Video Clip: Colorado Governor Bill Ritter Launches the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association July 23, 2009

During launch festivities at the Governor’s Mansion, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter announced formation of the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association (CCIA). The announcement was made together with Christine Shapard, founding Executive Director of the CCIA who said “The CCIA is the only industry-led, industry-focused cleantech group in the state created to solidify Colorado’s position as the nation’s cleantech leader, new energy economy driver and technology innovator and we are one of only four cleantech business associations in the country.”

“Over the past few years, Colorado has become a national leader in the New Energy Economy, and one key reason is the thriving community of 300 cleantech companies and 20,000 employees based here,” Gov. Ritter said. “Even in this difficult economy, cleantech remains a vital part of our forward-looking economic-development strategy. The Colorado Cleantech Industry Association will help harness the power and the potential of this important economic sector as we lead Colorado forward and establish this state as the cleantech capital of the world.”

Link to more information

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter & Industry Leaders Announce Formation of the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association

DENVER, July 24 -- Yesterday, during launch festivities at the Governor’s Mansion, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter announced formation of the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association (CCIA).

The announcement was made together with Christine Shapard, founding Executive Director of the CCIA who said, “The CCIA is the only industry-led, industry-focused cleantech group in the state created to solidify Colorado’s position as the nation’s cleantech leader, new energy economy driver and technology innovator. We are one of only four cleantech business associations in the country.”

Link to NewsReleaseWire for the launch event release

9News Covers CCIA Launch - Cleantech: 'The only industry hiring right now'

"DENVER - The fastest-growing industry in Colorado might be the "only industry that's hiring right now," according to the executive director of a trade association formed to maximize its potential.

The Colorado Cleantech Industry Association was officially launched at an event inside the Governor's Mansion on Thursday to celebrate the 300 companies who have already hired roughly 20,000 workers and brought in more than $300 million in venture capital last year alone.

'In my years of economic development, I see this as having more potential than the IT sector did,' said Chris Shapard, who runs the new trade group that lists Colorado's traditional energy companies, its research institutions, renewable technology leaders and state offices as its members. 'The passion that I've seen here is incredible. The drive, the energy, no pun intended, is much more than other sectors that I've seen.'"

Link to 9News coverage of the CCIA launch by Adam Schrager

Gov. Ritter to testify before Congress on clean energy

From today's Denver Business Journal Latest News:

"Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and three other governors will testify before a U.S. Senate committee Tuesday on how promotion of alternative-energy development is creating jobs in their states. Tuesday's hearing in Washington is before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and its subcommittee on Green Jobs and the New Economy."

Link to read the article

CCIA Executive Director Christine Shapard Welcomes New Cleantech Incubator

Friday's Denver Business Journal released announcement of the new CleanLaunch Technology Incubator to the city.

"I'm looking forward to coordinating efforts between the CCIA and the CleanLaunch Technology Incubator. Stephen and I have known each other for many years and since I took this position, have been talking about how we can provide seamless support to the cleantech industry," Christine Shapard, founding executive director of the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association (CCIA), says.

According to the DBJ, "Colorado’s CleanLaunch Technology Incubator expects to look at more than 1,000 business plans in the next four years, said Stephen Miller, president and CEO of the newly launched small-business advisory group."

Link to the article at the Denver Business Journal website

Link to the CleanLaunch Technology Incubator website

Cote’s Colorado: Colorado clean tech goes to Washington

From the June 2009 ColoradoBiz Magazine:

" 'Washington is the new Wall Street,' lobbyist Kyle Simpson told a group of about 100 businesspeople gathered at a meeting of the newly launched Colorado Cleantech Industry Association in April. 'They’ve put a big collection of dollars behind this like they’ve never done before over a sustained period.'

Simpson works for the law firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, the association’s lobbying arm. Speaking to the Denver group via Web conferencing from Washington, D.C., Simpson and fellow policy director Mike McAdams offered a primer on how to apply for funding. They noted that federal agencies used to working on long-range projects are having difficulty adjusting to programs that must be allocated by 2010."

Link to read Mike Cote's column about the CCIA's federal lobbying program

From Colorado Energy News Profiling CCIA

"In Focus - The Colorado Cleantech Industry Association

April 28, 2009 -- Founded only last year, the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association is nearly a 60-strong member organization that is already making its mark in our state. CCIA is dedicated to promoting Colorado’s cleantech industry, and, according to Executive Director, Christine Shapard, it is the only industry-led, industry-focused cleantech group in the state."

Link to the posting at ColoradoEnergyNews.com