"Summer of Learning" Now Underway for 2009 Clean Tech Open Semifinalists

REDWOOD CITY, CA, Jul 13 (MARKET WIRE) --
With regional judging of the 262 entrants that submitted entries for the
2009 Clean Tech Open (www.cleantechopen.com) completed, 73 teams that
made it through to the semifinals now begin a comprehensive and rigorous
educational curriculum that spans all aspects of their nascent
businesses. Each team is assigned a business mentor from the Clean Tech
Open's pool of expert volunteers, who will guide and coach his or her
team through a series of educational programs that start now and take
them through to final judging in November. The complete list of 2009
semifinalists is available here.

"Summer of learning" connects entrepreneurs with spectrum of business
expertise

In addition to the talented mentor assigned to each clean tech startup,
teams are given one-on-one consulting with specialists, an intensive
business boot camp for all semifinalists from all regions (dubbed the
Clean Tech Open Accelerator, which starts on July 17), plus access to
numerous supporting events, training and materials. The objective: to
hone each team's business plan and investor pitch, which they will
present to professional investors and experts.

"We're pleased to see competitors from so many other States at this
weekend's Clean Tech Open Accelerator," said Rex Northen, executive
director of the Clean Tech Open. "This is the first time we've had the
chance to connect our venture capital network and corporate sponsors with
teams from regional competitions. The Accelerator is much more than a
training program: this weekend we'll have hundreds of bright
technologists, inventors, entrepreneurs, investors and corporate
executives from around the country working together -- we're expecting a
very special dynamic and outstanding long-term results for everyone
involved."

A national business plan competition that creates clean tech jobs

For the first time, the Clean Tech Open takes place in three regions:
California; the Rocky Mountain region, including Colorado, Montana, New
Mexico, Utah and Wyoming; and the Pacific Northwest, including Washington,
Oregon and Idaho. The National Awards -- the "Academy Awards of Clean
Tech" -- takes place in November. All told, the 2009 Clean Tech Open
competition offers more than $1 million in total prizes, and with its
"100K Jobs Challenge" aims to create 100,000 green-collar jobs in America
by the end of 2015.

Useful links
Clean Tech Open website: www.cleantechopen.com
Clean Tech Open blog: www.cleantechopen.com/app.cgi/blog/
Clean Tech Open on Facebook: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=21709779424
Clean Tech Open on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/companies/clean-tech-open
Clean Tech Open on Twitter: http://twitter.com/cleantechopen

About the Clean Tech Open

Clean Tech Open is the world's largest clean tech business competition, a
catalyst for clean tech innovation, and the impetus behind the Clean Tech
Open's 100K Jobs Challenge. Founded in 2006, the Clean Tech Open provides
today's clean tech innovators with the tools, training and connections
they need to become tomorrow's viable clean tech businesses. The core of
Clean Tech Open is an annual business competition, supported by expert
volunteers and mentors, that provides entrepreneurs with the crucial
business training, services and insights they need to go to market
successfully. The Clean Tech Open has assisted over 120 companies raise
more than $125 million in external funding, and has spurred the creation
of hundreds of jobs in California. Fueled by a network of over 400
volunteers and sponsors, the Clean Tech Open unites the public and
private sectors in a shared vision for making America's clean tech sector
a thriving economic engine. Past alumni successes include Adura
Technologies, Cool Earth Solar, Enverity, Federspiel Controls,
GreenVolts, GroundSource GeoThermal, Lucid Design Group, Mission Motors,
and Syncromatics. www.cleantechopen.com.

Copyright 2009, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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