1. The Project

A major Venture Capital (VC) fund specializing in infrastructure sought to invest $30 million into a fast-growing Indonesian company building EV Charging Infrastructure. The investment hinged on accurately predicting the optimal deployment strategy, specifically, identifying which cities, retail partners, and charging standards (AC vs. DC Fast Charging) would yield the highest Return on Investment (ROI) over the next five years. They faced high time pressure from limited partners and needed to secure the deal quickly. What was at stake: A multi-million dollar investment dependent on forecasting a rapidly evolving consumer behavior and regulatory landscape in an emerging market.

2. Our Solution & Approach

Konnect provided a bespoke Expert Solution focused on validating the target company’s deployment models and strategic assumptions.

• Expert Identification: We sourced senior executives from established local automotive OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers), former strategists from leading energy utility providers, and seasoned real estate developers specializing in retail site selection across major Indonesian cities.
• Approach: The solution utilized a mix of one-on-one Expert Calls and a structured Expert Survey to quantify regional preferences for charging times and locations (e.g., residential vs. commercial hubs). This allowed for rapid data collection across multiple expert perspectives simultaneously.
• Quality Control: We specifically targeted experts who could speak to the interplay between government subsidies, grid capacity limitations, and consumer EV adoption rates in specific regional clusters (e.g., West Java vs. East Java).

3. Key Insights

• Challenging the Initial Model: The target company’s initial model heavily favored dense urban centers (DC Fast Charging). Expert consensus revealed that high-traffic long-haul routes and mixed-use residential complexes (AC Charging) were severely underserved and presented faster, lower-cost ROI due to government support for highway electrification.
• Unlocking Ecosystem Value: Insights from utility experts clarified that integrating battery storage solutions at specific stations could unlock lucrative secondary revenue streams by participating in grid balancing programs—a key factor the VC fund had previously overlooked.
• Validation of Partner Strategy: Experts validated the choice of local retail chains for charging station host sites, providing granular data on traffic patterns and typical dwell times.

“ How did Konnect’s insights change your final investment decision?”
Answer : We completely re-weighted our deployment strategy. We shifted focus from 90% urban fast-charging to a 60/40 urban-highway split. This lowered the immediate CapEx and provided a much clearer path to profitability.

“What was the primary benefit of the Expert Network over traditional consulting?”
Answer : Speed and specificity. We needed answers from the field yesterday. Konnect delivered multiple, highly specialized perspectives within 48 hours, which traditional firms simply couldn't match.

5. The Impact

The VC fund used Konnect’s validated model to finalize the $30 million investment, negotiating a more favorable equity stake based on the refined deployment plan. The investment was structured to prioritize the newly identified high-ROI highway corridors, significantly improving the projected 5-year IRR (Internal Rate of Return).

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