The Industry Growth Forum: Connection. Collaboration. Community.

Below is the text version for the video The Industry Growth Forum: Connection. Collaboration. Community.

Kate Moore, Assistant Director of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory: The NREL Industry Growth Forum is the longest-running clean energy event of its kind.

The role of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is to use our convening power to bring together all these important stakeholders.

They include entrepreneurs, investors, industry professionals, ecosystems supporters, incubators... really it takes a full community to get these early-stage technologies to market. The Industry Growth Forum is primarily a business plan competition.

An Investor Advisory Committee ultimately selects 30 presenting companies to present at the event itself.

Martin Keller, Director, National Renewable Energy Laboratory: This event is very, very important because it's really in the DNA of our laboratory.

Eric Drummond, President of Global Strategy & Chief Legal Officer, FORMATIV Consulting: I describe it as a tremendous, energetic collaboration of investors, entrepreneurs, innovators - all looking to connect, so that we can try to push technologies forward into the marketplace.

Tim Woodward, Managing Director, Prelude Ventures: You're always looking for a proprietary technology that serves a real, existing market need.

That's the perfect scenario.

Kate: There is a massive speed dating one-on-one session where entrepreneurs can meet with seated investors and pitch to them, see if it's a good fit and potentially, continue conversations afterwards.

Shelly Curtiss, Executive Director, Colorado Cleantech Industries Association: People love those meetings.

It's an opportunity for these small companies to have these meetings with people who are otherwise really, really tough to get in front of. It's a true highlight of the program.

Martin: We can be the independent broker who brings companies and the investment community together... and I think this is why this event is so unique because our convening power.

Kate: The ultimate goal is to connect clean energy entrepreneurs with capital.

One of the biggest indicators of success is collectively, presenting companies since 2003 have gone on to raise over $6 billion in growth financing.

Tim: The most important thing with the entrepreneur is someone who has experience having built a business or is in that sector and really is credible with the investors and with the customers in taking that product or service to market.

Shelly: The energy here is fantastic. It's the place you want to be.

Eric: This gives us a chance to meet from all over the country and the world - to work together and to try to make a difference.

Kate: Transforming our energy economy takes people, and the Forum brings together all of those important people to help make this transformation a reality.

Martin: I think it's really important that we continue to be the world leader here in the U.S. to drive innovation forward, because this new innovation, the early-stage research will lead to new ideas, to new products, for new U.S. companies in the future.

 


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