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The Toronto Cleantech Forum in pictures
October 26, 2007 - Exclusive By Dallas Kachan, Cleantech Group
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reprintIt was a cleantech event unlike any that Canada had ever seen, said participants.
More than four hundred cleantech investors, large corporations, government officials, vendors and other industry professionals converged in Toronto this week for the Cleantech Network's Cleantech Forum XIV [ed.: AKA "Cleantech Forum 14." (Yeah, we had to look it up, too.)]
Attendees, some coming from as far away as Asian and Europe, braved the brisk Canadian fall for cleantech-related sessions, panels and networking.
And, as usual, we were there, a nuisance at the parties, snapping pictures.
The first day, a Cleantech Research Lab Showcase highlighted leading scientists presenting their newest cleantech concepts and technologies. More than a dozen researchers, including from some leading Canadian universities, gave short presentations.
Technologies ranged from water purification, photovoltaics, revolutionary lighting and building control or breakthroughs in energy efficiency (for details of one interesting presentation in particular, read the Cleantech Group's Fuel cells go to waste.)
The second day was dominated by keynotes presenting latest investment data from the cleantech sector (read the Cleantech Group's VCs pour $1.74B into cleantech in Q3), a panel exploring global trends in VC cleantech spending in sectors like India, Canada and the U.S., as well as signficant new cleantech-related announcements from large corporates like Wal-Mart and Microsoft (read the Cleantech Group's Wal-Mart & Microsoft's new cleantech deals.)
The next day, parallel tracks explored issues like energy efficiency and latest updates and thinking on the ever-controversial area of water as an investment sector.
"We've never had an event like this in Canada," noted Tyler Hamilton, reporter for the Toronto Star, a leading local daily newspaper, after a panel on the state of water investing.
(Hamilton's office is, conveniently, next door to the convention center.)
A highlight of the Cleantech Forums are always the presentations by specially selected emerging cleantech companies seeking funding.
For Toronto, the Cleantech Group's advisory committee (which gets to pick the most interesting companies from the hundreds that apply), chose to hear from companies like:
- HY9, developer of membrane-based technology for hydrogen purification for industrial, cleantech and fuel cell applications
- Environmental Operating Solutions, using liquid carbon to remove nitrogen in wastewater
- Aldis, developer of hardware and software for transportation logistics
- Prism Solar, maker of photovoltaic solar cells
- Diversified Energy, maker of biofuel, gasification, and algae production systems
- SeQuential Biofuels, a retailer of biofuels
- Synodon, developer of gas detection technology for the airborne hydrocarbon detection industry
- Simbol Mining Co., extractor of valuable commodity minerals and metals from geothermal brines
- Benefuel, producer of biodiesel microrefineries
- Novazone, producer of organic products that kill food-and water-borne pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella
- Ecouture, premium sustainable clothing retailer
- Performance Plants, developer of crop development and gene discovery for biofuels production
- 6N Silicon, producer of solar grade silicon for solar cells
- Global ID, food tracking and certification
- CarbonFlow, carbon credit monetization, and
- SyncWave Energy, developer of technology to harness ocean wave energy
In the five years Cleantech has been presenting its Forum conferences around the world, some $900 million USD equivalent has been raised by presenting companies, directly attributable to their presentations at the Forums.
Alas—clearly a disappointment to some, especially Rob Day of @Ventures—the Cleantech Avenger did not make an appearance in Toronto.
But, as always, there was no telling whether the elusive superhero might have been skulking in the shadows, adopting some mild-mannered alter ego by day.
The Toronto Cleantech Forum began Wednesday, and concluded today.
The company's next Forum is December 3-4th in Beijing, China. Details here.
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Comments
No Avenger?!
Submitted on October 27th, 2007 by InterestedReaderWould have been great, indeed, to see Nick dressed up in a cape and tights. Will have to see if see if the esteemed caped one will indeed show in San Francisco.
Consequences of Global Meltdown - Is Our Future Doomed?
Submitted on September 21st, 2008 by Brurseteasp (not verified)I am getting more and more worried about the economy and global meltdown.
The more things change the more they remain the same. The fundamental challenges we face today have changed little since Chaucer penned his observations on life and distilled them in a set of tales. In the modern city of Canterbury University Students analyse and dissect the meanings conveyed in texts set in that very locale in the 1300’s.
Youngsters face today’s Jekyll and Hyde society not knowing that the Constants remain; love, betrayal, desire, fear. Each story conveys a lesson as we study for our degree in the University of Life, the big diploma mill of which we are all Alumni. We sit grinning like Cheshire cats, thinking we have all the answers.
We call it a success when we pollute our atmosphere shooting down our own Satellite USA 193, Market Street Credibility is our preferred accreditation and recognition from our peers and fellow consumers, we Poison our Planet for Profit. Banks have crashed before and remember: you can't eat money.
Globalization has consequences. Everything we do has consequences, even something simple like buying firewood. The Oregon ODA advises not to obtain anything from out-of-state because of all the insects and diseases it might carry. That is just a relatively local issue. Imagine all the things that are carried around the world each day – each hour. We must protect our future, just as we should remember our past. All over the world, From the UK to the USA and the Seychelles to Egypt, still, yes, STILL, there is no REAL alternative to fossil fuels.
Are we all going to purgatory in a wheelbarrow telling each other stories to pass the time? Sometimes I wonder!
Sorry guys, I had a long day and feel sick of the world. Rant Over!
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