Nordic Cleantech Open launches today - international investors and industrials join the jury.

Cleantech Scandinavia announces that the business & innovation competition Nordic Cleantech Open (NCO) for start-ups launches today. The competition runs for its second consecutive year – now with a number of additions to the program. The previous event was an international success, with sold out events in Copenhagen and at the London Stock Exchange.

An impressive jury consisting of more than 50 influential industry representatives from multinational companies will select this year’s contestants. Among others Veiola, AlfaLaval, BASF, 3M, Metso, Grundfos, Siemens, as well as leading investors such as WHEB Ventures, Climate Change Capital, Industrifonden, Ahlström Capital and Incitia Capital.

“We decided to involve more companies and investors since we noticed that the exposure to the jury benefit the companies in many ways. The start-ups get connected with the decision makers and their business ideas are genuinely reflected upon by influential experts in the field”, says Alexander Bigge Lidgren, CEO at Cleantech Scandinavia, organizer of the Nordic Cleantech Open.

" For me being in the jury of the Nordic Cleantech Open gives me early access to interesting startup companies in the Nordic countries. It is also a good way for me to gain better understanding of the Nordic markets and how capital is allocated in the Nordics. It is great to get first hand information on a number of pre-screened companies that fit Siemens particular areas of interest send directly to my E-mail." says dr. Detlef Pohl, investment Partner of Siemens Venture Capital and on the Jury of Nordic Cleantech Open for the second year

Competition highlights:

Nordic Cleantech Open (NCO) hits off in August 2011 by selecting one start-up team from each Nordic country (Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland) to enter Global Ideas Competition, an international clean tech competition organized by US based Cleantech Open in California. The Cleantech Open Global Ideas Competition is an official activity of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2011, a global celebration of entrepreneurship. This event is known to attract a large audience of clean tech professionals in the Silicon Valley and throughout the entire US.

An additional highlight is the innovation & business weekend camp in Sweden where the top 25 contestants meet, pitch and network with selected industrials, decision makers and investors.

Nordic Cleantech Open culminates 2012 at well renowned Cleantech Venture Day in Finland, held for the sixth consecutive year and organized by Lahti Science and Business Park. Participants come from all over the world: Nordic and Baltic countries, China, Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, UK and USA.

At Cleantech Venture Day the top ten finalists present their business cases to the audience, which will also select the runner-up, the third place and the winner of the entire NCO-competition. Last years event attracted over 250 participants including 50+ investors, 80 clean tech companies and dozens of corporations and influence makers.

The Nordic Cleantech Open is a business competition aiming to identify, upgrade and display the top 25 early stage clean tech companies in the Nordic region each year.

Web site
For more information about the competition and the companies visit

http://www.nordiccleantechopen.com

Contact
For more information about application and participation contact
Alexander Lidgren, +46736601007
bigge@nordiccleantechopen.com

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