Cleantech Open volunteer Carole Low contributes this wrap-up report from the 2009 Cleantech Open Expo and Awards Gala. Thanks Carole!

"We need to have a clear vision, aim high, and keep our eye on the ball."

Bill Weihl Green Energy Czar, Google 

Black blazers coupled with pressed shirts. Ready smiles accompanied handshakes aplenty. A steady buzz of 3,000 well-heeled cleantech fanatics that included investors, entrepreneurs, sponsoring companies, corporations, members of academia, press, and others interested in hearing clean-technology ideas and getting involved, convened yesterday at San Francisco's Masonic Center. On a day filled with sparkling sunshine, clear blue skies, and cold, crisp air, you could almost momentarily forget concerns of global warming, while meeting for the "2009 Academy Awards of Clean Technology." 

Nevertheless, speakers made it clear that combating the economic downturn and global warming remained two key challenges facing us all. Fittingly, the event coincided with Global Entrepreneurship Week, in which 88 countries participated this year. 

The competition section of the day's proceedings kicked off with the Global Cleantech Open Ideas competition. In tribute to the power of global ideas, startups worldwide had a chance to compete for bragging rights and $100,000 in services as the "People's Choice" Award recipient for the best global idea. Videos from New Zealand, Israel, Italy, China, Denmark, and the United States sought to dazzle the audience with ideas ranging from Danish Danfoss IXA's sensors for industrial environments to New Zealand's Nova Eco Tech's clean fuel conversion solution for vehicles. In the end, Puerto Rico-based Replenish Energy Enterprises secured the "People's Choice" Ideas Award with its micro-algae biofuels in a text invitational for the in-house audience reminiscent of Dancing with the Stars. 

To liven up the stage, entrepreneurs shared demos along with well-timed 3-minute pitches that didn't fail to entertain and at many times, delight. On entertainment alone, EcoFactor and LivinGreen Materials drew numerous laughs like no others. At the end of the day though, EcoFactor's residential energy solution of software-as-a-service (SaaS) that sits in the cloud and returns thermostat adjustments to take advantage of waste in a hands-free environment won the grand prize. 

All the stage presentations are on Cleantech Open's YouTube channel. Or watch this great video overview on Essinova.com. 

For details on all of the finalists in the three regions from attending media, take a look at what earth2tech's Josie Garthwaite and Cleantech Group's Lisa Sibley had to say, or see Cleantech Open's official press release. 

2009 National Prize Winner: (valued at $250,000, including $100,000 in seed capital) — EcoFactor 

(1^st runner-up - Alphabet Energy 2^nd runner-up - MicroMidas)

2009 Alumni Award Winner Adura Technologies 

2009 National Sustainability Award Prize: $20,000 in startup services HydroVolts 

2009 People's Choice Global Cleantech Ideas Award Winner Prize: $100,000 in startup services Replenish Energy Enterprises Watch the video here

What a great event the Gala was! The energy in the Expo! hall was palpable, the  demos were thrilling, and it was a great thrill to learn that EcoFactor is the first national winner of the Cleantech Open business competition!

For those of you who joined us, thank you so very much for your support of what we do.

I’m very pleased to announce that PlanetUp very generously offset all the carbon from our event, giving the 2009 Awards Gala a zero carbon footprint.  This is a wonderful initiative that our Sustainability Team worked on, so a special shout-out to Julia Hu and her team for making this possible.

Please visit http://www.planetup.com/cleantechopen/ for more information.

-- Katie Roberts, Marketing and Communications Manager

Thousands rallied for the Cleantech Open’s daylong festival of cleantech innovation, entrepreneurship and policy, which culminated in a grand prize award of $250,000 for one national winner.

Selected from the 12 finalists of the Cleantech Open business plan competition, the National Prize was awarded to EcoFactor (www.ecofactor.com). A finalist in the Cleantech Open California regional competition, EcoFactor entered in the smart power category, with a personalized residential energy management solution for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. The grand prize is valued at $250,000, including $100,000 of seed capital, and was presented by vice president and managing executive of venture capital Trond Unneland at Chevron Technology Ventures. Separately, today Chevron announced they were joining the Cleantech Open’s roster of corporate partners as inaugural Global Partner for the 2010 Cleantech Open business competition.

