CA Energy Commission Funds Environmental Business Cluster

Funding Helps Scientists Bring Clean Energy Solutions to Market

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- San Jose State University (SJSU) Foundation announced today that its Environmental Business Cluster (EBC) was awarded a contract that will be worth $330,000 over the next year in new funding by the California Energy Commission to continue working with startup companies who focus on research and development for clean and renewable energy and energy efficiency.

This is the fourth consecutive year that the California Energy Commission has relied on the EBC to help its grant recipients commercialize their technologies and bring new products to market.

"There's an incredible amount of attention and enthusiasm for clean and renewable energy from both the public and private sectors," said Jim Robbins, EBC executive director. "We work with entrepreneurs who start companies and have proven technology, but lack customers or financing.

"Our program is designed to assist in the creation of a commercialization plan while guiding the entrepreneur to remove the barriers to bringing their technology to market."

The EBC management team provides entrepreneurs with top-tier business development services and access to networks of industry specialists and investors. Staff and consultants work directly with each entrepreneur for up to one year providing help with market research, business and marketing plans, as well as preparation with investor and customer presentations.

"When the California Energy Commission initially funded this program in 2003 the goal was to take one or two companies to the marketplace," said Mary Sidney, chief operating officer at SJSU Foundation. "Within two years the EBC successfully brought 13 new companies to market."

The EBC was the first incubator for businesses that focuses on environmental products or services and is now the largest private incubator focused on clean and renewable energy. Since 1995 the EBC has graduated 90 companies whose technologies solve serious environmental problems including reliance on foreign oil.

Through a partnership with the City of San Jose Redevelopment Agency and SJSU Foundation, the downtown San Jose incubator typically works with 30 startup companies who are working on technologies to provide solutions including solar, wind, hydrogen, wave energy, energy efficiency and hybrid fuels.

About San Jose State University (SJSU) Foundation

The SJSU Foundation operates and manages four business incubators in partnership with the San Jose Redevelopment Agency. The SJSU Foundation manages the incubator facilities, provides world-class business development services, and access to faculty experts and student interns for high- potential, early-stage companies through the Environmental Business Cluster, Software Business Cluster and San Jose BioCenter. San Jose's incubator program also includes business development services for international companies planning to establish and grow their business in the United States through the fourth incubator, the U.S. Market Access Center. The Redevelopment Agency provides state-of-the-art facilities to house the incubators.

For nearly 75 years, the SJSU Foundation has provided the expertise and business infrastructure enabling University faculty to partner successfully with government agencies, corporations, and foundations to perform cutting- edge research, public service, and other specialized projects that are vital to a community of scholars and to society as a whole. As a private non-profit corporation, the Foundation manages approximately $69 million per year in research and public service programs directed by SJSU faculty and SJSU- affiliated experts such as the directors of the four business incubators.

About the Environmental Business Cluster

The Environmental Business Cluster was created to help bring environmental technology and products to the market, improve the chances for business success and increase the linkages between emerging companies and established businesses, universities and professionals in the field. The primary focus of the Environmental Business Cluster is on emerging clean energy products and technologies. Located in San Jose, CA, it offers both resident and non- resident programs. More information is available at www.environmentalcluster.org .

Environmental Business Cluster
2 North First Street , Fourth floor
San Jose , CA 95113
408) 938-3920
Fax (408) 271-1904
Jim Robbins, Director
jarobbins@aol.com