Global Cleantech Cluster Association Announces Over 160 Nominees for Later Stage Awards 2013

ATLANTA, Aug. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The 49 member clusters of the Global Cleantech Cluster Association (GCCA) have nominated over 160 cleantech companies for the 2013 Later Stage Awards. The nominated mid- to late-stage companies come from a variety of cleantech industries, including everything from solar, wind and clean web to lighting/energy efficiency, waste, and water.  Each nominee was selected due to their impact on their sector and geographic region.  The winners will be announced at the Corporate Cleantech Venture Day in Lahti, Finland on November 20th, 2013.

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The full list of 2013 Later Stage Award Nominations can be found at: www.globalcleantech.org/2013-later-stage-award-nominees.

"What differentiates the annual Later Stage Awards is the platform they provide for new technologies to grow," noted Shawn Lesser, the co-founder of Watershed Capital Group and the GCCA.  "Through these awards we can help support innovators in the cleantech industry, who are developing their local green economies, by putting them in front of a global audience."

In the upcoming months, the nominees will be evaluated based on their merits in technological innovation and business acumen.  Head Judge Peter Adriaens (Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategy at the University of Michigan and Director for Asian Operations at LimnoTech and Director of CleanTech Acquisition Partners) will use the Keystone Compact Method to screen the nominees and narrow them down to the top 3 in each category.

The Top 30 semi-finalists will then be evaluated by over 30 venture capital and cleantech judges who ultimately hand-select the winners for the Later Stage Award.  With more than $3.5 billion invested in clean technology, the GCCA judges are devoted to later stage companies who have a proven track record in their home market and have the potential for international growth. They include Generation's Climate Solutions Fund, The Rockefeller Foundation, Dow Venture Capital, BASF Venture Capital and more.

"Our 49 global cluster members represent over 10,000 cleantech companies around the world," said Ben Taube, Chair of the GCCA. "With the award we are excited to highlight the Best in Class and help aid in the development of successful measures for various cleantech cluster-based activities." 

The GCCA Later Stage Awards ceremony will be held on November 20^th at Sibelius Hall in Lahti, Finland for the Corporate Cleantech Venture Day 2013.  Organized by GCCA co-Founder Nina Harjula, Manager of The Finnish Cleantech Cluster, this event aims to act as a meeting place for cleantech companies looking for investors. 

"In today's business climate, companies are turning towards corporate partnerships to grow to competitiveness with traditional technologies quickly," said Harjula.  "The demands and prospectives of global corporations are important for cleantech entrepreneurs to understand and this annual event drives open discussions between the corporate world, cleantech experts, and private investors." 

The full list of 2013 Later Stage Award Nominations can be found at: www.globalcleantech.org/2013-later-stage-award-nominees.

About the Global Cleantech Cluster Association

The Global Cleantech Cluster Association (GCCA) creates conduits for companies to harness the tremendous benefits of international cleantech cluster collaboration in an efficient, affordable, and structured network.  The GCCA provides a gateway for established and emerging cleantech companies to gain exposure to potential investors, new markets, influential networks, innovative technologies and best practices.  GCCA was founded by swisscleantech, the Finnish Cleantech Cluster, and Watershed Capital, and Technica Communications.  For more information about the GCCA, please visit www.globalcleantech.org.

MEDIA CONTACT

Lisa Ann Pinkerton
Technica Communications
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SOURCE Global Cleantech Cluster Association (GCCA)