Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator and Dorsey & Whitney Partner to Support CleanTech Entrepreneurs & Startups
Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator and Dorsey & Whitney LLP extended their strategic partnership to better support cleantech entrepreneurs with critical legal curriculum and mentorship spanning startup incorporation, intellectual property, HR compliance and more. The Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator is accepting applications for its 2017 cohort through May 1 at www.CascadiaCleanTech.org.
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, including offices in Washington State, Montana, Alaska, and Vancouver, BC. Dorsey is passionate about helping cleantech clients succeed in the global community, enabling more efficient use of natural resources and reducing the ecological impact of the production and delivery of goods.
“The Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator partnership allows Dorsey & Whitney to work alongside some amazingly talented entrepreneurs bringing innovative new clean technologies to market,” said Jennifer Spaith, Partner at Dorsey & Whitney. “These entrepreneurs constantly balance the need for legal protection and compliance with the reality of running a cash-strapped startup company. We want to work with these entrepreneurs through curriculum and mentorship to help them succeed.”
“An early legal misstep can haunt entrepreneurs for years, jeopardizing funding and deployment opportunities years after initial startup formation and market launch,” said J. Thomas Ranken, President & CEO of the CleanTech Alliance. “Dorsey & Whitney is a valuable asset for the Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator program, helping our cohort companies understand legal considerations early so they can make sound decisions from the very beginning.”
Powered by CleanTech Alliance and Oregon BEST, the Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator delivers a structured accelerator curriculum, mentorship and industry connections to cleantech startups. The program focuses on business modeling, customer discovery, product development, go-to-market strategy, financial planning, funding pathways and creating the industry connections needed to succeed. Each participating cleantech startup receives:
- One-on-One Mentorship from cleantech industry leaders to help with business planning, intellectual property protection, marketing strategy, financing and more.
- Expert advice on manufacturing scale-up, prototyping and development.
- Investor connections and introductions from across the region. The 2017 winner will be invited to present to a group of cleantech angel investors.
- Business connections from both Oregon BEST and the CleanTech Alliance networks that deliver access to industry leaders and service providers from across the region.
- Hands-on workshops to assist with business model creation, product development, market development and funding strategies.
- Weekly videos, webinars and panels presented by industry experts. Each guides startups through the commercialization process while sharing valuable insights and lessons learned.
- Customer discovery assistance to hone minimally viable product and go-to-market strategy.
- Company and brand visibility from established CleanTech Alliance and Oregon BEST industry events, programs and marketing outreach.
- Access to prize money and in-kind services. Participating startups compete for non-dilutive cash prizes along with in-kind services from partners.
The 2017 Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator program runs May through September. Applications for the 2017 cohort close May 1, 2017. For more information, or to apply, visit www.CascadiaCleanTech.org.
About Dorsey & Whitney
Clients have relied on Dorsey since 1912 as a valued business partner. With more than 550 lawyers in 20 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 energy, food and agribusiness, banking, health care, mining and natural resources, and public-private project development sectors, as well as major non-profit and government entities. Learn more at www.dorsey.com.
About the CleanTech Alliance
CleanTech Alliance represents more than 300 member companies and organizations across the greater Northwest region. Founded in 2007 by business leaders, the organization facilitates the generation and growth of cleantech companies, jobs, products and services to advance the cleantech economy. CleanTech 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. Learn more at www.cleantechalliance.org.
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About Oregon BEST
An economic development catalyst, Oregon BEST funds and supports innovative cleantech startups across Oregon, connecting startups with state and federal resources, while preparing these companies for follow-on investment through a series of focused programs. Oregon BEST provides leadership and leverages its expertise, resources and relationships to achieve impact beyond its scale. Founded in 2007, Oregon BEST is an independent nonprofit supported by the Oregon Innovation Council and Business Oregon. Learn more at OregonBEST.org.