Cleantech Open Northeast Helps Guide Startups

For some emerging entrepreneurs, the thought of taking their new technology from the laboratory to the global marketplace can be daunting.

For these early-stage businesses, an accelerator program can show them the ropes of running a business and gives them the tools to turn their promising technology into a profitable company.

Cleantech Open Northeast, based right here in Massachusetts provides clean energy startups from across New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania with mentoring, training in how to line up investors, and seminars in various aspects of growing a young business.

Next week, CTO Northeast will crown the winners of its annual accelerator competition, which gives companies the opportunity to pitch their ideas to leaders in the clean energy field, soliciting feedback and win more than $20,000 in cash and prizes.

Regional winners advance to compete nationally, where the top prizes are up to $200,000 – a significant amount for a growing company.

In a video (below) posted by Clean Tech Open last week, our own CEO Alicia Barton, along with other area cleantech leaders like New England Clean Energy Council President Peter Rothstein and Matthew Nordan of Venrock Capital, share their thoughts about the future of the clean energy economy. It will also give you a feel for what accelerator programs like the Clean Tech Open Northeast can do to help emerging companies become the leaders of tomorrow.