rebaudioside A, a compound derived from stevia that's at least 200 times sweeter than sugar. Cargill Inc., Atlanta-based Coca-Cola's partner, filed an application for the same compound about the same time in May.

The U.S. agency generally tries to complete such reviews in six months, spokesman Michael Herndon said, indicating a decision could come within days.

`Gold Standard'

``This is going to be the gold standard of sweeteners,'' Paul Block , 51, chief executive officer of Chicago-based Merisant said in a Nov. 5 interview. ``We can ultimately match the taste and texture of sugar. We're almost there now.''

Every successful business must take its direction from the marketplace it addresses. Emerson wrote, “If a man can...make a better mousetrap than his neighbor...the world will make a beaten path to his door.” Obviously Emerson was not a venture capitalist! Good entrepreneurs do not introduce a product because it is a nifty product. They introduce a product because their analysis of the marketplace shows that a new product will sell and that there is a demand for the product.

Some people praise Henry Ford for creating mass production. He should be given more credit for his market analysis. He believed that the average person would purchase a cheap, stripped-down car if it were available. Instead, most cars were like the high-priced and beautifully made Stanley Steamer or Pierce Arrow. His market analysis concluded that people would buy a low-cost, shaking, rattling, “tin lizzie.” That contraption made marketing history. It changed the way we live.

A good entrepreneur starts not with a product idea but with a vision of what the marketplace needs and wants. A market division entrepreneur loves the action of making sales. He or she is not in the lab to create a new product but to find a solution to a problem or to develop a product that people will want. Make sure you back a market-oriented company.

For the venture capital investment process, due diligence means a rigorous investigation and evaluation of an investment opportunity before committing funds. This investigation is conducted by the parties involved in preparing a registration statement to form a basis for believing the statements contained therein are true and that no material facts are omitted. This process includes review of its management team , business conditions, projections, philosophy, and investment terms and conditions.

Absolutely vital to making a sound investment, due diligence verifies any business opportunities that survive the initial screening stage. For venture capital investments, as few as 10-15% of proposals make it past the initial screening stage to the full due-diligence process, and only 10% of those receive funding. This verification process consists of checking the accuracy of business plans , audited accounts, and management accounts; getting replies to warranty and other standard questionnaires; patent searches; and technical studies. Unpublished accounting information and subjective information are equally important; these data are collected by calling customers, suppliers, lawyers, and bankers, and by checking trade journals.

Assistants in the Strategic Growth department are hyper-organized, reliable, and unusually bright people with superior oral and written communication skills whose responsibilities include coordinating candidates' interview and travel schedules, maintaining files, and updating databases. Their duties also include formulating and executing strategies to identify and recruit world-class scientists and engineers. This is a dynamic, high-visibility position within the firm, which offers multiple opportunities to learn about and grow with the firm's various ventures.Among the group's current activities is a project aimed at developing a specialized supercomputer for biomolecular simulation and pharmaceutical design.

This full-time position offers schedule flexibility, and we encourage candidates pursuing outside interests or activities to apply. Team members will be working closely with a number of the world's leading scientists and engineers, and will have the opportunity to participate in an exciting entrepreneurial venture making groundbreaking contributions within the fields of biology, chemistry, and medicine.

Strategic Growth Associate:Computational Biochemistry Research Group

About the Job

We tailor each marketing research study for venture capital firms such that our focus is on the decision parameters most important to the VC partners evaluating the venture investment. Some studies are conducted using depth interviews of industry players; others by phone or online market research among customers or prospects of the target company.Whatever the tools and techniques, we work closely with the VC partner or project director to ensure that we uncover the essence of the target's marketing positioning and effectiveness.This permits the Venture Capital firm, our client, to have the best possible information for the venture decision.

For implementation, we understand that "time is of the essence" in evaluating most deals.Thus, we work 24/7 on VC projects to deliver quality data quickly.For fast turn studies we can deliver top line analysis in 10 days or less.

Power Decisions Group is especially well qualified to work with VC firms. We've been there.Our principals have been CEO's, and board members of technology spin-offs and start-ups.We bring this experience to the table as we assess and interpret our primary marketing research data.

Assessing Market Position in Technology Industries with Marketing Research