“We're thrilled to be named the national winner of the Cleantech Open, especially considering the high caliber of cleantech companies we were up against,” said Scott Hublou, SVP of products and co-founder of EcoFactor. “It's a great honor to win an award in which we were evaluated and judged by our peers and people whose feedback and opinions we value.”

“This award is as much about the strength of our whole team as it is about the important work we're doing. Being named the Cleantech Open national winner really validates our solution and our business model, and proves that the market is looking for energy-efficiency solutions that don't ask people to change their behavior or sacrifice comfort,” said John Steinberg, CEO and co-founder of EcoFactor. “This award will help us further advance our mission of providing personalized residential energy management solutions, because we believe consumers shouldn't have to choose between savings, comfort and convenience.”

Did you know that the Pitch/Demo Sessions portion of the Cleantech Open Grand Expo & Awards Gala is focused on our Global Ideas Competition? 

And, did you know that your vote will count towards the winner? 

At 1:00 PM, visitors to the Expo and all Awards Gala ticket holders will be welcomed into the main hall of the Masonic Center in San Francisco to vote via text/SMS for the best idea out of dozens presented from around the world. 

Learn more about the Global Ideas Competition here.

So watch out Silicon Valley: the Ideas Competition is GLOBAL and the Danes have something to say:

Does your registration include this portion of the event? Contact the Cleantech Open at 888-989-OPEN to upgrade or learn more.

The Cleantech Open today released the line-up of keynote speakers and presenters for its November 17th Grand Expo & Awards Gala at the Masonic Center in San Francisco. Dubbed the “Academy Awards of Clean Technology”, the event marks the grand finale of The Cleantech Open’s year-long business competition. The event is designed to showcase the boldest in clean technology, the most nation’s most ambitious entrepreneurs and the brightest, most engaged investors, venture capitalists and prospective technology customers.

Speakers and presenters include:

Bill Weihl
As Green Energy Czar at Google, Weihl leads efforts in energy efficiency and renewable energy while managing Google’s greenhouse gas footprint.

Dennis Hightower
Deputy Secretary of Commerce, and a seasoned business executive with a 40-year career in the public and private sectors, Hightower is responsible for ensuring that the Department of Commerce leads the way in government efficiency, effectiveness and performance management.

Steve Westly
Prior to founding The Westly Group, Westly served as the Controller and Chief Fiscal Officer of the state of California. During his four-year term, he led an effort to commit more than $1 billion to clean technology investments. He also served as the California Co-Chair for the Obama for President Campaign in 2008.

Gil Friend
CEO and President at Natural Logic, Friend is a systems ecologist and business strategist with 35 years experience in business, communications and environmental innovation.

Lesa Mitchell
As Vice President of Innovation at Kauffman Foundation, Mitchell has been responsible for the Foundation’s frontier work in understanding the policy levers that influence the advancement of innovation from universities into the commercial market.

An event like no other
Gala Presenters will join hundreds of finalist and alumni companies, along with thousands of clean technology supporters and enthusiasts, for a day immersed in networking, discovery and funding. The event opens with an exposition floor filled over 120 cleantech companies, followed by a series of presentations and pitches from Cleantech Open Global Ideas Competition finalists from around the world. The afternoon continues with the main awards ceremony, in which the 2009 National Cleantech Open Winner is announced and presented with a $250,000 prize package. Afterward, the Expo floor will reopen for continued networking opportunities. In addition a private champagne reception will host Inner Circle Ticket Holders, speakers, sponsors, finalists and the Cleantech Open 2009 Winner.

Details

2009 Cleantech Open Grand Expo & Awards Gala
Nob Hill Masonic Center
1111 California Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
November 17, 2009
10 am PT – 8pm PT
RSVP/REGISTRATION REQUIRED

The Cleantech Open is made possible by the generous support provided by National Expansion Sponsor: U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Platinum Sponsor: PG&E; Gold Sponsors: Autodesk, The Cleantech Circle, Google, Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas and Electric, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati; Silver Sponsors: Accretive Solutions and RoseRyan; and Program Sponsors: California Clean Energy Fund, Ernst and Young, and Korn/Ferry International.

Media and outreach partners include the Matter Network, San Francisco Business Times, Greener World Media, TriplePundit.com, Sustainable Industries and Sustainable Life Media.

