16 businesses come to San Francisco to champion British cleantech innovation

San Francisco, March 27, 2012: This week, 16 of the UK's most promising clean technology companies are in Silicon Valley as part of Clean and Cool Mission 2012. This select group is visiting the U.S. to showcase unique green technologies and develop new business in the US by connecting with investors, customers, suppliers and partners. The trip coincides with the Cleantech Forum San Francisco event - bringing together companies offering new technology, services, or business models that address environmental, energy, and resource challenges.

The companies chosen for the mission are recognised as having high growth potential in Cleantech areas including energy storage, energy efficiency, and carbon reduction. Clean and Cool Mission 2012 companies are offering new approaches to environmental resource conservation, for example: a hybrid solar module to generate electricity and heat, seawater and sunlight-fueled greenhouse technology, a breakthrough electric turbocharger engine that uses ultra-high speed motors, and much more.

The companies were selected for the entrepreneurial trade mission to San Francisco through a competition organized by the Technology Strategy Board, The Long Run Venture and the Co-sponsorship Agency, supported by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and other private sector sponsors with the aim of opening up their businesses to the U.S. market.

"What we're trying to do with this mission is help companies that are ready to expand their operations in growing areas of clean technology, by going where the action is in Silicon Valley," said Richard Miller, Technology Strategy Board's Head of Sustainability. "A lot of the money being invested in clean technology around the globe is coming from California and by taking people here they have a chance to pitch to investors, meet business partners and customers and find out the characteristics of the market."

As well as helping to accelerate these UK cleantech businesses, other goals for the Clean and Cool Mission are to boost Britain's growing clean technology sector and drive investment into the UK. With more than $180 million USD raised in private finance by companies attending previous missions, and more than 20% of the selected companies now with a US subsidiary, it has proven to be a successful strategy.

"The Clean and Cool Mission's success will come from the connections established between these 16 British companies and potential business and investment partners. This week of meetings is a great opportunity for the companies to network with clean technology leaders and investors while exploring doing business in Silicon Valley. Having these companies here is also a great chance to highlight Britain's innovative clean technology industry" said UK Trade & Investment's Eric Bakken, Vice Consul for Energy and Cleantech.

The winning companies were congratulated at a reception held on March 14th at the London Stock Exchange, home to more than 70 listed cleantech companies. The Cleantech Forum San Francisco takes place through Wednesday, March 28th. The Clean and Cool Mission companies will be in San Francisco through March 30th.

Here are the 16 chosen companies:

· Aeristech http://www.aeristech.co.uk/

· Cella Energy www.cellaenergy.com

· EnergyDeck www.energydeck.com

· Green Structures www.greenstructures.co.uk

· G-volution www.g-volution.com

· Highview Power Storage www.highview-power.com

· Moixa Technology www.moixatechnology.com

· Naked Energy www.nakedenergy.co.uk

· Oxford Photovoltaics www.oxfordpv.com

· RE Hydrogen www.rehydrogen.com

· SAVortex www.savortex.com

· SEaB Energy www.seabenergy.com

· Seawater Greenhouse www.seawatergreenhouse.com

· VerdErg Renewable Energy www.VerdErg.com

· Whitefox Technologies http://www.whitefox.com/home/index.html

· Zeta Controls www.zetaled.com

The Technology Strategy Board is the UK's innovation agency, working to create economic growth by ensuring that the UK is a global leader in innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build the future economy. For more information please visit www.innovateuk.org

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the Government Department that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy. We also help overseas companies bring their high quality investment to the UK's economy – acknowledged as Europe's best place from which to succeed in global business. UKTI offers expertise and contacts through its extensive network of specialists in the UK, and in British embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world. We provide companies with the tools they require to be competitive on the world stage. For more information on UKTI, visit www.ukti.gov.uk or telephone +44 (0)20 7215 8000. For latest press releases, visit the online newsroom at www.ukti.gov.uk/media. You can also keep in touch with developments at UKTI through www.blog.ukti.gov.uk, www.twitter.com/ukti and www.flickr.com/photos/tags/ukti.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP is an international law firm with more than 1,100 lawyers in 23 offices located in the major commercial centres of Asia, Europe and North America. Our technology practice is highly recognized and currently features more than 800 emerging company clients worldwide and some of the world's largest and most successful technology companies. Orrick is dedicated to counselling emerging technology and life sciences companies, as well as the venture capital and investment banking firms that serve them. For more information, visit us at http://www.orrick.com/emerging.

The Long Run Venture helps businesses and technologies deliver long-run returns and impact today. We combine three capabilities: Data and Intelligence – through partnerships with world-leading technologies and institutions to anchor long run thinking. Storytelling and Behaviour Change – leveraging award winning campaign experience to build long run purpose and mobilise people-led change. Finance and business model innovation – fostering multi-disciplinary collaboration to accelerate growth for early-stage businesses through to MNCs. For more information please visit www.thelongrunventure.com

CoSpA (the Co-Sponsorship Agency) delivers cross-sector projects that make money and make a difference. We work with brands, causes and governments to create on-the-ground activity. From people fixing their own community buildings (with Wickes), to inspiring thousands of schools to make films (with Apple and MTV), we bring people together in interesting ways. CoSpA's Oli Barrett will be joining the Clean and Cool Mission. He is a co-founder of StartUp Britain and started ‘Tenner' (a challenge to 60,000 school pupils to see what they can turn £10 into in just one month). For more information please visit www.cosponsorshipagency.com.