Keynote Speaker Josh Green
This Monday, we honored those endeavors of Colorado's cleantech community during our Colorado Cleantech Leadership Awards Celebration. Throughout the evening, we honored 14 recipients for their efforts in advancing Colorado’s cleantech ecosystem, increasing jobs and driving innovation in the cleantech sector.
Innovation was a theme for the night, as Josh Green, General Partner of Mohr Davidow Ventures, presented his compelling keynote on the importance of clean technology today and forward.
“Innovation will always prevail,” said Green during his keynote. Green “Although cleantech has struggled in the past and will surely see bumps along the road as we move forward, the take away point from this year’s event is that Cleantech has a strong and viable future. If we place value in those whose leadership and technology is continuing to impact cleantech in new and exciting ways, then surely we cannot fail.”
Please join us in congratulating all of CCIA’s Leadership in Advancing Cleantech Award winner:
National Cleantech Leadership:
Center for the New Energy Economy
Founded in February of 2011, the Center for the New Energy Economy is a privately-funded initiative to support the growth of a cleantech economy across the United States. The Center, a part of Colorado State University, is led by former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and is assisted by some of the nation’s most important thought leaders in clean energy research, development and commercialization.
Governor’s Award For Excellence in Cleantech Leadership:
Robert Fenwick-Smith
Robert Fenwick-Smith founded Aravaipa, an efficiency-tech investment fund in Colorado, in early 2008. With 20 years of global experience acquiring, founding, building, merging and selling companies, Robert is frequently invited to serve on cleantech investing panels and juries.
Cleantech Corporate Champion:
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo offers customized commercial banking products and services to businesses that manufacture, market or develop clean technology products and services. It is with their generous support that programs such as the Cleantech Open, CU Cleantech, NREL Industry Growth Forum, and Cleantech Fellows Institute that cleantech ventures in Colorado can sustain funding.
Investor of the Year:
9th Street Investments
9th Street is a non-traditional venture capital group born out of CoorsTek, Inc, headquartered in Golden. 9th Street primarily focuses on businesses in the advanced materials sector and has invested in Boulder Ionics, ALeco Container and more.
High Impact Cleantech Company of the Year:
Albeo Technologies
Based in Boulder, Colo., Albeo designs and manufactures highly efficient LED lighting solutions focusing on the commercial and industrial sectors. Albeo’s primary goal is to enable businesses to simultaneously lower their total operating costs and help the environment.
Breakout Cleantech Company of the Year:
Boulder Wind Power
Boulder Wind Power creates utility-scale permanent magnet generator technology that will dramatically reduce the production cost of wind energy. The company works with wind turbine manufacturers to deliver simpler, more efficient and cost-effective ways to maintain systems than existing wind turbine technologies.
Emerging Cleantech Company of the Year:
SkyFuel Inc.
SkyFuel, Inc. is a solar thermal power technology and service provider founded in 2007. SkyFuel solar collectors harness solar radiation to produce steam for electricity generation and industrial applications. The company is a leading supplier of utility-scale concentrating solar power (CSP) systems.
Colorado Cleantech Entrepreneur of the Year:
Hans Mueller, EcoVapor Recovery Systems
Mueller is the founder of EcoVapor Recovery Systems, a state-of-the-art recovery technology for oil and gas wells. He has established an industry-leading economic return technology that also addresses increased environmental regulations.
Colorado Cleantech Executive of the Year:
Mark Verheyen, TerraLUX
Mark Verheyen joined the TerraLUX team in 2011 with extensive experience in the illumination market and a proven track record penetrating and expanding new growth markets across Asia/China, South America, North America, and Europe. Mark has more than 20 years of sales and senior management experience.
Political Advocate of the Year:
State Representative Brian DelGrosso
Brian DelGrosso is a member of the Colorado General Assembly representing the Loveland area. Brian is a successful small business owner and a pragmatic legislator with a reputation for common sense solutions to grow Colorado’s economy. Additionally, this year he was the sponsor of a bill signed into law to cut red tape to make it easier to expand alternative fuel vehicle infrastructure.
Excellence in Commercialization:
Colorado State University - Dr. Eugene Chen
University of Colorado - Dr. Ryan Gill
National Renewable Energy Laboratory - Dr. Charles Teplin
Colorado School of Mines - Dr. P. Craig Taylor
Did you attend the dinner? What did you learn from the speakers and award winners?
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