Come see Driptech, one of the semifinalists in the 2009 Cleantech Open, at the November Awards Gala.  In September, Driptech, inc. was named to The Tech Awards Laureates 2009, one of 15 global innovators recognized each year for applying technology to benefit humanity and spark global change. The Tech Awards, a signature program of The Tech Museum, and presented by Applied Materials, Inc., selected Driptech from among hundreds of nominations representing 66 countries.

Hundreds of millions of people in the developing world face water shortages in crop production; drip irrigation delivers precisely the right amount of water and not more. Driptech’s unique manufacturing drills precision holes in thin plastic tubing, thereby reducing the number of parts and the cost of a drip irrigation system. www.driptech.com

The Tech Awards: Technology Benefiting Humanity is one of the premier annual humanitarian awards programs in the world, recognizing technical solutions that benefit humanity and address the most critical issues facing our planet and its people. The awards program honors 15 scientists and innovators annually alongside the recipient of the Global Humanitarian Award. Laureates are selected by a prestigious panel of international judges organized by the Center for Science, Technology, and Society at Santa Clara University, and made up of Santa Clara University faculty as well as leaders from educational and research institutions, industry and the public sector around the world.

“The Tech Awards is an incredible honor, recognizing individuals and organizations whose ideas and execution of those ideas are changing the world,” said Peter Frykman, founder and CEO of Driptech.  “We are proud to be among those recognized for their contributions, and will continue to develop solutions that help rural farmers increase their income and standard of living.”

“The global challenges of the day have become increasingly strident, more deeply rooted,” said Peter Friess, president of The Tech Museum. “Still, there is hope. These incredibly impressive Laureates have all proven to be equal to, or better than, the challenge to make the world a better place. By celebrating their accomplishments, we are encouraging future innovators to work toward solutions to make the world healthier, safer and more sustainable.”

Established in 2000, The Tech Awards recognizes 15 Laureates in five universal categories: education, equality, environment, economic development and health. These Laureates have developed new technological solutions or innovative ways to use existing technologies to significantly improve the lives of people around the world.  One Laureate in each category will receive a $50,000 cash prize during the annual Awards Gala in San Jose, Calif. on November 19.

This year, the Laureates represent the truly global vision of the program, spanning countries such as Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana and the Bay Area. Their work impacts people in many more countries worldwide.

The Tech Awards collaborates with humanitarian, educational, and business partners through global outreach efforts, giving people around the world the opportunity to benefit from the successful technologies recognized through The Tech Awards. The selected Laureates’ projects address multiple humanitarian efforts including developing alternate ways to generate electricity, creating free educational tools, evaluating ethical wage standards and reducing counterfeit drugs.

For more information about The Tech Awards, visit www.techawards.org

SEATTLE, WA--(October 30, 2009) - The Pacific Northwest Clean Tech Open (CTO), an innovation catalyst that helps great ideas become viable clean tech businesses, announced the three winners of the inaugural clean tech business plan competition: Green Lite Motors (100 MPG Commuter Vehicle), Hydrovolts (In-Stream Hydro Power), and LivinGreen Materials (Advanced Solar Technology). The winning teams each received $50,000 in cash and in-kind services and will now participate in the national competition for up to $250,000 in cash and services next month in San Francisco. Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire headlined the event last night at Seattle's ACT Theatre, where she also met with the semi-finalists to learn about their inventions. She recognized the important contributions of the CTO for its efforts in building a viable and sustainable clean tech sector to help the economy and environment of the region. "

In its first year the Clean Tech Open has become a critical driver for the type of technology innovation our state needs to create new green jobs and find clean energy solutions for our future," said Governor Gregoire. "I commend the contestants and the Clean Tech Open community for their dedication to our state's green economy and improving the way we produce and use energy." 

The three winning teams were chosen from a field of 10 semi-finalists, winnowed down from an initial group of 56. The 10 semi-finalists have benefited from a summer of focused, hands-on mentoring from local and national business leaders to hone their business plans. Judging of the competition was conducted by a group of leading venture capitalists, angel investors and business professionals with deep experience in helping companies turn ideas into viable businesses. Teams were judged not only on the scientific viability of their technology, but equally on the team's ability to move from their idea from the lab to commercial success.

