Cleantech Open Announces Winners of 2015 National Accelerator, Global Ideas Competition, and Global Cleantech Innovation Program

REDWOOD CITY, CA--(Marketwired - Nov 24, 2015) - The Cleantech Open (www.cleantechopen.org), the world's largest accelerator of early-stage clean-technology companies, announced the winners of the Cleantech Open awards for the National Accelerator, Global Ideas competition, and Global Cleantech Innovation Program (GCIP). The announcements were made in San Francisco at the Cleantech Open Global Forum, which marked the finale of this year's Cleantech Open Accelerator, the premier accelerator for cleantech startups. This year, the Cleantech Open recognized its Decade of Impact: collectively, Cleantech Open US Accelerator alumni companies have raised in excess of $1.2 billion in external funding over the past decade.

"Today, we celebrate a breathtaking decade of growth that has seen both national and global expansion. True to form, this year's startups reflect our reach: they represent a broad range of technologies, startup maturity levels, and geographies," said Cleantech Open Executive Director Ian Foraker. "The Cleantech Open has incredible momentum, and we are looking forward to expanding our impact over the coming decade of cleantech innovation."

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM WINNERS

National Accelerator Grand Prize: Tank Utility of Boston, Mass., has developed an innovative technology that monitors propane tank levels to reduce the high delivery costs of delivered fuels. Tank Utility provides a low-cost, easy-to-install, internet-connected smart monitor for fuel tanks. The company sets itself apart from other monitoring solutions by providing secure mobile and web applications that allow fuel suppliers to reduce costs by providing real-time status, usage data, and transaction processing. Tank Utility was recognized by the judges for bringing a modern, internet-of-things solution to market in less than a year, and for the huge sustainability benefits that come from wringing waste out of the supply chain. Tank Utility was awarded the Grand Prize of $200,000: an investment of $100,000, and in-kind benefits and services valued at $100,000.

Commenting on the award, Tank Utility CEO Amos Epstein said: "What an incredible experience! The mentorship, network, and support from the Cleantech Open have helped us grow from an idea to a growing business over the last year. We're thrilled to be recognized as the winner of this year's Cleantech Open and can't wait to carry this momentum into 2016."