Greenstart Launches Design Practice, Tightens Focus and Opens Next Program.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenstart, the first startup accelerator exclusively designed for the cleantech industry, begins its second accelerator program today with a new cadre of companies under a tightened focus.  Today also marks the launch of Greenstart's new in-house design practice, which will provide product, service and brand design for startups selected for its 3-month accelerator programs.

Greenstart has tightened its focus to companies innovating at the intersection of cleantech and information technology. In line with the new focus, Greenstart will concentrate on four primary focus areas:  smart grid, the built environment, transportation, and consumer services.  Each company accepted into Greenstart's accelerator program will leverage software in some way to create innovative new solutions in these areas.

"Cleantech's future is about creating innovations for energy distribution and energy efficiency.  The intersection of Cleantech and information technology is the next chapter and will provide these disruptive advancements," said Managing Partner Mitch Lowe. "These advancements will propel a massive transformation in the world's energy use, creating the third industrial revolution, and massive wealth creation."

Companies included in Greenstart's second program, chosen in a highly selective process from an initial pool of 152 applicants, are:

Scoot Networks is transforming local transportation.

Growing Energy Labs enables advanced communications between energy storage, generation and loads via their 'micro-utility in a box'. 

RidePal makes it affordable and simple for any size company to offer employee shuttles.

SmartGridBilling intelligently shifts small business and residential energy consumption off peak, selling the shifted watts as a 'power producer' to ISOs.

kWhOURS develops a mobile data collection and management software platform for building energy auditors, reducing the time and cost of performing energy audits.

Further innovating on the startup accelerator model, Greenstart today becomes the first accelerator program in the world to incorporate its own in-house design practice, to be led by David Merkoski, who has been named Greenstart's Chief Creative Officer.  Formerly, as Executive Creative Director at innovation consultancy frog design, Merkoski created the firm's energy practice and led more than 100 designers, engineers, strategists and program managers to bring innovative products and services to market.  With a background in advanced consumer experience, Merkoski will bring his design expertise to help Greenstart portfolio companies design exceptional product and service experiences for their customers.

"After seeing how fundamental design was to our first program companies, we wanted to go beyond mentorship with this second program and offer design as a core practice," said Mitch Lowe. "By gaining the expertise of a world-class design leader like David, we can make it much easier for our companies to incorporate game-changing design, and dramatically increase their chances of success."  

In addition to the new design practice, Greenstart startups will continue to enjoy program benefits including support from an elite mentor list of more than 40 successful entrepreneurs and investors, valuable legal assistance, office space in downtown San Francisco, access to investors, and partnerships with Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, UC Berkeley and the City of San Francisco.  In addition, Greenstart invested $25,000 in each company.

About Greenstart:

Greenstart is a startup accelerator focused on helping entrepreneurs build successful companies at the intersection of cleantech and IT. Greenstart provides seed funding, Startup Design™, and access to an immediate network of mentors and investors to give startups an advantage in launching the cleantech companies of tomorrow.  The company is based in San Francisco. Additional information can be found at www.greenstart.com.

SOURCE Greenstart