Winners of the largest and longest-running U.S. cleantech accelerator program were announced at the organization’s flagship event, the Global Forum 2024. hydroGel was named the U.S. National Winner, and CLHYNN took home the top prize in the Global Ideas competition.
Los Angeles, Calif. - Dec. 5, 2024- Cleantech Open, the world's largest and longest-running clean technology accelerator, proudly announced the winners of its annual U.S. National Finals and Global Ideas Pitch Competition at the Global Forum in San Jose, Calif. The flagship event brought together cleantech entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and investors from around the world to celebrate groundbreaking innovation leading to significant positive business and environmental impacts..
U.S. National Winners
Winner: hydroGel – Transforming the biopharma and food industries with breakthrough purification solutions that enhance efficiency and impact.
Runner-Up and People’s Choice: Arculus Solutions – Pioneering safe, cost-effective hydrogen transport by reimagining natural gas pipelines.
An impressive group of innovative companies participated in Cleantech Open's 5-month accelerator program, receiving mentorship, business training, and connections with investors and partners. Ninety-five teams competed in regional competitions across the U.S., with 18 National Semifinalists advancing to the national competition at the Global Forum.
The top six finalists pitched their companies at Global Forum, with hydroGel crowned as the winner during the awards luncheon on Wednesday, October 30.
“For nearly two decades, we have supported over 3,500 entrepreneurs through business training, mentoring, and networking. We congratulate hydroGel, Arculus Solutions, and all 92 graduating startups on their achievements. We look forward to seeing them lead the way in cleantech innovation and commercial success,” said Ken Hayes, Executive Director, Cleantech Open.
Global Ideas Pitch Competition Winners
In addition to the U.S. competition, Cleantech Open hosted the 2024 Global Ideas Pitch Competition for international cleantech startups invited to present in-person in Silicon Valley.
Winner and People’s Choice: CLHYNN (France) – Revolutionizing green hydrogen by integrating the fuel cell with its source, enabling transformative applications.
Runner-Up: Pathogen Reduction Solutions, Ltd (UK) – Providing innovative solutions for safer indoor air by effectively inactivating airborne pathogens.
Forum Highlights
The Global Forum took place at VERGE 24, a leading climate tech conference. The four-day event showcased solutions from current cohort companies and Cleantech Open alumni in the VERGE Startup Pavilion, with opportunities to attend the Global Ideas and National Finals pitches and the CTO Awards Ceremony Luncheon.
Opening Address: Joel Makower, Chairman and Co-founder of the Trellis Group, the parent of VERGE, kicked off the ceremony with an inspiring keynote on cleantech’s role in addressing urgent climate challenges.
Alumni Panel Discussion: Moderated by Ken Hayes, Executive Director of Cleantech Open, the discussion featured successful alumni:
Keynote Inspirationalists: Lastly, Cleantech Open welcomed keynote speakers Robert Ferry and Anshuman Bapna. Robert Ferry, co-founder of the Land Art Generator Initiative, delivered an inspiring presentation on "How Art and Design Drive Technological Change," highlighting the vital role of creativity in making cleantech solutions both accessible and impactful.
Anshuman Bapna, Co-founder and CEO of Terra.do, tackled the pressing issue of the critical talent gap hindering climate solution deployment. He outlined strategies to bridge this gap by building a strong, skilled talent pipeline to support and accelerate growth across the climate economy - a valuable resource for entrepreneurs scaling up their companies..
Learn more at the 2024 Global Forum event site and the participating cohort startups in the 2024 Companies Overview.
Cleantech Open extends gratitude to its 2024 Sponsors, including National Sponsors Wells Fargo, Breakthrough Energy Fellows, the IN2 Innovation Incubator, NREL, and CalSEED for enabling this year’s accelerator program and Global Forum.
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