“May you live in interesting times” – a blessing that in the current financial environment holds some degree of irony. However, periods of financial contraction can often yield significant investment opportunities to bold investors. In this context, will the angel and venture capital community provide the financial oxygen needed for early stage companies to organize and thrive during a period of continued systematic economic uncertainty?

Social responsibility and the desire to fortify our national security have provided an impetus for a shared focus on cleaner energy technologies. This common focus has been addressed to a degree by recent treatment in our public policy, but is there a greater opportunity in hand to invest in clean energy technology?

If investment makes sense, where are the opportunities for clean energy start-ups, and who has the confidence and financial strength to provide the necessary capital for their growth? Where will the management talent come from, and is it possible to create green jobs in an environment of economic instability? What is the ideal role of government, and what benchmarks can be established to move clean energy technology into a self-sustaining state?

Topics will include:

• * Are there verticals within clean energy that may yield the extraordinary returns experienced over the past ten years in technology?
  * Do significant research & development costs and long-term capital requirements create a barrier to entry for start-up and mid-size clean energy companies versus established energy conglomerates?
  * Is the classic venture capital model as applicable to cleantech as it has been to high-tech and life science investment?
  * Does the angel investment and venture capital community have the cleantech competence needed to make informed investment decisions?
  * What effect has the current trend in wealth contraction had on the angel investment community?
  * What is and isn’t cleantech hype?
  * How has the boom and bust of ethanol affect investor perceptions of the cleantech space?
  * Is the idealistic desire for clean energy forcing out the ability to pursue economically sustainable, but only cleaner technology?

Event Details

About the CleanTX Forum

The CleanTX Forum provides the networking and environment for professionals interested in learning more about clean technologies and building the Texas clean technology community. Our mission is to promote entrepreneurship in the field of clean technology and renewable energy in Texas, by providing a forum for executives, entrepreneurs, investors and analysts to share real-world experiences, opportunities, and challenges in the field. The CleanTX Forum will also schedule ad hoc events when clean technology leaders are available to travel to Texas. We will also announce and support workshops, provide demonstrations of new technologies in the community, deliver leading clean technology content, and highlight Texas’ growing list of clean technology successes.

For more information, visit www.cleantx.org