The high-caliber Later Stage Award competition TOP 30 has now been published and Finnish nominees DUCTOR and ILOQ continue the race.
Global Cleantech Cluster Association (GCCA), which represents the world’s leading cleantech clusters, announced during the summer the names of the 160 nominees who have been chosen to compete for the annual competition. The following growth companies were nominated for the award from Finland: BioGTS (bio energy / biomaterials), NETCYCLER Oy and ILOQ (sustainable IT), DUCTOR (food / urban agriculture), Valopaa Oy, Tamturbo Oy and Merus Power Dynamics (lighting / energy efficiency), Nocart Oy (solar / wind energy), Tramel (waste management) and Sofi-Filtration (water).
Mid and later stage cleantech companies compete in ten award categories. The companies represent a wide range of sectors in the cleantech industry, such as solar energy, sustainable information technology, energy solutions, waste management and water technology. TOP 10 winners will be announced in Taipei, Taiwan, on November 10th 2015 at GCCA Awards - event.
Finnish cleantech companies have fared excellently in the competition in previous years, placing at the top in their own award categories. Last year (2014) yielded a win in one category: MetGen Oy was chosen as the winner of the Bio energy/Biomaterials category of GCCA’s Later Stage Award. Due to the success from previous years, investors are believed to focus their attention on Finnish award nominees this year as well.
Nina Harjula, one of the founding members of GCCA and development manager at Lahti Region Development LADEC Ltd, emphasises that the finals will provide cleantech companies from different sectors an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their expertise to international private equity investors and potential cooperation partners.
“Global markets require companies to engage in increasingly close cooperation – success is often decided by networks. It is important that companies that develop environmentally sustainable solutions understand global challenges and opportunities. Participation in this international competition establishes important networks for Finnish companies while simultaneously allowing us to benchmark the level of Finnish expertise,” states Nina Harjula.
During the competition, the companies nominated for the GCCA Later Stage Award will be carefully evaluated based on their achievements, innovativeness and business expertise. Head Judge Peter Adriaens, who works as a professor at the University of Michigan, utilises the Keystone Compact analysis method in his evaluations. The purpose of the evaluation process is to select the top three companies in each category. The prestigious judging panel, which comprises a total of 30 private equity investors and judges, will select the winners from the 30 companies that make it to the finals.
Further information:
Nina Harjula
Development Manager, Cleantech and Venture programmes
Lahti Region Development LADEC Ltd
Tel. +358 (0)50 5180 915
[email protected]
Later Stage Award website: http://www.globalcleantech.org/
The Global Cleantech Cluster Association (GCCA) is a non-profit organisation that is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The association creates channels that allow companies to benefit from the enormous advantages provided by cooperation between international cleantech clusters in an effective, affordable and structured way. Global Cleantech acts as a gateway for established and developing cleantech companies, guiding them towards potential investors, new markets, influential networks, innovative technologies and best practices. GCCA was established by the Finnish Cleantech Cluster/LADEC, Skipso, swisscleantech, Technica Communications and Watershed Capital Group. For more information on Global Cleantech, visit www.globalcleantech.org.
The Finnish Cleantech Cluster, one of the founders of the Global Cleantech Cluster Association, was founded during the Centre of Expertise Programme (OSKE) in 2006–2013 and it is coordinated by Lahti Region Development LADEC Ltd (formerly Lahti Science and Business Park Ltd). The operations of the Finnish Cleantech Cluster have since then been continued through cooperation between LADEC, Cleantech Finland/Finpro, the Strategic Programme for Cleantech at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, the Centre for Environment and Energy, and GreenNet Finland. Since the concluding of the OSKE programme, LADEC has continued to coordinate nominations by cleantech clusters and Finnish companies for GCCA, in addition to extending GCCA’s services to Finland.
Lahti Region Development LADEC Ltd – Boosting sustainable growth LADEC develops the preconditions for growth, competitiveness and attractiveness of business sector in the Lahti region. We offer companies a range of services in entrepreneurship, relocation, growth and development. Our expertise areas are cleantech and industrial design. We have an extensive network of international partners, especially in the cleantech and financing. www.ladec.fi/en
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