VERGE Accelerate Announces 14 Finalists for September Fast-Pitch Competition
Startups to Pitch Sustainability Solutions Before Global Audience
OAKLAND, Calif., August 8, 2016 /3BL Media/ - GreenBiz Group announced today the 14 finalists for the VERGE Accelerate fast-pitch competition, the most innovative early-stage companies offering solutions at the intersection of technology and sustainability. The finalists will present to a globally livestreamed audience at the VERGE 16 conference in Santa Clara, Calif., Sept. 19-22.
VERGE 16 convenes more than 1,500 stakeholders from the world’s largest companies, most innovative startups and progressive government agencies to explore the technologies and trends accelerating the clean economy.
To qualify for VERGE Accelerate, entrepreneurs were required to submit 60-second videos about their companies, explaining the real-world challenge and market opportunity their technology addresses. Twenty-one semifinalists had their videos put to vote by the VERGE community.
The 2016 VERGE Accelerate finalist are: All Power Labs, Ayyeka, Bee Downtown, Biome, CURB, Evrnu, Nelumbo, Oasys Water, Opus 12, RSM Technologies, Smart Yields, Sunswarm, Swiftly and Utility API.
“VERGE Accelerate has been consistently one of the most highly-rated parts of VERGE,” says Shana Rappaport, GreenBiz Group Director of Engagement for VERGE and organizer of VERGE Accelerate. “This year’s mix of finalists represents the high quality and diversity of solutions that stand to address some of the world’s pressing social and environmental challenges.”
The Accelerate competition, now in its fourth year, has generated exposure for about 50 startups that have premiered products, services or technologies on the VERGE stage. Many of these companies have found funding and customers as a result of their being a VERGE Accelerate finalist.
In addition to Accelerate, GreenBiz is also pleased to be collaborating with Energy Excelerator to host the first-ever Startup Showcase at VERGE, an interactive lounge on the Interconnect Expo floor that will give both Accelerate nominees and other startups the opportunity to exhibit for one day of the event.
"We are excited to be collaborating with GreenBiz to launch the first-ever Startup Showcase at VERGE," says Dawn Lippert, Co-founder & Director of Energy Excelerator. "It is a pop-up collaboration space where we will facilitate meaningful connections amongst startups, customers and investors to accelerate innovative solutions to the world's energy and water challenges."
This year's VERGE Accelerate program is strengthened by partnerships with allied organizations that support early-stage ventures, including: Cleantech Open, Cleantech San Diego, Cyclotron Road, Energy Excelerator, Food System 6, Greentown Labs, Imagine H20, Keiretsu Forum, LA Cleantech Incubator, New Energy Nexus, Powerhouse, Prospect Silicon Valley, Tumml and Women in Cleantech and Sustainability.
To learn more about VERGE Accelerate, visit: https://www.greenbiz.com/events/verge/santa-clara/2016/accelerate
ABOUT GREENBIZ GROUP
GreenBiz Group’s mission is to define and accelerate the business of sustainability. It does this through a wide range of products and services, including its acclaimed website GreenBiz.com and e-newsletters, GreenBuzz and VERGE; webcasts on topics of importance to sustainability and energy executives; research reports, including the annual State of Green Business; the GreenBiz Executive Network, a membership-based, peer-to-peer learning forum for sustainability executives; and conferences: the annual GreenBiz forum and VERGE.
Contact:
Becky Dempsey
Marketing Programs Manager, GreenBiz Group
Phone: 510-740-2358
