Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator and Dorsey & Whitney Partner to Deliver Legal Expertise to PNW CleanTech Startups
Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator and Dorsey & Whitney LLP have partnered to deliver legal expertise and resources to clean technology entrepreneurs and emerging companies across the Pacific Northwest.
The Dorsey & Whitney partnership enhances the Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator program with a deep bench of legal mentors covering incorporation, transactional matters, intellectual property, and other critical legal topics. The firm will provide legal resources and services to further accelerate participating emerging companies, including in-kind legal service prize packages to select teams after conclusion of the 2016 accelerator program.
“The Pacific Northwest is a known hot bed for clean technology innovation,” said Jennifer Spaith, Partner at Dorsey & Whitney. “Dorsey is pleased to bring its full-service Pacific Northwest legal platform to partner with the Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator to help catalyze that innovation by reducing some of the uncertainty involved with starting a cleantech company and ensuring that companies remain well-positioned for further growth.”
“Legal mentorship is absolutely critical for early-stage cleantech companies,” said David Kenney, President and Executive Director of Oregon BEST. “A single misstep early on could impact a company’s viability and success long after the startup phase. That’s why this partnership with Dorsey & Whitney is such a tremendous benefit for entrepreneurs taking part in the Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator.”
“Dorsey & Whitney is a true partner in developing the Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator,” said J. Thomas Ranken, President & CEO of the CleanTech Alliance. “The firm works side-by-side with cleantech entrepreneurs to ensure their companies have a solid foundation for growth, funding and market impact. This partnership boosts our ability to build and maintain a vibrant cleantech industry sector across the Pacific Northwest.”
Dorsey & Whitney helps companies gain an advantage through a combination of superb legal knowledge and a deep understanding of what it takes to create a successful company in the clean technology industry. The firm operates offices across the globe and a full-service practice in the Pacific Northwest, including offices in Washington, Montana, Alaska, and Vancouver, BC. Dorsey represents a number of the world's most successful companies from a wide range of industries, including leaders in the energy, food and agribusiness, health care, mining and natural resources, public-private project development and banking sectors, as well as major non-profit and government entities.
Powered by CleanTech Alliance and Oregon BEST, the Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator leverages the region’s top cleantech organizations to deliver mentorship, guidance and industry connections to cleantech startups across the Pacific Northwest. The accelerator focuses on business modeling, customer discovery, product development, go-to-market strategy, financial strategies, funding pathways and creating the industry connections needed to succeed. Each participating cleantech startup receives:
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Mentorship from cleantech industry leaders to help with business planning, intellectual property protection, marketing, financing and more.
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Connections throughout the networks of both Oregon BEST and the CleanTech Alliance to provide access to industry leaders, service providers and investors from across the region.
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Hands-on business and financing workshops to assist with business model creation, product development, market development and funding strategies.
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Customer discovery assistance to hone minimally viable product and go-to-market strategy.
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Company and brand visibility from established CleanTech Alliance and Oregon BEST industry events, programs and marketing outreach.
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Access to non-dilutive prize money. Participating teams compete for three cash prizes totaling $10,000, plus in-kind services from accelerator partners.
For more information or to apply, visit www.CascadiaCleanTech.org.
About the CleanTech Alliance
CleanTech Alliance Washington is the largest state cleantech trade association in the nation, representing 300 businesses and organizations. Founded in 2007 by business leaders, the Alliance facilitates the generation and growth of cleantech companies, jobs, products and services to advance the state’s position as a leader in cleantech. The Alliance offers a range of business services and benefits uniquely designed to help businesses gain visibility, access services at a lower cost and benefit from public policy advocacy. Learn more at www.CleanTechAlliance.org.
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About Oregon BEST
Oregon BEST funds and assists cleantech startups, bringing together Oregon’s significant R&D strengths to support entrepreneurs in the creation of new products and services. As the nexus for clean technology innovation, Oregon BEST builds capability, convenes collaborations and accelerates solutions to environmental challenges that deliver prosperity in all corners of Oregon. More than 250 Oregon BEST Member Faculty and a network of Oregon BEST Labs at four partner universities (Oregon State University, Oregon Tech, Portland State University, and University of Oregon) offer research expertise and lab equipment to industry. Oregon BEST competitively awards Early-Stage Investments to collaborations between startup companies and Oregon BEST Member Faculty at partner universities. Learn more at www.OregonBEST.org.
About Dorsey & Whitney
Clients have relied on Dorsey since 1912 as a valued business partner. With locations across the United States and in Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, Dorsey provides an integrated, proactive approach to its clients' legal and business needs. Dorsey represents a number of the world's most successful companies from a wide range of industries, including leaders in the banking, energy, food and agribusiness, health care, mining and natural resources, and public-private project development sectors, as well as major non-profit and government entities. www.dorsey.com