BOSTON, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- With a record-breaking number of early-stage companies applying to present, the fifth annual Conference on Clean Energy - to be held in Boston at the Hynes Convention Center on November 12 and 13 - will focus on the hot topics driving clean energy innovation and growth in New England.
Forty early-stage companies will be presenting to investors in 10-minute sessions, highlighting critical market, competitive and corporate milestone information. This year's Conference attracted a record number of applicants, indicating increasing market need and innovation in New England-based clean energy startups. The applicants are focused on a variety of technologies with more than a third focused on renewable energy. Technologies include exciting new approaches for batteries, several different approaches for managing carbon and energy efficiency, a few biomass-based businesses and a broad array of renewable energy generation inventions, from solar to wind to hydro and beyond.
More than twenty early stage companies from Massachusetts will be augmented by another dozen U.S. companies from out of state, many of which are looking to be based in Massachusetts. For the first time, the Conference on Clean Energy also will feature about a half dozen European startups.
The Conference's investor pitch sessions and exhibits have featured many early-stage companies that have gone on to raise more than $80M in equity and grant funding. Last year's conference attracted more than 600 attendees and featured more than two dozen clean energy startup companies. Notable participating companies throughout the years include novel engine technology startup Ethanol Boosting Systems (MIT) and HVAC efficiency company Pace Controls in 2005, waste-to-energy company Ze-Gen and biofuels startup Qteros (formerly SunEthanol) in 2006, novel silicon solar cell company Bandgap Engineering and Ocean Renewable Power Company in 2007 and heat-to-energy company MTPV and solar module companies GreenRay and PanelClaw in 2008.
The keynote sessions will be anchored by Dr. Steven Koonin, U.S. Department of Energy Under Secretary of Science, with additional keynotes to be conducted by the Honorable Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts, and Ian A. Bowles, Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
Industry panel sessions - led by Brad Bradshaw, founder and president of the Massachusetts Hydrogen Coalition (MHC) and co-host of the Conference since its inception in 2005 - will focus on a variety of clean energy hot topics including bioenergy, energy storage, wind and smart grid technologies. Some of the industry-leading companies slated to participate in these sessions include World Energy, Boston Power, Independence Wind and Amperion, among many others.
"We are pleased with the variety of participating companies at this year's conference focusing on topics such as alternative fuel, renewable energy and energy storage," said Abigail Barrow, founding director of the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center (MTTC), a co-organizer of the event. "Clean energy continues to be a leading area for VC investment, and the Conference on Clean Energy offers a strong platform for these up-and-coming companies to voice the critical need for new technologies across a variety of clean energy sectors."
The fifth annual Conference on Clean Energy will anchor Clean Energy Week in Massachusetts. The week will include a number of activities and events designed to raise the visibility and illustrate the leadership of Massachusetts in clean technology and energy.
Tweet This: @lindaplano#CCE-2009: record-setting 40 early-stage co's to present at CCE 2009 on November 12, 13http://bit.ly/3ITykJ
For more information and to view the full agenda, please visit the CCE web site.
Tags/keywords: Clean Energy Week, Conference on Clean Energy, cleantech, investor funding
Additional Resources:
2009 Conference on Clean Energy LinkedIn Group
Conference on Clean Energy Facebook Group
Follow us on Twitter: @lindaplano#CCE-2009
About the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center
The Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center was created in 2004 as a program in the Massachusetts Economic Stimulus Bill. Its goal is to support technology transfer activities from public and private research institutions to companies in Massachusetts. To achieve this goal, the Center works with technology at Massachusetts research institutions; faculty, researchers, and students who have commercially promising ideas; and companies across the Commonwealth.
About the Massachusetts Hydrogen Coalition
The Massachusetts Hydrogen Coalition, formed in 2004, is an industry association focused on accelerating the success of Massachusetts companies and organizations developing and deploying hydrogen, fuel cell and related technologies. The Coalition achieves its objectives by pursuing several initiatives, including promoting member companies, representing member companies at conferences, holding educational forums, identifying funding and market opportunities, and promoting industry interests with state and national governments.
