Judging

Judging Criteria

Judging is conducted in 3 Rounds

Round 1 – Judging the Applications

This Judging Round occurs right after the Application deadline I n May. Applications are reviewed by a team of judges in the region in which the teams applied. The applications six categories of the competition are reviewed by a panel of five or more judges from the academic, research, business and venture communities, including experienced professors, engineers, entrepreneurs, angel and venture investors, environmental experts and legal professionals. A phone interview may also be included to answer any questions the judges may have.

In Round 1 all applicants are judged on:

• Concept and Product (is it a valid technology)
• Product Feasibility (is it a good promising technology)
• Protectable IP
• Is the team US-Based
• Does the team have a clear understanding of fees and process and the entire program
• Complete Team (2 team members, including the team leader,  minimum)

If you make it through Round 1 you will become a Cleantech Open Semifinalist in the region in which you applied, for the rest of the program during the competition year.

Round 2 – Semifinalist  Judging

During this round all the semifinalists will be required to complete a set of worksheets and provide requested supporting documentation which the judges will review prior to live judging of each team. Judges on the panel come from the academic, research, business and venture communities, including experienced professors, engineers, entrepreneurs, angel and venture investors, environmental experts and legal professionals. 

Final judging for regional semifinalists will be done in front of a judging panel for each category. Semifinalist judging occurs during the first week of October. Each region may have their semifinalist judging on a different day during that week, Each Semifinalist team will present for a maximum 15 minutes and have 10 minutes to answer judges' questions. Judges then deliberate in private for five minutes after each presentation.

Juding in Round 2 will be base on the following:

• Concept and Product
• Feasibility
• Market
• Financials and Profitability
• Sustainability
• Team

In this final Round the judges will be choosing:

• Regional Finalists in each of the six categories
• One Regional Sustainability Finalist

As Cleantech Open Regional Finalist you will represent your region during the national finalist judging at the Global Forum in November.

Round 3 – Finalist Judging

The third round of judging (for the national winner) takes place in November at the Global Fourm. The same criteria and presentation timing are required for the third round. Judges represent all regions and a breadth of cleantech areas.

In this final Round the judges will be choosing:

• A National Regional Winner
• A National Sustainability Winner
• The Grand Prize Winner

Sustainability Criteria

Sustainability and cleantech are not synonyms. We see cleantech as the end product or service, but sustainability as the key driver in determining the process by which you get to that end point. Our goal is to have every competitionant team positively impact the environment and the broader community in every phase of development as they fulfill their incredible potential.

Our teaching methodology emphasizes systems thinking by providing frameworks, metrics for success, and awareness of external regulatory and policy issues.  The Cleantech Open’s Sustainability team focuses on the three P’s:

Product

The team must deliver products or services that have a net positive environmental and social impact and be able to articulate the impact of their solution.

Process

The method by which the team’s product or service is produced must have a net positive environmental and social impact. Teams must be able to address problematic environmental issues in operations and proposed mitigations.

Pitch

Gaining stakeholder approval and building sustainable teams in small business environments is crucial for social sustainability. Teams must effectively communicate the value proposition for sustainability to its different stakeholders.