This case deals with the dilemma faced by an entrepreneur named John Styles who was faced with the decision of whether or not to enter into a partnership with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston to build a Proton Cancer Therapy Center. The decision was clouded by the fact that most of the $100 million investment required for the venture would be invested in facilities and technology that could be used for nothing else if the project failed. In addition, the typical venture capitalists who would normally invest in such a venture would not find this deal enticing because of the long time lag to profitability.
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