VanDyne SuperTurbo was selected as a winner of the New England Venture Summit Top Innovation award by youngStartup Ventures. This award recognizes privately held companies leading innovation in technology, life science, and clean tech. As part of this award Kevin Stover, the co-founder and VP of Sales and Marketing, presented at the 2009 New England Venture Summit. VanDyne’s innovative product combines the benefits of a supercharger and a turbocharger through the ability to use either drive train torque or waste exhaust heat to increase power throughout the drive cycle. This technology presents the opportunity to substantially enhance fuel efficiency when retrofitted to or manufactured with motor vehicle engines. For more details on VanDyne’s technology, read the RockyRadar profile.
CORE held an event marking the release of a report detailing the clean tech industry in Colorado. The report, produced by Evenson and Associates, covers many aspects of the nascent yet vibrant clean tech industry in the state. The document was compiled from a database of 831 entities including companies, non-profits, and university and government research laboratories. Of these entities, 415 completed a more detailed census survey. Among the highlights of the results were:
- A total of 654 companies involved in clean tech were identified (394 completed the survey)
- 37% of companies were created since 2005
- Energy efficiency, consulting and support, and energy generation are the most common areas of focus for these companies
- Companies are growing employment and revenues with 70% reporting employment increases and 64% reporting one year growth in earnings.
Ampulse Corporation announced that it has closed an $8M Series A round led by Globespan Capital Partners and El Dorado Ventures. Also participating in the round were existing investors Battelle Ventures an Innovation Valley Partners. Ampulse seeks to combine the conversion efficiencies of crystalline-silicon solar panels with the convenience and cost advantages of thin film technologies. Based on IP licensed from NREL and Oak Ridge National Laboratories, Ampulse’s patented process produces film silicon by gas deposition on top of a metal substrate generating large-grain and well-aligned silicon crystals. The silicon film is only about 5-10 microns thick – relative to 100-200 microns for wafers currently in use – substantially cutting the costs associated with the purchase of silicon. Ampulse is based in Golden, Colorado and was founded in 2007.
Clean Tech Events
Wed, Oct 28: CCIA Smart Grid Series, 7:30 am, Denver Metro Chamber
Thur, Oct 29: RETool: Business Opps in Renewable Electricity, 8:30am, Denver Metro Chamber
Miscellaneous Events
Tue, Oct 27: Boulder Open Coffee Club, 8:00 AM, The Cup, Boulder
Thu, Oct 28: TiE Rockies Business Exchange, 5:30, PPA Event Center, Denver
Tue, Nov 3: Colorado Inventor Showcase, 3:00, Cable Center, Denver
Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ:ASTI) announced that it has achieved 14% cell efficiency for its Copper, Indium, Gallium, Selenide (CIGS) on flexible plastic substrate produced at its commercial plant in Littleton, Colorado. The efficiency was measured at 14.01% by the National Renewable Energy Labs (NREL), which performed the testing. Ascent also announced its achievement of 11.7% efficiency for its monolithically integrated CIGS solar modules manufactured at the same plant. Headquartered in Thornton, Colorado, Ascent develops and produces thin-film solar modules.
Clean Tech Events
Wed, Oct 14: CORE Sustainability Breakfast, 7:30 am, World Trade Center, Denver
Miscellaneous Events
Mon, Oct 12: Startup Junkie Underground: Living an Extraordinary Life, 6:30, MADCAP Theater, Westminster
Tue, Oct 13: Boulder Open Coffee Club, 8:00 am, The Cup, Boulder
Tue, Oct 13: Realistic Financing Options Before Venture Capital, 5:00, Denver Athletic Club
Thu, Oct 15: Innovation After Hours: RMI2, 4:00, Stone House Grille, Fort Collins
Sat, Oct 17: Inventor Boot Camp Day, 8:30 am, Wolf Law Building, CU Boulder
Clean Tech Events
Sun, Oct 4 – Tue, Oct 7: Gasification Technologies Conference, Broadmoor Conference Center, Colorado Springs
Luca Technologies, Inc announced that it was notified by the US Patent and Trade office that one of its key patents has been allowed. Based in Golden, Colorado, Luca is developing technology to harvest natural gas from underground hydrocarbon deposits using microorganisms that process the large hydrocarbons into methane in the absence of oxygen. The allowed patent entitled “Biogenic Fuel Gas Generation in Geologic Hydrocarbon Deposits” (US 12/136,728) relates to collecting the relevant microorganisms, placing them in hydrocarbon deposits, and harvesting the resulting methane gas. The company has been issued a similar patent in New Zealand. Luca is currently field testing its methods and technology in coal beds in Wyoming.
Clean Tech Events
Tue, Sep 29: Coloraod CleanTech Initiative, 4:30, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
Wed, Sep 30: CCIA Smart Grid Series I: The Vision, 7:30 am, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
Sun, Oct 4 – Tue, Oct 7: Gasification Technologies Conference, Broadmoor Conference Center, Colorado Springs
Miscellaneous
Mon, Sep 28: Start Up Junkie Underground, 6:30, MADCAP Theater, Westminster
Tue, Sep 29: Boulder Open Coffee, 8:00 am, The Cup, Boulder
Wed, Sep 30: Denver CrowdPitch, 12:00, TAXI, Denver
Clean Tech Events
Mon, Sep 21: Biofuels Development and Scaleup Truths` Myths and Real risks in Biofuel Development, 9:00 am , Ritz Carlton, Denver
Tues, Sep 22: All Systems Green, 4:00, HRO Denver
Miscellaneous
Mon, Sep 24: N CO Inventor’s Round Table, 6:00 pm, Loveland
Mon, Sep 28: Start Up Junkie Underground, 6:30, MADCAP Theater, Westminster
