Here’s a funding source for early stage startups that provides some great opportunities.  The California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF) will begin accepting applications for the California Sustainable Energy Entrepreneur Development (CalSEED) program this week. CalSEED offers upto $600,000 in funding for high potential entrepreneurs who are passionate about clean tech and working on very early stage new energy ideas. This is part of a $1.6 Million dollar grant through CalCEF and the CEC. Innovations from CalSEED grants, including hardware, materials science, software-based applications and design solutions, will propel California leadership in building a clean energy future.

Last year Sacramento based Start up Lucent Optics was selected as a winner and presented at the EPIC forum last week.  They are using the grant to fund development of their light diffuser. Check out Epic Symposium Recap.

CalSEED is one of several initiatives funded by the California Energy Commission to advance energy innovation. With the VC model for clean tech broken public sector investment is one of the best was to stimulate the cleantech economy. Don’t miss tomorrow’s CalSEED event on the 28th floor of 801 K Street, being put on by CleanStart Partners The Grant Farm and BlueTech Valley.