The California Clean Tech Open, the nation’s preeminent clean technology business contest, announced the six category winners of the 2007 competition.

“In this our second year, we received 130 entries and narrowed these down to 50 finalists,” said California Clean Tech Open Co-Chair, Michael Santullo. “The judging panels had serious challenges in selecting just six winners and six runners-up from these exceptional business ideas.”

“The wisdom of clean tech seems obvious, but it's taken awhile to catch on,” added CEC Commissioner, Jeff Byron. “When innovators and entrepreneurs come together they do something very well - they surprise us.”

The winning startups received $100,000 in prizes from a “start-up in a box” package to help launch their clean tech business. The prizes include $50,000 in cash from the category prize sponsors, and essential business services worth another $50,000 from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Accretive Solutions, Adaptive Planning, Antenna Group, MacCorkle Insurance, PeopleConnect, Plug and Play Tech Center and Tangibility.

• AMD Smart Power Award:
  Lucid Design Group, presented by AMD’s Senior Strategist, Strategic Marketing, Larry Vertal. The company drives energy conservation by creating real-time information feedback on the environmental performance of buildings.
  Runner-Up, Federspiel Controls, provides wireless supervisory control of HVAC systems to reduce energy consumption.

• Energy Efficiency Award:
  NiLA, Inc., sponsored by California’s investor-owned utilities PG&E, SCE & SDG&E and presented by Sharareh Moaddeli, SDG&E Project Manager, Emerging Technologies. The company makes efficient and cool-running LED stage set lighting for the entertainment industry.
  Runner-Up, Ahwahnee Technology, develops advanced area lighting, a disruptive alternative to LEDs and fluorescents.

• Renewables Award:
  1-Solar, sponsored by PG&E, SCE & SDG&E and presented by Todd Strauss, PG&E’s Senior Director, Energy Policy, Planning and Analysis. The company develops low-priced long-life inverters for photovoltaic systems. Runner-Up, Tahoe Water Systems, provides self-contained solar and wind based water pumping for remote locations.

• Google Green Building Award:
  BuildFast, presented by Google Green Energy Czar Bill Weihl, manufactures house kit for low-income and post-disaster housing.
  Runner-Up, Enverity Corporation, develops environmental data management software for corporations.

• Lexus Transportation Award:
  Syncromatics, presented by Kimberley Gardiner, Lexus Hybrid Marketing Manager. The company develops automated vehicle location systems for bus and transit line efficiency.
  Runner-Up, Hum Cycles, designs high performance electric sport motorcycles.

• Air, Water & Waste Award:
  Microvi Biotech LLC, presented jointly by Allan Delorne, ENVIRON Foundation’s Managing Principal and Poul Toft Frederiksen, Research Manager at Grundfos. The company provides waste-free water treatment technologies.
  Runner-Up, EarthGuard, manufactures environmentally responsible plastic packaging.

An additional “Alumni Award” recognizing outstanding business achievement by a 2006 CCTO finalist was presented to Bob Cart, CEO of GreenVolts, winner of the Renewables Award last year. The company is currently working with PG&E to install what will be the largest concentrating solar power array in the world.

This successful event highlights the growing interest in the clean tech space and its importance in the fight against climate change. “I think of you as environmental heroes,” said Noah Horowitz, NRDC Senior Scientist. “You are our pipeline to a more sustainable world.”

About the California Clean Tech Open:

The California Clean Tech Open brings together a unique and powerful combination of entrepreneurs, researchers, environmentalists, investors, business professionals and others to create economic growth and environmental sustainability by sparking a clean technology cluster in California. By giving winners early-stage capital and expertise, the competition speeds clean technologies from lab to market. The goal is to foster innovative new businesses focused on energy efficiency, smart power, renewable energy, transportation, green building technologies, pollution control and resource management. The competition thrives on the state's strong business and governmental support for innovation, technology and environmental protection to create rich soil for the growth of clean technology enterprises that foster a healthy natural environment. To learn more, please visit: www.cacleantech.com. 

The California Clean Tech Open is under the fiscal and administrative sponsorship of Acterra: Action for a Sustainable Earth, a California 501(c)3 non-profit public benefit corporation. Acterra is located at 3921 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303-4303.