Oct 30 2007
California Clean Tech Open Awards
I had the opportunity to volunteer this year with the California Clean Tech Open, a business plan competition in which fledgling cleantech businesses in six categories compete for a total of $600K in awards. The competition’s goal is to provide the winners in each category with the necessary support to get their idea from concept to business reality. The competition culminated last night in a gala event at the Palace of Fine Arts, where the winners were announced and awarded their prizes. (For a list of the winners, and specifics on sponsors and prizes, see http://www.cacleantech.com).
The awards ceremony was the finishing touch on months of education and preparation by the various teams to compete for the big prize, sponsored by AMD, Google, PG&E, Lexus, and others. The sponsors all spoke at the awards event and demonstrated a level of commitment to sustainability and new technologies that surprised many in the audience. It was a great event, and it’s been gratifying to witness the kind of innovation that I’ve seen throughout this competition.
All of these companies have a commitment to change the world. Winner Microvi Biotech, with clean water solutions exemplifies this, as does BuildFast, which supplies a quickly-erected housing kit for disaster relief. Innovations in consumer packaging, transportation, and renewable energy all had a place in the finalist offerings, and it is hugely exciting to imagine the impact that these businesses will have.
One of the greatest challenges for any startup is to find qualified advisors to guide them through the process of writing a solid business plan that tells a compelling story about their potential for marketability and funding. The participants in the California Cleantech Open had a great opportunity to be mentored and educated by industry professionals around the topics of sales, marketing, financial planning, and presentation. It’s an all-volunteer organization, and I am extremely impressed by the quality and quantity of education made available to these contestants.
Winning the prize was great, but available only to a few; the education and exposure received by all is an invaluable springboard to moving their businesses forward.