"There are two goals for Pacific Northwest Clean Tech Open," said Byron McCann, co-chair of the Pacific Northwest CTO and Founder of Ascent Partners. "First, help find and fund the best and brightest clean tech ideas. Second, develop a vibrant and lasting clean tech ecosystem to foster job growth and innovation. We've made tremendous progress on those goals and we look forward to building on this great foundation for years to come." 

The winning teams and their technologies are: 

-- Green Lite Motors (Portland, OR)

  - 100MPG Commute Vehicle
  Commuters are stuck in traffic and burning up gas money.  This
  breakthrough vehicle delivers the safety and comfort of a car PLUS:
  100MPG efficiency, express lane privileges, 250 miles of freeway
  cruising, sporty driving, and easy downtown parking.

-- Hydrovolts (Seattle, WA)

  - Power from Water
  Patent-pending hydrokinetic turbines to generate renewable energy
  from waterpower for agriculture, industry and global sustainable
  development. Turbines are easy to install, operate and maintain, need
  no dams or watercourse modification and have a capital return on
  investment in less than five years.

-- LivinGreen Materials (Seattle, WA)

  - Light-Capturing Photoelectrode
  Developing a light-capturing photoelectrode, AggraLight, to sell
  to next-generation photovoltaic manufacturers to boost solar cell
  efficiency by over 50%, reduce the cost per Watt by 40%, and thus
  provide the most cost-effective, sustainable, and versatile solar
  technology.

The Pacific Northwest CTO began with 56 regional entries spanning clean tech sectors such as energy storage, small-scale solar, wind and hydro, transportation and renewable chemicals. Throughout the seven month competition more than 70 volunteer mentors and committee members have hosted business clinics; put on the Clean Tech Accelerator, an "entrepreneuria l boot camp" and provided one-on-one coaching in a range of professional services including venture capital, business, law, marketing/public relations and sustainability. The Clean Tech Awards Gala was made possible by the support of several sponsors, including: Boeing (presenting sponsor); Ascent Partners Group, Silicon Valley Bank, Van Ness Feldman (supporting sponsors); Avista, Puget Sound Energy (annual platinum sponsors); Deloitte and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (annual silver sponsors). 

About the Clean Tech Open Clean Tech Open is a catalyst for clean tech innovation. A non-profit organization founded in 2006, it provides today's clean tech innovators with the tools, training and connections they need to become tomorrow's viable clean tech businesses. The core of CTO is an annual business competition, supported by expert volunteers and mentors, that provides entrepreneurs with the crucial business training, services and insights they need to go to market successfully. CTO has assisted over 100 companies raise more than $120 million in external funding, and has spurred the creation of hundreds of jobs in California. Fueled by a network of over 400 volunteers and sponsors, CTO unites the public and private sectors in a shared vision for making America's clean tech sector a thriving economic engine. Past alumni successes include Adura Technologies, Cool Earth Solar and GreenVolts. To learn more, visit: www.cleantechopenmedia.co m.

On Tuesday, we at the Cleantech Open announced the winning teams in the California region – the suspense in the air was palpable!  The list of the 6 finalist teams is below…

In March of this year, 278 teams submitted entries — the most ever in the four-year history of the competition. 158 of those teams made it through to the California competition, of which 49 were selected as semifinalists. Last week, those teams presented to the Cleantech Open judges, who selected six finalist teams (one for each category) to compete in the national competition next month.

“This is the first year that we have run a California-only competition, and we saw a remarkable increase in the quantity and quality of the contestant teams,” said Rex Northen, our executive director.  “These California finalists will convene with teams from two other regions at the Cleantech Open Awards Gala and Expo, which promises to be a showcase of the best in global cleantech.”

The finalists and runners-up in the California competition of the Cleantech Open are:

Air, Water and Waste: Micromidas converts raw sewage into biodegradable plastic. John Bissell, CEO, commented: “The Cleantech Open has proven an exceptional opportunity from which we’ve drawn an amazing network of mentors and advisers. With their help, we are now eager to push into the pilot phase of our plan that allows us to demonstrate our value to our customers. Thank you, Cleantech Open.” www.micromidas.com
The runner-up in this category is Solum (agricultural sensing to prevent or reduce fertilizer runoff).

