Page 14 of Succumbed

Parker meets my gaze from across my desk, his expression thoughtful. “I do. They’re thorough and have been diligent in their testing. From what they’ve shared, I can see they’re close. But they need capital to rule out the weakness they identified in the version Greenstar is backing.”

While there are few men in my life I trust fully, Parker has earned my faith over his years at Athena, growing from a senior associate to principal I rely on often. He does his homework, has great intuition, and is respected by his clients.

I have the due diligence summary he’d pulled together for Solum up on my laptop, and I scroll through it as Parker continues.

“Everything they sent over from the R&D perspective was immaculate, Lex. Their data is meticulous, and their product is one of the most innovative the industry has seen.” He pauses, glancing at his notes. “I can see why you’re considering giving them a second chance.”

“So, R&D is strong. What about the business side of things?”

A small frown tugs at his mouth. “Those records are accurate as far as I can tell, but they sent over the bare minimum. They haven’t been irresponsible by any means, but I don’t have a lot of insight beyond verifying they need more investment to afford the equipment they’ve identified as critical.”

“Hm. Shane and Lincoln run R&D while Declan manages the business and strategy. He was largely silent the other day.”

“Sounds like he’s less bought in. Could be a problem.”

“That’s an understatement,” I mutter, scrolling ahead in the document.

“Lex?”

“Hm?” It takes me a moment to look up, and I find Parker’s eyes on me when I do.

“What do you need to know to make the most of tonight?”

A soft smile curls my lips. Good question, Brooks. I lean back in my chair, propping my elbows on the arms and steepling my fingers. “Ultimately, I’m either going to wish them luck or offer a deal. Which would you do?”

He straightens in his seat. “Do I have a vested interest in any of them?”

I shake my head.

“But I am invested in the startup community..”

“You are. Very.”

“And I’m concerned about the potential impact of the other party if they succeed under false pretenses.”

I nod.

Parker grins. “And I’ve already got a deal drafted.”

I laugh. “You do.”

“I’d offer it.” He doesn’t hesitate. “I haven’t been this excited about a possible green tech deal in a while.”

Parker flips to another slide on his laptop, turning it around so I can see. “If we target a launch at the Green Innovation Summit in Paris in May, these are my early projections for the end of year. Based on what they’ve shared about their manufacturing facility, they’ll be well-equipped to meet initial demand. Plus, their product should be relatively inexpensive to produce, which means margins will be high.”

The trend line went up and to the right at a steep angle, showing strong potential.

“How generous were your estimates?”

“They weren’t. These are conservative.”

“Looks promising,” I murmur, studying the next slide Parker shares, which shows a five-year trend.

“And I probably underestimated the public sector. There are a few initiatives likely to be on the next ballot that could send state demand through the roof. Several proposed bills with decent early support will require more sustainability commitments from local governments, including for construction. Using Solum’s materials for new government buildings like schools or low income housing would meet and exceed those requirements.”

I regard him. He’s leaning forward in his seat, eyes bright. “You’re excited about this one.”

Parker chuckles. “I am. I think they’re the real deal.”

---