Cleantech Group Reveals Its 2010 Global Cleantech 100 List of the Most Promising Private Clean Technology Companies on the Planet

SAN FRANCISCO and LONDON, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Cleantech Group™, LLC, the leading global research, advisory, and events firm focused on cleantech innovation, today unveiled the second annual Global Cleantech 100 at the Cleantech Forum® New York.

The Global Cleantech 100 is unique in that it highlights the most promising private clean technology companies from around the world. The selected companies are the most likely to make a significant market impact over the next 5-10 years, in the eyes of the world's cleantech experts.

The results are derived by Cleantech Group, who draws on its own data and research, and combines it with the weighted qualitative judgments of both hundreds of cleantech industry insiders, and the viewpoints of a 60-person international expert panel. To qualify for the list, companies must be independent, for-profit cleantech companies that are not listed on any major stock exchange.

The Global Cleantech 100 sample pool consisted of 4,616 nominations that were submitted by 3,260 unique sources, resulting in a list of 3,138 companies drawn from 50 countries. The list was then pared down to 218 companies that were presented to the expert panel for final input.

The 60-strong expert panel is drawn from well-respected organizations in cleantech innovation from around the world, including leading investors such as Emerald Technology Ventures, Generation Investment Management, Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, New Enterprise Associates, SAM Private Equity, Sequoia Capital, and VantagePoint Venture Partners, and from a wide variety of corporations from many different industries, such as BASF, GE, Honeywell, IBM, Procter & Gamble, Siemens, and Veolia.

"The second Global Cleantech 100 shines a spotlight on which companies and which technology areas the global innovation community is currently most excited about, from a commercial standpoint," said Richard Youngman, managing director, Europe & vice president, Global Research at Cleantech Group. "There have been significant changes since 2009: more Asian companies and less renewable energy generation companies attest to the growing diversification of cleantech innovation. Cleantech is a broader phenomenon than just clean energy. The wider issues of resource scarcity are starting to gain attention and traction."

"The Global Cleantech 100 list represents the most rigorous, serious attempt made yet to provide a scorecard of the progress that is being made by cleantech companies. This year's expert panel involved a greater level of corporate participation than last year's, and we also saw an increased presence of companies from China in the Top 100 list – both trends that we at VantagePoint see as critical signs of the times," commented Stephan Dolezalek, the CleanTech Group Leader at VantagePoint Point Venture Partners.

The Global Cleantech 100 list is produced by Cleantech Group, and is sponsored by 3D design and engineering software provider Autodesk, Inc., as part of a wider Global Cleantech 100 global program, which is jointly created with the Guardian News and Media.

• The complete list of 100 companies is being unveiled today at Cleantech Forum New York, http://events.cleantech.com/newyork/. Some of the companies will be showcased in New York today, others at the Guardian's Cleantech Summit in London on November 23, 2010 (http://guardian.co.uk/cleantechsummit).
• Commentary and insight on the 2010 Global Cleantech 100 is available via two publications: The first is a report written by the Cleantech Group and sponsored by Autodesk, Global Cleantech 100: A Barometer of the Changing Face of Global Cleantech Innovation is available for download here (www.cleantech.com/globalcleantech100). The second is a special newspaper supplement written by the Guardian, sponsored by Ernst & Young, and distributed with today's newspaper in the UK.

Key facts and findings:

Opinions on who, or what, constitutes the most attractive market opportunities and the most promising companies remain volatile. Of the 100 companies in the 2010 Global Cleantech 100 list, only 43 were in the 2009 list. High turnover is consistent with the relative infancy of the cleantech wave of innovation.

North America's share increased from 55% to 57% of the overall findings, Asia-Pacific's from 3% to 7%, at the expense of Europe and Israel, whose overall share declined from 42% to 37%. The U.S., led by California, remains the dominant country, a reflection of its leadership and history in creating and growing, venture capital-funded, innovation-based, technology companies. However, the sheer spread of states and countries across the world that are represented on the list, 13 and 14 respectively, provides a clear reminder of how geographically diverse and global cleantech innovation is.

In 2010, Energy Efficiency has overtaken Solar as the hottest sub-sector within cleantech, with 15 companies on the list. Biofuels matched Solar, with 14 companies.

Cleantech is a whole lot more than clean energy. Renewable energy generation technology companies' share of the Global Cleanetch 100 fell from 37 to 33, 2009 to 2010.

Over 200 investing entities, from more than 20 countries, have a shareholding in the 100 companies. VantagePoint Venture Partners is the most prolific shareholder of 2010 Global Cleantech 100 companies, a testament to its longevity in the space. It has 13 investee companies on the list, overtaking Kleiner Perkins by one.

Asia's influence in cleantech is on the rise. The region is no longer considered a low manufacturing center or an end market for technology deployment. China has 3 companies in the 2010 Global Cleantech 100; it had none last year.

Corporations are becoming ever more active in global cleantech innovation – as investors, partners, licensees, customers, and acquirers of Global Cleantech 100 companies. Google, GE, IBM, PG&E, and Siemens are the most active partners with 2010 Global Cleantech 100 companies. Smart Grid is the most active partnership space within cleantech.

Silver Spring Networks is the highest-ranking 2010 Global Cleantech 100 company.

The full list of Global Cleantech 100 firms is available online, at the Cleantech Group (www.cleantech.com/globalcleantech100.cfm) and the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/globalcleantech100) websites.

About Cleantech Group, LLC

Cleantech Group pioneered the clean technology investment category in 2002. Today, it accelerates the development and market adoption of clean technologies globally. The company's worldwide network of investors, entrepreneurs, enterprises, service providers and others—representing trillions of dollars in assets—receives access to capital, investment deal flow, networking, market leading research and data, sales leads and promotional opportunities. Cleantech Group also provides advisory services for large corporations and governments, publishes leading cleantech sector industry news coverage and produces the premier Cleantech Forum® events worldwide. Details are available at http://www.cleantech.com.

About the Guardian

The Guardian is a unique voice with an international reach delivering progressive journalism to a global audience. The Guardian's vision is to be the leader on sustainability within the media industry and to be environmentally regenerative in their activities. Through their editorial coverage and business activities, they demonstrate to readers, staff, advertisers, suppliers and their communities that GNM (Guardian News and Media) is committed to enhancing society's ability to build a sustainable future.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries - including the last 15 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects - use Autodesk software to design, visualize and simulate their ideas. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software for global markets. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk, and AutoCAD are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Academy Award is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

SOURCE Cleantech Group, LLC