October 9, 2012 (Portland, OR): The Cleantech Open (www.cleantechopen.org), the world’s largest cleantech accelerator, named three regional finalists to represent the Pacific Northwest region at the Cleantech Open Global Forum, where they will compete for $250,000 in cash and services and the title of 2012 Top Cleantech Entrepreneur.
“Our 2012 finalists are exceptionally well-positioned to succeed not only in the national competition, but also as profitable companies advancing the newest and most innovative technologies in the sector,” said Byron McCann, regional director of the Pacific Northwest Cleantech Open. “Cleantech is a strong and growing industry in the Pacific Northwest, a fact that’s made eminently clear by the solid showing by all the ventures that competed this year.”
The finalists were selected from a talented pool of over 40 cleantech entrepreneur teams from across the Pacific Northwest. In June, a panel of local judges selected 16 teams to compete as semifinalists in the region. Already, each team has benefited from an impressive list of benefits offered by the Cleantech Open Accelerator program: an expert mentor to guide them through the process and provide feedback on their business plan, extensive business training, networking opportunities with investors, and focused business training at the Cleantech Open National Academy.
The most promising cleantech entrepreneurs from the Pacific Northwest are:
- GR Green (Burnaby, BC) – GR Green designed a patented process to produce ecological synthetic roofing and siding products from limestone waste and recycled milk bottles and grocery bags, which are nearly carbon-neutral and can be completely recycled at the end of their 50+ years of use, making them certifiable under the “Cradle to Cradle” standard. These products also cost less than and outperform cedar and all synthetic competitors and are virtually indistinguishable from real slate and cedar. Learn more: www.grgreen.com.
- Regenergy365 (Hillsboro, OR) – Regenergy365 patented exhaust energy recovery technology designed to significantly reduce the intense operating costs of commercial and industrial HVAC/Refrigeration systems by capturing waste air flow (exhaust) expelled by HVACR systems and generating on-site, consumable and/or storable electricity. Learn more: www.regenergy365.com.
- Vÿykn (Eagle, ID) – Vÿykn developed the world’s first network-controlled at-location water purification system that generates pure, pH-balanced, ionized and oxygen-infused water. Vÿykn systems allow for organizations, facilities and campuses to eliminate their bottled water carbon footprint while improving employee productivity and health through increased water consumption. Learn more: www.vyykn.com.
In addition to a spot among the finalists, Vÿykn also won the Regional Sustainability Award, an honor given to the team that most effectively incorporated a triple-bottom-line approach to scaling its business.
Each of the three finalist teams has won a regional “Startup in a Box” prize package that includes combined cash and in-kind services worth up to $20,000. Finalists from all seven regions (Mid-Atlantic, North-Central, Northeast, Northwest, Rocky Mountain, South-Central, and Western) will convene on November 8, 2012 for judging at the Cleantech Open 2012 Global Forum in San Jose, California.
“Making it through to the finals is a huge step for these teams, and I congratulate them on being selected from among the many teams that participated from around the nation,” said Rex Northen, executive director of the Cleantech Open. “These innovative entrepreneurs have already received extensive business mentoring, training, and opportunities to showcase their solutions to the public and investment community. Next month, at the 2012 Cleantech Open Global Forum, they will present their innovation to an international audience.”
ABOUT THE CLEANTECH OPEN
The Cleantech Open runs the world’s largest cleantech accelerator. We provide entrepreneurs and technologists the resources needed to launch successful cleantech companies. Our mission is to find, fund and foster entrepreneurs with big ideas that address today’s most urgent energy, environmental and economic challenges. The 581 alumni companies of the Cleantech Open’s accelerator programs have raised more than $660 million in external capital. Learn more at www.cleantechopen.org and follow us at www.facebook.com/cleantechopen and on Twitter @cleantechopen and @nwcleantechopen.