"We want to extend our congratulations to this year's winners, plus extend sincere appreciation from the Colorado Cleantech Industry to these outstanding companies and individuals who have truly made a difference as they've forged their paths in the cleantech sector," CCIA Executive Director Christine Shapard says. "Further, we want to convey our appreciation to Ira Ehrenpreis, noted venture capitalist and cleantech industry expert, who served as the keynote speaker for our first awards event."Winners Include:
Political Advocate of the Year: Governor Bill Ritter, Jr., introduced by Colorado's Senior U.S. Senator Mark Udall:
Governor Ritter's remarks:
High Impact Cleantech Company of the Year: Abound Solar (Loveland, CO):
From corporate and manufacturing headquarters in Colorado, Abound Solar (formerly known as AVA Solar) is producing the next generation of thin-film cadmium telluride solar modules ideally suited for large- and utility-scale commercial installations. Founded in 2007 and built upon 15 years of development at CSU and with the support of NREL, Abound Solar has raised approximately $600M in equity investments from private institutions and in the form of federal loan guarantees from the US DOE. With that capital, the company has hired 350 employees and has plans to expand to over 1500 by 2014. The company already occupies 5 locations across Northern Colorado, and is tripling the size of its Longmont manufacturing facility. Visit: http://www.abound.com
Runner-Up High Impact Cleantech Company of the Year: Tendril (Boulder, CO):
Tendril is a leading energy management technology provider that offers energy management software, hardware and services for both consumers and utility companies. The company was recognized in September 2010 by the World Economic Forum as one of the world’s most innovative technology start-ups. Through the 20 Smart Grid pilot programs the company has secured in 2010 alone, Tendril will provide turnkey delivery of products and services to utilities and their customers in 14 states throughout the country. Tendril is venture backed by VantagePoint Venture Partners, Good Energies, RRE Ventures, Vista Ventures, GE and Appian Ventures. Visit: http://www.tendrilinc.com
Breakout Cleantech Company of the Year: Ice Energy (Windsor, CO):
Founded in 2003, Ice Energy’s smart grid platform integrates revolutionary, distributed energy storage technology with an advanced software infrastructure and intelligent two-way control to provide utilities with a powerful, cost-effective alternative to conventional peaking power plants for meeting peak demand. In January 2010, Ice Energy announced plans with the Southern CA Public Power Authority to undertake the nation’s first utility-scale, smart grid-enabled distributed energy storage project. SCPPA estimates that it will offset enough peak demand to power the equivalent of 10,000 homes, and reduce carbon emissions equal to removing 3,000 cars. Visit: http://www.ice-energy.com
Emerging Cleantech Company of the Year: VanDyne SuperTurbo (Fort Collins, CO):
VanDyne SuperTurbo, Inc. is a technology company specializing in the design, development and production of SuperTurbochargers for the global automotive market and for heavy duty engine manufacturers. A SuperTurbocharger is a transmission driven turbocharger, which can function as a supercharger or a turbo compounder that recovers waste heat that is added to engine power. In August 2010, VanDyne SuperTurbo Inc. announced that it had signed a contract with Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) to develop more fuel-efficient Class 8 trucks using VanDyne SuperTurbochargers. The agreement is part of the Super Truck program, a cost-sharing initiative between the Department of Energy (DOE) and the private sector. Visit: http://www.vandynesuperturbo.com
Colorado Cleantech Entrepreneur of the Year: Raymond R. Johnson (Littleton, CO):
Raymond R. (Ray) Johnson was appointed President and CEO of Infinite Power Solutions in September of 2005. In just 5 years at IPS, Ray has grown the company from five full-time employees to a current workforce approaching 50 employees, and, has successfully raised over $60 million of equity investment from both Tier 1 VC firms from outside the state of Colorado and four different Fortune 100 corporations. Also under Ray’s leadership IPS has completed the build-out of the world’s first and only volume manufacturing facility for solid-state rechargeable batteries in Littleton, Colorado, started shipping product commercially in 2009 to a wide range of customers globally, and earlier this year, achieved ISO 9001 certification. Visit: http://www.infinitepowersolutions.com
National Cleantech Leader: Rocky Mountain Institute (Snowmass, CO):
RMI's style is non-adversarial and trans-ideological, emphasizing integrative design, advanced technologies, and mindful markets. RMI’s strategic focus, sharpened in 2009, weaves together much of their energy work of the past 27 years plus further innovations, and applies their discovery of how integrative design can achieve expanding, not diminishing, returns to investments in advanced energy efficiency. RMI calls this strategic focus “Reinventing Fire” - mapping and driving the profitable transition from oil and coal to efficiency and renewables. This transformational shift can bring an oil-free world, a stabilized climate, nuclear nonproliferation, less poverty, more stability, and durable prosperity. RMI works extensively with the private sector, as well as with civil society and government, to create abundance by design and to apply the framework of natural capitalism. Visit: http://www.rmi.org
Governor’s Award for Excellence in Cleantech Leadership: Ron Bernal, NEA (Boulder, CO) -- accepted on behalf of Mr. Bernal by Tim Connor, Partner, Sequel Venture Partners:
Ron joined NEA in 2010 as a Venture Partner focused on information technology and energy technology investments. He is a director of Boulder Wind Power, Data Robotics and ProStor. Previous board memberships include Data Domain (acquired by EMC), HelioVolt, LifeSize (acquired by Logitech), Indicative (acquired by Nimsoft) and Redseal. Prior to joining NEA, Ron was a Partner at Sequel Venture Partners where he focused on cleantech, enterprise infrastructure and enterprise software investments. While at Sequel, he led the firm's investment in HelioVolt and Buzzwire. A strong advocate of alternative energy technologies, Ron is a founding member and chairman of the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association and serves on the board of the Rocky Mountain Cleantech Open. Visit: http://www.nea.com/Team/Default.aspx?id=27
The awards were emceed by Bart Taylor, publisher of ColoradoBiz Magazine and the Planet-Profit Report -- media partners of the CCIA. Link at http://www.planetprofitreport.com
Further CCIA Executive Director, recapped the Colorado Cleantech Action Plan for Awards Celebration attendees:
Link to the CCIA YouTube Channel
Link to the PR Web Newswire
Link to the Pitch Engine social media release
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