Presented by: 

Finance Series Event #5:

“Financing Innovative Clean Energy Technologies”

Date:            June 9, 2011

Time:            8:00-8:30am – Breakfast and Networking

                      8:30-10:00am – Panel Discussion

Location:      Goodwin Procter, 53 State Street, Boston, MA 02109

Cost:             Council Members and Sponsors:     FREE

                      Non-Members:                                   $40.00

Description:

For clean energy companies, conventional financing is often unavailable when deploying innovative technologies.  Even with government grants, tax incentives, and loan guarantees, innovative technologies often must pursue joint ventures, strategic investors, or projects with specific vendees or stakeholders.  Finding the right strategic partner is challenging, and companies then face another hurdle to structure their deal and allocate risk between the parties.  Yet, these barriers must be surpassed in order for companies to demonstrate the feasibility of their technologies at scale.  

 Join us as our panels of experts take a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities for clean energy companies in deploying innovative technologies.  

•  What factors determine the allocation of risk between strategic partners?  What current trends are emerging?
• What role does venture capital play in financing the deployment of innovative technologies?
• Can federal and state funds help bridge the gap? What role can government and non-profit groups play in match-making strategic partnerships?

Moderator:

Peter Rothstein, President, New England Clean Energy Council

Peter is President of the New England Clean Energy Council and has many years of venture, entrepreneurial, executive and deal experience across the cleantech venture market. Previously, Peter was part of the Flagship Ventures team, a leading seed and early stage venture capital firm in Cambridge Massachusetts, and founder of Allegro Strategy, a consultant, advisor and interim executive with early-stage cleantech start-ups. Peter has been in early-stage deal or executive roles with a number of cleantech companies, including Mascoma, Planar Energy Devices, Ze-gen, Novomer, Boston-Power, and Mechanology. Peter is actively involved in a range of leading cleantech and entrepreneurial organizations, including the National Renewable Energy Lab’s VC Advisory Board, catalyst to MIT Deshpande Center solar and energy storage MIT projects, and a Board member of the Cleantech Open. 

Panelists:

Robert M Day, Partner, Black Coral Capital

Rob Day is a Partner with Black Coral Capital, based in Boston.  He has been a cleantech private equity investor since 2004, and acts or has served as a Director, Observer and advisory board member to multiple companies in the energy tech and related sectors, currently including Digital Lumens (www.digitallumens.com), Next Step Living (www.nextsteplivinginc.com), Powerit Solutions (www.poweritsolutions.com), and Zeta Communities (www.zetacommunities.com).

Rob serves as the Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Clean Economy Network Education Fund (www.ceneducationfund.org), and also is the Chairman of the Cleantech Open – Northeast Region.  Rob was previously a co-founder of the Renewable Energy Business Network, a non-profit organization which was acquired in 2009 by the Clean Economy Network.  Since 2005 he has also authored the website Cleantech Investing (www.cleantechvc.com), which currently appears on GreentechMedia.com. 

R.J. Lyman, Partner, Goodwin Procter

R. J. Lyman is a partner at Goodwin Procter. He represents clients in all aspects of commercial real estate and renewable energy project development, including site acquisition, project permitting, debt and equity financing, and property disposition. Mr. Lyman began his career as a project manager at a consulting engineering firm representing independent power producers and other energy and commercial developers.  He has also served as a government policy maker, as Massachusetts Assistant Environmental Secretary. Mr. Lyman earned his B.A. from Harvard University and his J.D. from Vermont Law School.

Kim Stevenson, Manager, New Technologies, Connecticut Clean Energy Fund

Kim evaluates proposals and develops and manages programs to support development and commercialization of new clean energy technologies.  She has spent over 15 years in innovation and technology management, working with the senior management of Fortune 500 corporations and smaller organizations to conceive, develop and commercialize new products and services focused on energy, industrial and automotive markets.  Kim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and a Master of Science degree in urban planning, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.