University of Michigan's Zell Lurie Institute Breaks New Ground With Clean Tech Venture...

University of Michigan's Zell Lurie Institute Breaks New Ground With Clean
Tech Venture Course

MBAs and Engineering Students Provide Business Assessment and Recommendations
to Leading U.S. Clean Tech Startups

ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Business and engineering
students at the University of Michigan are leading the way in the emerging
Clean Tech arena through a ground-breaking cross-campus course "Clean Tech
Venture Assessment." The course hones students' skills in technology
commercialization, marketing and business development where students apply
their knowledge to startup companies in the Clean Tech space. The course was
formed by Dr. Tim Faley, managing director of the Zell Lurie Institute for
Entrepreneurial Studies at the Ross School of Business, and Dr. Peter
Adriaens, professor of entrepreneurship with a primary appointment in Civil
and Environmental Engineering, and joint appointments in the School of Natural
Resources and Environment and the Ross School of Business.

The economic potential for Clean Tech is considerable given recent market
growth, venture capital investment and the Obama administration's focus on the
sector as a key part of the economic recovery and stimulus package. At the
end of 2008, estimates indicate that there are 3,000 companies operating
worldwide across product sectors as diverse as silicon to software to
services; over 5,000 U.S. patents focused on Clean Tech were issued; and $8.4
billion ($ 5.9 billion in the U.S.) was invested globally in renewable energy,
water, air and sustainability.

Realizing the economic potential in this market sector and the need for
education in this space, Faley and Adriaens launched the Clean Tech Venture
Assessment course in 2007 with the intent of bringing together individuals
from science and business to collaborate on team projects in the Clean Tech
space. Since then, Faley and Adriaens have evolved the course into a robust
format which partners these students with Clean Tech startups from across the
U.S. to conduct projects. The class format is highly interactive and
multi-disciplinary. Student teams work with companies and rigorously assess
the company's strategy, technology and business uncertainties, and provide
feedback on repositioning its products for sustainable differentiation. To
date, 16 companies from across the clean tech sector in wind, renewable power,
water, energy efficiency and fuel cells have benefited from their involvement
in the course.

"The perspective provided in this course is not only valuable for students
looking to form or join startup companies, but also for those who are
interested in contributing to innovative Clean Tech research at established
companies," stated Adriaens. "Since we expanded the program to bring together
scientists, MBAs and Clean Tech startups, students have been able to apply
theoretical learning to real business problems, developing business strategies
along the value chain of this nascent growth opportunity."

About the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies
/ Center for Venture Capital & Private Equity Finance
The Institute and its Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance
bring together a potent mix of knowledge, experience and opportunities from
the front lines of entrepreneurship and alternative investments. The student
learning experience is further enhanced through internships, entrepreneurial
clubs and organization and events that serve to provide viable networks and
engage the business community. The School's two student-led investment funds,
with over $3M in management, immerse students in the business assessment and
investment process. Members of the Advisory Board include Samuel Zell,
Chairman of Equity Group Investments; Michael Hallman, former COO of Microsoft
Corporation; and Eugene Applebaum, Founder of Arbor Drugs, Inc. For more
information, visit the Institute at www.zli.bus.umich.edu.

SOURCE Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies

Jean Serra, +1-617-426-2222, jserra@v2comms.com, for Samuel Zell and Robert H.
Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies; or Mary Nickson of Samuel Zell
and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, +1-734-615-4424,
mnickson@umich.edu