Feb 13 2008
More than 800 investors, entrepreneurs, industry influencers and corporate leaders at the forefront of the rapidly developing cleantech investment and business category from North American, Europe, the Gulf States and Asia will convene in San Francisco for Cleantech Forum(R) XVI, to be held at the San Francisco Fairmont Hotel from February 25-27, 2008, the Cleantech Group(TM), LLC announced today.
Cleantech Forum XVI is hosted by the Cleantech Group, LLC, founders of the cleantech investment category. The annual flagship meeting of the world's cleantech leaders, representing over $8 trillion in assets, will define investment trends for 2008 and focus capital on the emerging opportunities and solutions to natural resource constraints and global climate change issues.
Dr. Sultan Ahmed al Jaber, CEO of the Masdar Initiative and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, will deliver the keynote address at the Cleantech Forum XVI Gala Dinner on Tuesday February 26. With a $15 billion commitment announced in January, Dr. Sultan al Jaber is leading the largest government-supported cleantech initiative in the world.
Ko Kheng Hwa, Managing Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board, will discuss the recent allocation of $490 million in cleantech R&D funding which is part of a larger strategy to strengthen Singapore's position as a leader in Asia's emerging cleantech industry.
U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Andy Karsner will highlight the Department's transformational public-private sector work intended to accelerate the development, deployment and commercialization of cutting-edge, clean energy technologies from the Agency's national laboratories into the global marketplace.
Mayor Gavin Newsom for City of San Francisco will open Cleantech Forum XVI on February 26, 2008 and highlight the groundbreaking steps the city is taking to stimulate investment and reach the goals of a 20 percent decrease in CO2 emissions below 1990 levels by 2010 and carbon neutrality for city government by 2020.
Leading corporations participating include AIG, Antenna Group, BASF, BP, Cargill, Chevron, Dow, DuPont, GE, Heller Ehrman, IBM, Intel, John Deere, K&L Gates, Microsoft, Mintz Levin, Mitsubishi, Morrison & Foerster, Nixon Peabody, PG&E, Siemens, Volvo, and Wal-Mart, Weber Shandwick, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati.
Top-tier venture capital and investment firms participating include Canaccord Adams, Carbon Trust, Chrysalix, Climate Change Capital, Consensus Business Group, CMEA Ventures, Credit Suisse, DFJ, Element Partners, Emerald Technology Ventures, Ernst and Young, Expansion Capital, Global Environment Fund, Greylock Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, KPC Energy Ventures, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Masdar, Merriman Curhan Ford & Co, Morgan Stanley, Mohr Davidow, Nth Power, RockPort Capital Partners, Sail Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, Silicon Valley Bank, Vantage Point Venture Partners, Vintage Filings and XPV Capital.
In 2007, venture capital firms invested more than $6.0 billion in cleantech worldwide, representing the sixth consecutive year of sustained investment growth, according to the Cleantech Group's recently issued year-end analysis. VC investments are an early indicator of larger capital flows and highlight emerging sectors of innovation and substantial growth.
"Despite uncertain economic headwinds, tightening credit markets, high carbon-based energy prices and global resource competition, increasingly favorable policy frameworks are providing stronger than ever fundamental drivers for cleantech investors. We foresee continued growth over 2008 as the cleantech sector becomes a mainstream driver of wealth and job creation," said Nicholas Parker, Co-founder and Chairman, Cleantech Group. "Cleantech Forum XVI, the industry's annual flagship event, will highlight the rapid globalization of the sector and provide a roadmap for investment opportunities over 2008."