Clean Business Investment Summit 2010 Launches in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- With the economic challenges of the past year, the field of entrepreneurship has expanded exponentially presenting opportunities across many market segments. This paired with California's leading position in the green movement with the statewide framework and incentives for the development of alternative energies, sustainable businesses, and green school initiatives, the California Coast Venture Forum (www.ccvf.org) is proud to announce the second annual Clean Business Investment Summit™(1) on March 25th, 2010 at the Corwin Pavilion at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

With increased interest from investors, entrepreneurs, and businesses in emerging markets such as renewable energy, clean tech, ethical, green, socially responsible, and sustainable enterprises, the Clean Business Investment Summit aligns the power of capital and clean business principles to build viable, attractive, clean tech, green, socially responsible, sustainable enterprises. The Summit allows clean tech, green, socially responsible, and sustainable enterprises to present their companies to investors looking for viable, ethical Clean Business opportunities.

This is the 12th annual presentation from the CALIFORNIA COAST VENTURE FORUM which has joined forces with Green2Gold (www.green2gold.org) and ChristieCommunications (www.christiecomm.com) to build the foremost opportunity for Socially Responsible Entrepreneurs to present to Socially Responsible Investors.

"Through the Clean Business Investment Summit, we are committed to maximizing market growth for CBIS Clean Verified Enterprises, simultaneously providing guidance for those companies to strengthen investor relationships and opportunities, build strategic partnerships, and assist in efficiently expanding market share and impact," explained Jerry Knotts, President & CEO of the California Coast Venture Forum.

The California Coast Venture Forum (CCVF), the largest venture capital forum held in coastal California, links innovative, high growth companies with leading business development and financing experts, and service providers. More than 575 start-up and growth companies have been introduced to venture investors and related services experts, with more than $110,000,000 invested through the CCVF.

CALL FOR BUSINESS PLANS

The California Coast Venture Forum (CCVF) invites socially responsible, emerging – growth, start-up and later stage companies seeking venture capital funding to participate in the upcoming CBIS on March 25, 2010 in the Corwin Pavilion on the beautiful UCSB campus. Since inception, over 1,350 business plans have been reviewed to meet venture capital standards through a team of experienced business executives and entrepreneurs who annually select the most promising companies to make presentations. Through its 10th year, CCVF has assisted emerging growth and later stage companies raised over $110 million in capital investments! Business plans meeting the CLEAN BUSINESS™ criteria are now being accepted online at www.ccvf.com/entrepreneurs/.

CLEAN BUSINESS™ embraces 11 Industry Segments including:

• Business Systems
• BioFuels
• Renewable Energy Sources (wind, solar, geothermal, hydro)
• Pollution Abatement
• Agricultural Technology
• Green Building
• Transportation
• Environmental Services (conservation and efficiency)
• Lifestyle Products and Services
• Wellness / Health / Fitness
• Water (capture, filtration, distribution, conservation)

Companies seeking financing or venture capital can submit business plans online at: www.ccvf.org/entrepreneurs/. The deadline for business plan entries is March 5, 2010. For further information, please visit www.ccvf.org or contact Jerry Knotts at [email protected] or by phone at (805) 495-6962. For media related inquiries, please contact Alissa Sears at [email protected] or by phone at 805-969-3744.

(1) Clean Businesses are those that improve conditions for all stakeholders in the value chain based on a common Code of Ethics. Their common goals are: 1. Provide superior performance at lower costs, 2. Comply with all environmental regulations, 3. Greatly reduce or eliminate ecological impact, 4. Conserve energy, water and other natural resources, and 5. Improve the productive and responsible use of natural resources.

SOURCE Clean Business Investment Summit