CICCcleantech

Leading VCs, Industry Leaders to Join CICC Cleantech Delegation to Israel -- May 18

 

CICC's Cleantech Delegation to Israel is arriving next week and now has some of the leading investors and industry players joining a four day Mission to uncover Israel's cleantech and innovation landscape.  While global economic recession is affecting industries and investment climate worldwide, Israel's cutting-edge technology and R&D efforts in energy, water, agro-technology and renewables has US VCs intrigued with curiosity and excitement. 

This delegation is the effort of the California Israel Chamber of Commerce Cleantech Initiative, a partnership between California and Israeli industry players and policy leaders designed to explore collaboration and co-investment opportunities in this thriving sector.  It is supported by Silicon Valley Bank, Vantage Point Venture Partners, Perkins Coie, Israel Cleantech Ventures and Jeffries.

some of the firms on board include:

Sempra Generation, 21 Ventures, Jeffries, Amadeus Capital, Good Energies, Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, Mohr Davidow Ventures, Silicon Valley Bank, RIG Investments, US Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, Vantage Point Venture Partners, Musea Ventures, Virgin Green Funds, Battery Ventures, Canaan Partners, Alon Ventures, Jabil Circuit, Texas A&M University Foundation, Navitas Capital Group and more.

While the visits of the group will be mostly private, CICC will host the Cleantech track at the IVA Conference(Israel's Venture Capital Association).  Visiting Silicon Valley delegates such as John Denniston (KPCB), Atiq Raza (Khosla Ventures) and Alan Salzman (Vantage Point Venture Partners) will share their perspective on the cleantech industry, policy, R&D and cross-border collaborations.

 

For more information: shuly@ca-israelchamber.org

 

 

CICC Partners with the Cleantech Group to Promote Growth of the Cleantech Ecosystem in Israel and Globally; Discount on Membership with the Cleantech Group for CICC Members.

CICC and the Cleantech Group have formed a strategic partnership to help accelerate the growth of the cleantech ecosystem in Israel and globally. The Cleantech Group, its network and services, are global and are connected with top tiered global leaders in clean technology. As a benefit of our strategic partnership, CICC members receive a first time twenty percent discount on Cleantech Group membership. By becoming members of the Cleantech Network, entrepreneurs accelerate their fund raising ability, receive market insight, and access to premier networking events and market visibility. Membership in the Cleantech Group provides unlimited access to databases that put entrepreneurs at the forefront of the cleantech sector. In this competitive market it is a challenge to find the right investor. With the Cleantech Group databases it is quick and easy to identify investors who understand and have invested in specific cleantech sectors. Furthermore, the M&A and IPO databases allow to see cleantech companies trading costs, and find corporations who are acquiring cleantech companies.

The Cleantech Group has been helping startups and growing companies speed their ventures from ideas to products and customer contracts since 2002. Click here to learn more.

Mark Your Calendars for the Cleantech Group Upcoming Event: Cleantech Forum XX -- Shanghai -- December 3 – 5, 2008

PG&E to Join CICC Cleantech Committee and Host Companies in November Tour

We are very excited to announce that California's largest utility company PG&E joined the Steering Committee of the CICC's Cleantech initiative.  Hal La Flash, Director of Emerging Clean Technology Policy at PG&E will represent the company and has been involved in helping our team build the program for the upcoming Cleantech Tour in November, where 12-15 Israeli energy and water companies will embark on a roadshow in California in search for investments, partnerships and collaborations. 

The companies selected to visit from Israel will be hosted at PG&E for an extensive session addressing opportunities of selling/scaling to large utilities with major focus on case studies with participating companies such as BrightSource and SunPower.

CICC's Cleantech Leadership Dinner

          

Steve Westly, managing partner of The Westly Group and the former California State Controller, and his wife Anita Yu, hosted the first CICC Cleantech leadership dinner on June 19. The leadership dinner gathered distinguished Cleantech corporate leaders and investors from California and Israel, many of whom are already involved in the CICC Cleantech initiative.

Yitz Applbaum, President of the CICC Board and Shuly Galili, the Executive Director, welcomed the attendees and introduced the host. Mr. Westly spoke about the value of enhancing new green technologies in general, and the importance of cooperation between Israel and California on Cleantech in particular. According to Mr. Westly, partnering between Israel and California makes good business sense, engaging the leadership role of California in Cleantech with the breakthrough science and technology capabilities of Israel.

Eric Weiss, the CICC Cleantech Chair, concluded the discussion with a call to action asking the attendees to offer thought leadership for the CICC Cleantech initiative, including providing the program with feedback as industry experts and assisting in establishing appropriate criteria to select the most compelling companies and individuals for the upcoming November Cleantech tour.  Attendees then enjoyed spirited and lively informal discussion about the latest technologies and trends in cleantech.

CICC Cleantech Program Gains Momentum

The California Israel Chamber of Commerce (CICC) introduced its Cleantech Program and the upcoming Israel Cleantech Tour, currently planned for November 2008 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The first Cleantech Steering Committee meeting was held on May 2, 2008 at the offices of CICC Member US Venture Partners in Menlo Park, with representatives from California based venture and banking firms, cleantech companies, and the policy/regulatory community.

Sass Somekh, founder of Musea Ventures and former President of Novellus, and Eric Weiss, Chair of the CICC Cleantech Program, presented a detailed background of the Israeli cleantech industry, emphasizing Israel’s unique expertise in water and renewable energy, its renowned research institutes and nearly 400 cleantech companies. The presentations addressed the need for improvements in government policy and regulations, research funding, access to experienced management and marketing, and investor expertise in Cleantech. Many of the nearly 400 companies are still in very early development stages.

The Committee agreed on the main goals of the Program, including advancing cleantech corporate partnerships, investments, and technology, as well as promoting general cleantech networking and education among investors, entrepreneurs, companies, and research institutes. Committee participants have so far expressed interest in water, storage, solar, smart grid technology, solid state lighting and demand management.

The program will  bring Israeli companies to California for a few days in November of 2008, then, in 2009, will bring potential corporate partners and investors to Israel. The planned Program is a multi-year, multi-event program with the Tour being its flagship event for 2008. The Committee will continue to discuss strategy, criteria, and potential company candidates for the Tour in the next meeting scheduled to take place in late June.