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SKYRON Systems Inc. Awarded “Most Promising Energy & Clean Technology Company” at Rice Alliance Energy & Clean Technology Venture Forum
Houston – September 25, 2008
SKYRON Systems Inc. was named one of the top ten most promising Energy & Clean Technology companies at the 6th Annual Rice Alliance for Technology & Entrepreneurship Energy & Clean Technology Venture Forum in Houston last week. Energy & Clean Technology companies showcased their new ventures for an audience of more than 600 attendees, including investors, venture capitalists, industry representatives, business leaders, advisors/mentors, service providers, and entrepreneurs.
Combining aerodynamic design, advanced composites, and a limited-space “foot-print”, SKYRON aims to manufacture and sell an evolutionary multi-solution vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) product that targets a variety of field applications involving onsite generation solutions for urban and remote sites.
Brian Sheets, SKYRON’s CEO, states “T. Boone Pickens has picked up the banner for wind energy by promoting the value of adopting an alternative generation source that promotes energy independence in this country. But wind farms are only a part of the solution. There yet stands a tremendous opportunity, on a global scale, to produce electricity at the point of use. We are excited to be commercializing the technology that addresses that opportunity.”
The one-day event culminated in an announcement of the Most Promising Energy & Clean Companies chosen from nearly 60 competitors and judged by the Rice Alliance Information Technology Advisory Board, based on the companies’ elevator pitch presentations. The exercise simulates meeting an investor on an elevator and having only 90 seconds to convince them to invest in your company.
Rice Alliance Managing Director Brad Burke, announced the winners of the Most Promising Energy & Clean Technology Company awards at the event. “Every year the quality of companies improves. Many of the companies at this year’s event have developed prototypes, obtained proven results, and are on their second round of funding. This makes them more appealing to investors, who have also expressed appreciation for the quality of the companies.”
The Forum was supported by Chevron Technology Ventures, Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, Shell, Kenda Capital, British Consulate General – Houston, UK Trade & Investment, UK Science & Technology, Huron Consulting Group, Applied Ventures, Canada Consulate General, Winstead, Leyendecker & Associates, with supporting organizations Greater Houston Partnership, Houston Technology Center, and Opportunity Houston and media sponsors Houston Business Journal and the BusinessMakers Radio Show.