Nearly every segment of the cleantech sector is being fundamentally reshaped by an ever increasing amount of data and an expanding ability to measure and manage complex systems. The result is a convergence of interests drawing the world’s largest technology, industrial equipment, software, and services firms to the table.
Featured Speakers Include:
- Ken Wilcox, President and CEO, Silicon Valley Bank Financial Group
- John Denniston, Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
- Lisa Gansky, Author of The Mesh
- Elon Musk, Chairman, Product Architect and CEO, Tesla Motors
- Amit Chatterjee, CEO and Founder, Hara
- Kal Patel, Best Buy
- Dr. Avinash Patkar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Tata Power
Foley & Lardner’s featured icebreaker sessions are:
Fueling Growth and Viability for Start-Ups, March 15, 2011 from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
While the demand for cleantech continues to thrive, capital to finance innovation remains scarce. Now more than ever, surpassing the valley of death requires entrepreneurs to take different approaches in order to reach the marketplace. Join us for an interactive discussion with leading cleantech investors addressing key considerations for those seeking growth in an otherwise risk adverse market. This discussion will address:
- Considerations for seeking angel and venture capital
- Are strategic partnerships a viable alternative?
- Developments in power purchase agreement financing
- The nuts and bolts of PACE financing
- Seeking capital from foreign sources
- Key tips for structuring mutually beneficial deals
- How a company’s IP portfolio affects its valuation
Moderator: James Chapman, Partner and Member Emerging Technologies, Private Equity & Venture Capital Practices
Speakers:
- Gary Bjorklund, Chair of the CleanTech SIG, Band of Angels
- Jeff Hagan, Managing Director, Canaccord Genuity
- John Kinney, CEO, Clean Fund
- Marcus Sprow, Partner and Member Electronics and Mechanical and Electromechanical Technologies Practices
Competitive Commercialization Strategy: Leveraging Government Funding, March 16, 2011 from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
The U.S. federal and state governments invest billions of dollars into cleantech and as other nations do the same, it becomes increasingly more vital for the United States to increase its funding to maintain global competitiveness. However, leveraging public financing to innovate and commercialize is a double-edged sword and innovators must carefully weigh the risks before accepting the support. Join us for this time-sensitive discussion addressing both the rewards and challenges of reducing your company’s need to raise financial backing through other methods. The discussion will include:
- Business innovation grants and restrictions by governmental regulation
- Federal regulations under the Bayh-Dole Act concerning IP and licensing rights for federally funded projects
- Working with universities, federal laboratories, and other research centers and their tech transfer offices
- Setting up subsidiaries or other structures to take advantage of government grant and project opportunities
- Negotiating the deal (considering the short / long-term strategies)
Moderator: J. Steven Rutt, Partner and Chair of Nanotechnology Practice, Member of Green Energy Technologies Practice
Speakers:
- Ida Shum, Business Development Executive, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
- Ybet Villacorta, Partner and Member, Electronics and Green Energy Technologies Practices
