Winners of Global Cleantech Cluster Association 2013 Later Stage Awards Announced for Third Straight Year

LAHTI, Finland, Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- For a third year in a row the Top 10 Best of cleantech's cluster companies were honored at the Global Cleantech Cluster Association (GCCA) Later Stage Awards Gala. The GCCA's Global Top 10 Winners represent the best of the association's nearly 50 member clusters and over 10,000 member companies. The GCCA Global Top 10 Winners were selected by 22 cleantech venture capital and private equity investors and serial entrepreneurs, who collectively manage over $3.5 billion in global clean technology investment. This year's awards were organized by the Finnish Cleantech Cluster.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131121/SF21551)

"Economic research demonstrates clusters are critical for regions fostering their technology centers, and they are paramount to the success of building green economies," said Nina Harjula, GCCA Co-Founder and Head of Development at Ladec, the coordinator of the Finnish Cleantech Cluster. "The 2013 winners are both successful technically, strategically and regionally. It is an honor to highlight them, and we wish them continued to success."

In total, 160 companies were nominated by cleantech member clusters for the 2013 Later Stage Awards. That number was later narrowed down to the Global Top 30 Semi-Finalists and then to the Top 10 Winners. The Global Top 30 were selected using the Keystone Compact™, a business and venture development tool developed by GCCA Head Judge Dr. Peter Adriaens, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategy at the Ross School of Business, along with Dr. Tim Faley, Sokoloff Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship, University of the Virgin Islands.

"These Global Top 10 are all companies with significant achievements and strong local ties to their economic regions," said Christian Haeuselmann, Co-Founder of the GCCA and Cluster Manager for swisscleantech. "They are not only strong technically, but their products and services demonstrate a particular investability and potential market growth mainstream investors are seeking. By highlighting them as winners, we demonstrate to the world that cleantech companies are serious and successful investments."

The GCCA Global Top 10

Solegear - Best in BioFuels/BioEnergy
Nominated by GreenTech Exchange 
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Hanley Energy - Best in Cleanweb/IT
Nominated by The Green Way
Meath, Ireland

Inbalance Buildings - Best in Green Buildings
Nominated by Chicago Clean Energy Alliance
Chicago, Illinois, USA

ThinkEco - Best in Lighting/Energy Efficiency
Nominated by NYC ACRE
New York City, New York, USA

OneRoof Energy - Best in Smart Cities
Nominated by CleanTECH San Diego
San Diego, California, USA

Enbala - Best in Smart Grid
Nominated by MaRS Discovery District
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Silicon Energy - Best in Solar and Wind Energy
Nominated by Washington Clean Technology Alliance
Marysville, Washington, USA

drivetek ag - Best in Transportation
Nominated by swisscleantech
Steinmaur, Switzerland

ZenRobotics - Best in Waste Management
Nominated by Finnish Cleantech Cluster
Helsinki, Finland

Galvatek - Best in Water
Nominated by Finnish Cleantech Cluster
Lahti, Finland

A full list of the 2013 Later Stage Award winners, Top 30 semi-finalists and nominees can be found at http://www.globalcleantech.org/awards/2013-later-stage-award/

About the Global Cleantech Cluster Association
Global Cleantech is a non-profit association, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. that creates conduits for companies to harness the tremendous benefits of international cleantech cluster collaboration in an efficient, affordable, and structured way. Global Cleantech provides a gateway for established and emerging cleantech companies to gain exposure to potential investors, new markets, influential networks, innovative technologies and best practices. GCCA was founded by the Finnish Cleantech Cluster, swisscleantech, Technica Communications and Watershed Capital Group. For more information about Global Cleantech, please visit www.globalcleantech.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Technica Communications
Rose Begonia
408-757-0255
[email protected]

SOURCE Technica Communications