Opower

Opower's brokers also sent PMI press clippings about the start-up and showed PMI the company's financials.

Big Race for Space in SoMa Pui-Wing Tam 2012

Executives at Opower, an Arlington-based company that works with utilities to promote energy efficiency, reward successful referrals with biking trips to France.

Washington area is beginning to bounce back from recession, economists say Christian Davenport 2011

Choosing a second-floor tenant ultimately boiled down to Opower and a daily-deals site, says Mr. Palmer, who declined to name the daily-deals company.

Big Race for Space in SoMa Pui-Wing Tam 2012

"I thought it would be more difficult to sell a daily-deals site to our lenders," he says, so PMI went with Opower.

Big Race for Space in SoMa Pui-Wing Tam 2012

While Opower was paying in the mid-$20s a square foot for its old office, Ms. Yee and her brokers courted PMI with an initial offer of $35 a square foot.

Big Race for Space in SoMa Pui-Wing Tam 2012

"Looking for space here can be really demoralizing" because of competition for offices, says Ling Ling Yee, Opower's manager of West Coast operations.

Big Race for Space in SoMa Pui-Wing Tam 2012

Mr. Magarik, an associate at Opower, an energy-efficiency solutions company, earns in the "mid-to-high five figures" and stands to increase his earnings by as much as one-third with a performance bonus.

The Game Plan 2011

Mr. Magarik, an associate at Opower, an energy-efficiency solutions company, earns in the "mid-to-high five figures" and stands to increase his earnings by as much as one-third with a performance bonus.

The Game Plan 2011

By this month, 642 Harrison Street's second floor was leased to energy-software start-up Opower Inc., which had been searching since last May for more space.

Big Race for Space in SoMa Pui-Wing Tam 2012

Among those in the hunt: Ms. Yee at Opower, which was growing out of its 10,000-square-foot sublease a few blocks away.

Big Race for Space in SoMa Pui-Wing Tam 2012