NREL’s Industry Growth Forum and Emerging Markets Day Connect Advanced Energy Startups and Investors

WASHINGTON (February 27, 2018) – (RealEstateRama) — Advanced energy innovation will be on display May 2- 4 in Denver, Colorado, when 30 small businesses present their business cases to a panel of investors and industry experts as the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) hosts its annual Industry Growth Forum (IGF). Ten startups focused geographically on emerging markets also will present during the second iteration of Emerging Markets Day on May 2.

The presenting startups, selected through a competitive application and review process, will compete for the 2018 NREL Clean Energy Venture Awards.

The Industry Growth Forum is regarded as one of the nation’s premier clean energy investment events. NREL’s unique, interactive approach makes the forum a must-attend event for the clean energy business and investment community.

The Industry Growth Forum is celebrating the 30th Forum this year. The focus will be on its history as well as an outlook for the next 30 years, with a heavy emphasis on partnerships. The event tagline this year is #Connection #Collaboration #Community.

NREL Associate Lab Director and Director of Innovation Partnering & Outreach, Bill Farris, looks to the IGF as “a way to get a real-time snapshot of what’s happening in the cleantech investment space.”  The IGF is essentially funded by the private sector through sponsorship and admission, which begs the question: why does NREL put on this event each year?  As Farris reflects, “We do this because it’s important to fulfilling our mission. We’re at the intersection of entrepreneurs and investors; and because access to capital is a critical missing ingredient to bring innovations to market.  This was true 30 years ago and is still true today.”

Emerging Markets Day is a partnership between NREL and the U.S. Agency of International Development.  This partnership is a spinoff from the Industry Growth Forum, focusing on commercialization issues facing geographic emerging markets.

For more information, including the agenda, a list of participating companies, a list of sponsors, and registration details, see the NREL Industry Growth Forum website or Emerging Markets Day website.

NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for the Energy Department by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.