Calling all clean energy researchers and entrepreneurs

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting with Doug Buerkle, who heads High Tech Rochester's new Clean Energy Proof-of-Concept Center. The center is now accepting applications for its first crop of innovators.

There are many reasons to be optimistic about what the center will do to spur clean energy commercialization and entrepreneurship in our area. Chief among them is that the center really seems to encompass two programs in one. Participants will take part in a 12-week course teaching them critical 'lean startup' methods, which will help innovators discover and validate whether their proposed technology really meets a valuable enough need and could result in a scalable and profitable business. In addition, participants will receive up to $50,000 to help them support their commercialization objectives, including the creation of initial prototypes.

Therefore the program is filling the two most critical needs of most startups, but particularly clean energy startups: effectively figuring out if what you are planning to do really is worth doing, and having some money to create the first prototypes of your solution. Unfortunately there is increasingly little funding available for these two activities, making the opening of this center evermore critical.

For more information, visit: http://nexus-ny.org/

And I have included the announcement from the center below:

NEXUS-NY opens its clean energy proof-of-concept program

Clean energy* researchers and innovators working in upstate New York at university-based laboratories or independently can now apply to participate in a program that offers:

An average of $50,000 support per early-stage technology team

Enrollment in a 12-week immersion course on "lean startup" methodology modeled after the National Science Foundation iCorps

Access to mentors and advisors experienced in technology and business development

Assistance in prototype development

NEXUS-NY is one of three NYSERDA-funded clean energy proof-of-concept centers charged with promoting the growth and commercialization of clean energy technologies developed throughout New York.

The NEXUS-NY program, with $500,000 available annually, provides financial and other support to researchers and innovators for the validation of their promising clean energy technologies. NEXUS-NY will specifically address the critical phase that occurs between research and commercialization.

Plus, subject to availability of funds, Excell Partners may make a commitment of $150,000 to one or more teams emerging from NEXUS-NY.

*Broadly defined, clean energy encompasses technologies, processes, models, tools, etc. that will generate clean energy or assist the final consumer to reduce the use of electricity.