Energy Efficiency: Alphabet Energy plans to commercialize a disruptive, low-cost thermoelectric technology (developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) that captures wasted energy and converts it into electricity. Producers of waste heat can use this electricity to power their facilities, or sell it back to the grid. “When you're thrown into a pool like the Cleantech Open, it’s sink or swim! This has been an awesome experience that has pushed us to refine every element of our business,” said Dr. Matthew L. Scullin, CEO. www.alphabetenergy.com
The runner-up in this category is PowerZoa (smart plug for residential use that monitors and controls energy usage). http://powerzoa.com

Green Building: tru2earth makes the tru2earth Life Cycle Roof Tile — 50+ year-rated roofing materials made from recycled PET (water/soda bottle) plastic that are energy-efficient, and cradle-to-cradle recyclable. They allow for rainwater harvesting and, unlike other sustainable roofing materials, are price-competitive with asphalt shingles. “The Cleantech Open provided the framework, resources, and support to make us successful,” said Brian Pierson, CEO of tru2earth. “We plan on leveraging our win in the Green Building category to drive momentum in product development and fundraising, and we will be able to go to market two quarters sooner — a lifetime in the construction industry.”
The runner-up in this category is GreenPyro (produces enriched biochar, a replacement for compost that grows healthier plants, saves on fertilizer and water and mitigates climate change). www.greenpyro.com

Renewables: Armageddon Energy sells a packaged retail residential rooftop solar energy system that is attractive, affordable, and easy to install. “The Cleantech Open helped Armageddon Energy get off the ground. It brought the founding team together, helped us build our business plan and make crucial business connections. And, by winning the Renewable Energy category, it will undoubtedly help us as a small company gain credibility with crucial customers, supply chain partners and investors,” said Mark Goldman, CEO. www.armageddonenergy.com
The runner-up in this category is ZERE (Zero Emission Renewable Energy: energy plants powered by biomass fuel).

Smart Power: EcoFactor won for its personalized residential energy management solution for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, which enables consumers to reduce energy costs and save money on utility bills without sacrificing comfort or giving up control. John Steinberg, EcoFactor CEO, said: “This award should help us advance our mission of providing personalized energy efficiency that works for both consumers and service providers. This recognition also confirms the economic and the ecological value of moving beyond one-size-fits-all residential energy management solutions.” www.ecofactor.com
The runner-up in this category is Velkess (grid-scale energy storage technology). www.velkess.com

Transportation: FuelSaver Technologies’ real-time, shape-changing technology increases fuel efficiency in long-haul vehicles such as tractor-trailer trucks and buses. Full-body streamlining of the vehicle's aerodynamic profile minimizes drag at the back and underbelly of the trailer, and between the tractor and trailer. “The Cleantech Open helped me evolve from an inventor into an entrepreneur. The wonderful volunteers with whom I worked supported me, challenged me, taught me, and broadened my horizon. It’s an amazing group of people who want to make our world a better place,” said Doron Neuberger, founder and CEO. www.fuelsavertechnologies.com
The runner-up in this category is itMoves (the car equivalent of a netbook; light, small, easy to use, yet with extended capabilities via connection to the information cloud). www.itMoves.us

Stay tuned for the finalist announcements from our other two regions.  These finalists from all three regions (California, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Northwest) will convene for a final showdown at the Cleantech Open Awards Gala, held in San Francisco on November 17.

Join us!

This year’s Cleantech Open Awards Gala will be the biggest and most spectacular event we’ve held to date, designed to showcase the boldest ideas, the most ambitious entrepreneurs and the brightest, most engaged investors, venture capitalists and prospective technology customers.

