Clean Tech Open semifinalists announced
Thu, Jun 25 2009 at 4:30 AM EST
The California Clean Tech Open is widely held as one of the best business plan competitions in the world. According to the judges, 2009 holds some of the best and brightest ideas the competition has seen yet.
Just yesterday, 50 semifinalists were selected from hundreds of applicants in the competition's six categories -- Water & Waste, Energy Efficiency, Green Building, Renewable Energy, Smart Power and Transportation. Each semifinalist will be supported by a team of mentors who will help the start-up crystallize its business plan, pitch and create a competitive strategy.
The top five in each category will be selected in the fall and paraded in front of the nation's top clean tech investors, and the winner in each category receives a $100,000 "start-up in a box" and a shot at early-round funding.
The program is extremely successful. Over 80 percent of Clean Tech Open semifinalists are still in business and have received a total of $115 million in capital.
This year has some very interesting entrants -- from innovative flywheel energy storage for wind and solar farms to a new web-based solar installation program (which I blogged about here) and a portable, self-powered modular home called Ecolithic. Here is a complete list:
Air, Water & Waste
GoGoVerde
Highlands Soil & Water
InnoSepra
Micromidas
NanoBrane
OndaVia
Solar Alchemy, Inc.
Solum, inc
Energy Efficiency
Alphabet Energy, Inc.
Core4 Systems
HydroCoal Technologies, LLC
Lightwave
Lunescent
Powerzoa
SunCool
Synergy Conscious
Green Building
ALL SOLAR
ARCTRIO
Ecolithic Homes
GreenPyro
HOMErgent
New Avenue
Parco Homes
RoofRay
tru2lif
Renewable Energy
Armageddon Energy
PlasmaSi
Renewable Fuel Technologies LLC
SilFlex
Siverde
SolarNexus, Inc.
soltac
SunPods
ZERE
Smart Power
dot UI
EcoFactor
EnerVault
Fenix
Lenopsys
LimeAmps
Velkess
Transportation
Evans Engines
EVIN
FuelSaver
GigEVolt Technologies, Inc.
itMoves
OpticLanes
PowerSTAR
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More contestants coming from other regions!
Thanks for the post Karl - FYI that the Clean Tech Open has two other regions this year outside of California: Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain, who will be shortly announcing their semifinalists as well! All three regions will then compete in the national comp in October - National Award Gala to be held in San Francisco.