Judgment Time for Hottest Cleantech Startups in the U.S.
In the next month, dozens of contestants will learn their fates in the nation's two largest business plan competitions for cleantech startup companies. The Ignite Clean Energy competition will name its winners on November 10 in Boston. The Clean Tech Open, with competitions in Silicon Valley, Denver and Seattle, will name regional winners in events leading up to the national finals on November 17 in San Francisco.
October 08, 2009
Updated 11/17/09 with winners in both competitions
ICE 2009 |
| The Ignite Clean Energy (ICE) business plan competition, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is a year long training and competitive forum for entrepreneurs in the clean energy industry. The competition invites teams regardless of age, professional status or academic background to compete in one of the most prestigious renewable energy competitions in the US. The 2009 competition kicked off mid-November 2008 with several team building events to help generate potential competitors. |
| ICE FINALS: November 10, 2009, Boston MA |
Winners:
1st - IntAct Labs - energy efficiency in the treatment of wastewater
2nd - InnoSepra - coal carbon capture and storage
3rd - EGG-energy - storage
ICE Semi-Finalists:
ARRIBA Solar - thin-film solar manufacturing processes
DyPol - fuel cells
EGG-energy (3rd)
HydroCoal - coal gasification
InnoSepra (2nd)
IntAct Labs (1st)
POWERleap - green buildings/sustainable design
Resolute Marine Energy - wave power
The Paper Battery Company - storage
Velkess Inc. - storage
2009 Clean Tech Open |
| Through its annual business competition and mentorship program, the Cleantech Open has helped clean technology startups bring their breakthrough ideas to fruition since 2006. Cleantech entrepreneurs compete for a total of more than $1 million in prizes. In addition to the original competition held in California, the 2009 Cleantech Open was expanded to include two new regions: the Rocky Mountain region, including Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming; and the Pacific Northwest Clean Tech Open, including Washington, Oregon and Idaho. |
| CTO REGIONAL FINALS: California - October 20, 2009, San Francisco CA Pacific Northwest - October 29, Seattle WA Rocky Mountain - November 2, 2009, Denver CO CTO FINALS: November 17, 2009, San Francisco CA |
National CTO Winner: EcoFactor
California CTO Semi-finalists:
| Air, Water & Waste category
Driptech | Energy Efficiency category
Alphabet Energy Inc. (finalist) |
| Green Building category
All Solar | Renewables category
Armageddon Energy (finalist) |
| Smart Power category
dot UI | Transportation category
Evans Engines |
Pacific Northwest CTO Semifinalists:
Clarian Technologies - smart-grid enabled wind and solar appliances
Extreme Caps - energy storage
GoNano - high surface area nanomaterials applications in energy storage.
Green Lite Motors (finalist) - 100mpg commute vehicle in a car+motorcycle design
Hydrovolts (finalist) - power from water
InnovaTek - combined heat and power bio fuel cell appliance
LivinGreen Materials (finalist) - third generation solar technology
NHThree LLC - green anhydrous ammonia production
Pangreen - mobile and web-based solutions
Shorepower Technologies - transportation electrification
Soluxra - ultra low-cost organic solar cells for renewable energy anywhere
Veranda Solar - solar for the masses
Rocky Mountain CTO Semifinalists:
All Optronics - cost-effective solar power
CCBI - clean coal briquette
CLEANtricity Power - wind
Cool Energy - clean energy generating system
EE - low cost energy and carbon reduction saas
Husk Insulation - high-performance insulation from agricultural waste
ImagiPLAY - earth friendly, ethically made, child safe toys
New Sky Energy - (finalist) - clean chemical carbon sequestration
Rivertop Renewables - (finalist) - progressive chemistry
SEED - small engines for economic development
Sunflower - commercial hybrid solar lighting
SunTrac Solar - (finalist) - high temperature tracking concentrating collector
The author is a volunteer Mentor for competitors in the ICE and PNW CTO competitions.
Comments
California CTO finalists announced today are:
Air, Water and Waste: Micromidas converts raw sewage into biodegradable plastic.
Energy Efficiency: Alphabet Energy plans to commercialize a disruptive, low-cost thermoelectric technology that captures wasted energy and converts it into electricity.
Green Building: tru2earth makes 50+ year-rated roofing materials made from recycled PET (water/soda bottle) plastic.
Renewables: Armageddon Energy sells a packaged retail residential rooftop solar energy system that is attractive, affordable, and easy to install.
Smart Power: EcoFactor has a personalized residential energy management solution for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, which enables consumers to reduce energy costs and save money on utility bills.
Transportation: FuelSaver Technologies' real-time, shape-changing technology increases fuel efficiency in long-haul vehicles such as tractor-trailer trucks and buses.
Posted by: Denis Du Bois | October 21, 2009 10:05 PM