You are cordially invited to attend:

2009 Cleantech Open Awards Gala

November 17, 2009
10 am PT – 7pm PT

The Masonic Center
1111 California Street
San Francisco, CA 94108

Overview:

	Come early and explore our exposition floor of over 120 companies and sponsors from throughout the country, intermingled with networking and business development opportunities. Expo starts at 10:00 am
	Following the expo, sit back and enjoy compelling demonstrations and pitches as Semi-finalists present their ideas and cutting edge technologies that are aimed at having a real, positive impact for our economic and environmental future.    Demo/Pitch sessions start at 1:00 pm
	In the afternoon, plug in for our keynote speakers and celebrate with us as we announce the 2009 National Cleantech Open Winner and present the $250,000 prize package. Audience members are invited to participate by voting for the "Peoples' Choice Award" of their favorite companies and technologies. Awards Gala begins at 4:30 pm
	Afterwards, enjoy a private Chapagne reception with Gala speakers, sponsors, industry leaders, alumni executives and Clean Tech Open 2009 Winners. Reception and Reopened Expo begins at 6 pm

Details:

Premium ($299) and Inner Circle ($599) level ticket holders will have the best seats for the demonstrations and the Awards Ceremony in the beautiful Masonic Center Auditorium. Plus, as supporters who value the visionary role Cleantech Open plays for our economic and environmental future, Premium and Inner Circle ticket holders will also enjoy special updates and “Insider Briefings” throughout 2010 Cleantech Open from Executive Director, Rex Northen.

Inner Circle tickets ($599) include front section seating in the main auditorium plus an invitation to the private Champagne reception with Gala Speakers, Sponsors, Clean Tech industry leaders and the Winner of the 2009 Clean Tech Open. General seating admission is an incredible value at just $99 if you register before October 20th and includes admission to the Exposition, live demonstrations, speeches and the National Award announcement. You can even choose to attend just the Expo or the Demonstrations and Awards. Go to our event overview page to find out more about these options. 

Location:

The Masonic Center
1111 California St
San Francisco, CA 94108

Looking to carpool? Sign up here!

Program:

Tentative Schedule:
10:00am to 1:00pm  --  Expo! of Clean Technologies and Companies
1:00pm to 4:00pm  --  Demo and Pitch Sessions from Ideas and Business Competition Finalists and "Peoples' Choice Award" Voting
4:30pm to 6:00pm  --  Awards Ceremony with Keynote Speakers and the National Award Winner Announcement
6:00pm to 8:00pm  --  Expo! and Wine Reception

Presenters:

Invited Speakers Include:

• Mayor Gavin Newsom
• Mayor Chuck Reed
• Congresswoman Anna Eshoo
• Senator Barbara Boxer

 Who Should Attend and Why:

• Current Semifinalists
• Cleantech Open Alumni
• Green Card Holders
• Current and Interested Sponsors and Partners
• Any professional interested in viewing the latest clean technologies
• Any entrepreneur considering entering the 2010 competition

Additional Details:

Hotel Booking:

The Cleantech Open has arranged a special rate with the Parc55 Hotel, a hotel very close to the heart of San Francisco and the Masonic Center.Please use this link to book your rooms at the special rate.

Ticket Options:

$599    Cleantech Open Inner Circle - front section seating in the main auditorium and an invitation to the VIP Champagne & Hors d’Oeuvres Reception
$299    Premier - preferred seating in the main auditorium
$129    General Public

All Cleantech Open Green Card Holders receive free admission.  Sign up now for a Green Card for just $499 per year or $49 per month you have unlimited access to all the public events we run every year, including Premier seating at the Awards Gala.

To sign up for a green card, go to: http://www.cleantechopen.com/app.cgi/green_cards/signup

Cleantech Open volunteer Tony Loeb recently attended the talent/recruitment workshop set up by the Cleantech Open. It was geared toward contestants, semifinalists, alumni and mentors, and was held at the offices of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto. Thanks, Tony, for attending the event and reporting about the event!

It’s an excellent time to be hiring, and Matt Oberhardt, a CTO volunteer and partner at Korn/Ferry International, assembled an excellent panel to discuss building a world-class team:

Bob Walsh, CEO, Aurora Biofuels

Zach Gentry, chief strategy officer and co-founder, Adura Technologies

David Dreesen, partner, Battery Ventures

Jeff Hocking, clean technology practice leader and managing director, Korn/Ferry, Northern California

Together, they explored hiring just the “right” individual in the Brave New World of clean energy startup companies. They tackled considerations of what it is like to face all of the staffing challenges any company experiences, and considered several new and exotic requirements that are unique to this area.

—Typical questions startups face when hiring—

• How do you find the right individual with the requisite experience at another company, when no other country in history has ever done what your company does?

