Cleantech Open Southeast Celebrates Innovation, Growth at 3rd Annual Regional Summit
Innovation Summit and Gala Expands with the Addition of New Metropolitan Hubs
ALEXANDRIA, Va., October 6, 2014 – The Cleantech Open Southeast will showcase the region’s most innovative entrepreneurs and host key stakeholders at the 3rd Annual Cleantech Open Southeast Regional Innovation Summit Oct. 22 – 23 in Alexandria, Virginia. Participants in this year’s Summit are focused on energy efficiency, waste-to-energy and the smart grid among the many categories featured in the Accelerator program. Up to three regional finalists will be selected and awarded with cash and in-kind services of up to $20,000, which will make them eligible to compete for the national grand prize of $200,000 at the Cleantech Open’s Global Forum on Nov. 12 -13 in San Francisco.
As the cleantech sector has taken root across the Southeast region, the Summit also celebrates the momentum of Cleantech Open Southeast. This year, the organization experienced exponential growth by establishing two new key hubs in Atlanta and Knoxville, which complement current hubs in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area and Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. Not only has this expanded the breadth and scope of the Accelerator, but it has also strengthened and enlarged the connections between entrepreneurs, technology buyers and investors in the region.
“As one of the first cities to adopt a strategic environmental process to become sustainable, Alexandria prides itself in fostering innovation and working with organizations that support this mission,” said Alexandria City Mayor William D. Euille. “We are excited to be the official sponsor of the Regional Summit, as the Cleantech Open Southeast is in alignment with our Eco-City Alexandria initiative.”
“The cleantech and startup crowdfunding communities have more in common than one might imagine, including their rate of growth and innovation,” explained Summit Awards dinner keynote speaker, Sara Hanks, CEO and Co-founder of CrowdCheck. “I am very pleased to be involved with a leading national business accelerator and applaud the efforts of my fellow entrepreneurs.”
“This year has been a record year for the region in terms of recruiting applicants from across the Southeast and expanding into two new metropolitan areas,” said Joshua C. Greene, executive director and co-founder of the Cleantech Open Southeast. “This success is in large part due to our regional partners and sponsors who help us find, foster, and fund an elite class of cleantech entrepreneurs.”
For more information regarding event details, registration and fees, click here.
The Cleantech Open is the world’s largest cleantech accelerator and is dedicated to providing entrepreneurs and technologists the resources needed to launch a successful cleantech company. Our mission is to find, fund and foster entrepreneurs with big ideas that address today’s most urgent energy, environmental, and economic challenges. A 501©(3) not-for-profit organization, the Cleantech Open provides the infrastructure, expertise and strategic relationships that turn clever ideas into successful global cleantech companies. Over the past seven years, the Cleantech Open has awarded over $5 million in cash and services. During that time, our 900 alumni companies have raised $900 million in external funding. Fueled by a network of more than 2,000 volunteers, the Cleantech Open unites the public and private sectors in a shared vision for making America’s cleantech sector a thriving economic engine. For more information, visit www.cleantechopen.org or follow us on Twitter @cleantechopense and Facebook.
The Cleantech Open is made possible by the generous support provided by Global Partner, Chevron; National Sponsor, Wells Fargo; National Education Partner, University of Phoenix; and National Sponsor PARC (a Xerox Company) and National Category Sponsor, Arrow Electronics, Inc. In addition, Cleantech Open Southeast is sponsored by WGL Holdings, Constellation, Deloitte, Oak Ridge National Lab, Bingham McCutchen LLP, and Squire Patton Boggs LLP.