• How do you find an individual who is willing to work in an environment filled with unpredictability, and with a job description in flux?

• Should you seek a specialist with narrow focus, or a jack-of-all-trades?

• How do you deal with the triple threat of a rapidly changing R&D to production landscape, impatient investors, and an unclear long-term funding picture?

• How do you prospect for talent? Do you use social networking programs such as LinkedIn?

• In the current job market, often with scores, even hundreds, of job applicants, how do you manage a comparative assessment to arrive at the single best candidate?

• How do you train individuals once they are on board?

• How and when do you make an evaluation of how a new member of your team is functioning? When do you take what actions to ameliorate a less-than-acceptable job performance situation? Can you afford to be patient?

—Finding people—

Zach:

Be persistent, have a clear story, and show a sense of scarcity of opportunities like yours.

—Matching employee selection to your hiring strategy—

Dave:

• Have a truly unique story to tell. 

• Be aware that clean technologies come out of an area once considered a niche market. Looking for mainstream talent will likely not result in a good fit.

• Look to industry experience as close-fitting as possible, and then go after the “champions.”

• Get optimistic entrepreneurs on both fronts!

• Do not hurry and make a decision before “putting a check mark in the last box.” (Don’t omit anything! — a typical mistake.)

• Be aware of the inflection point between R&D and production phases. Look for the realist, rather than the pure optimist, in hiring someone to manage that vital transition, someone who will not cave in to the pressures of impatient investors, who want to accelerate the process.

—Where do you look for talent?— 

Jeff: 

You can’t go to competitors—likely there aren’t any! Look for competence in the general area, even if the candidate’s previous role is not the same as what you need to fill. Get creative and take some chances with those that haven’t done exactly the same thing before but have great skills. Be prepared for investors to be uncomfortable, regardless of your choices.

Zach: 

Use social networking, but not through web-based services. Draw from your colleagues’ contacts.

Bob:

Recruiting cannot be outsourced to a recruiter. In a startup especially, employees wear many hats. Only you as the hiring entity really know what the employee is likely to be doing.

Dave:

Hire a CEO who has a wide range of appropriate contacts to draw from.

—With all the demands of a start-up environment, how do you allocate time for recruiting?—

Zach: Recruiting is selling. Think of it that way, with the same level of importance.

—Can you use social networking à la LinkedIn, etc?—

Zach: Works in some areas—generalists—yes; specialists—no.

Jeff: Gets you to a short list, but it’s up to you after that to narrow it down to the 2 or 3 likely candidates.

Bob: It’s a two-edged sword for the above reasons.

—How successful are virtual moves?—

Consensus was that this mode of operation has to be restricted to rare, special cases. Given the fast pace of change in a startup, it is vitally important for a significant figure in an operation to be physically present on a regular, if not daily, basis. One exception: when actual job sites are in extremely “out of the way” places, then virtual moves are necessary and can be helpful if used judiciously. Also, advisors can often be used on a remote basis.

—Generally, what is the best path to mitigation of the problems of recruiting?—

As in most areas of operation, have a sound operating plan, and have it early in the process! Companies generally wait too long. Use a rational, numerical rating scheme to be able to make a rapid determination of your lead candidate. Delay too long through a disorganized interviewing schedule, and your candidate may be gone before you are ready to make an offer.

—How do you achieve rapid assimilation of new talent?—

No other way around it—give them the manual, present them with the ‘fire hose’ to drink from. Be transparent, so that all of your staff knows what’s going on at all times. Reward good results, and after a probationary period, make rapid decisions about non-starters.

—Employee Development—

Dave: Companies need to get the present jobs done immediately, mindful that good employees need a path to higher planes. Sometimes it makes sense to change the role of a new hire—e.g. from development into a sales or marketing role—if they can do it.

Employee development is a desired, but you have to get the present job done! Do not sacrifice the tactical for the long-term strategic.

—Audience questions—

• How to hire a CEO ‘pre-money?’ Probably the obvious—offer equity and make the prospect sound extremely exciting.

• How to prioritize fund-raising and hiring? These have to be done in parallel. One pitfall—investors may have their own candidates, regardless of your preferences. Make sure their candidates fit your plans! 

• The perennial question: Do you bet on a horse, or on a jockey? No one answer for all occasions.