Welcome Back, HeliosAltas!

Welcome Back, HeliosAltas!

May 24, 2018

After a three-year hiatus to step back to rethink its product and markets, Helios Altas is preparing to introduce a new and improved PowerBall and PowerWheel to the market. Mike Carroll, CEO, and his team have been working hard to unlock the potential for this technology and come up with several clever new designs. Helios, headquartered in Roseville, California is an early-stage CleanTech startup that builds micro hydroelectric generators for distributed power grids. The company’s flagship products, PowerBall and PowerWheel are waterwheels that drive generators to produce clean electricity. They use water flowing in canals, rivers, tides  and the base of dams day and night. No impediment is needed. During high-flow times or when a lot of deris is in the water, the unit lifts itself up to avoid being submerged or damaged. Helios is currently developing a range of PowerBall units from 100w to 4kW and PowerWheel units from 5kW to 40kW. They have a proprietary generator self contained in the water wheel allowing their wheels to generate sufficient energy in low flow areas to make them economical even in smaller units.  This adds up to Helio’s products having a comparative advantage by being 1) easy to install, 2) self-contained, 3) scalable, and 4) compact when compared to other systems. On top of all that Helios’ units generate over 3 x the energy of similarly rated wind and solar generators when the water is flowing 24/7.   They are targeting developing countries, especially rural areas far from the grid.  They see a niche market of $700 million in sales. They are not envisioning much of a market in the US.  Helio has placed its prototypes in California and the Philippines and is constantly collecting data for improvement. Mike envisions a mass deployment of their technology in the developing countries particularly concentrated in South East Asia and India.  They have a number of development agency prospects in the pipeline for situations where wind and solar are not suitable. Their model is to sell the equipment, and manufacture it in low cost the countries near where it will be installed. More information can be found here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Qidong is a CleanStart Associate who follows new technologies that can connect with his passion for sustainability, education and economic empowerment. Helping CleanStart and clean tech startups in the Sacramento Region, he is looking to help positively impact the world. He recently graduated from UC San Diego and has a B.S. in Managerial Economics. His multicultural background helps companies approach problems from new perspective.in the region.

Big Buzz at the Global Summit–And More

Big Buzz at the Global Summit–And More

May 10, 2018

Sacramento just had its biggest tech startup event ever.  This Tuesday (May 8) seven clean tech companies got some great exposure when they found themselves in a room of 1,000 people at the Second Impact Global Venture Summit at the Golden 1 center.  There was Athena Intelligence, CarbonBlu, Enerdapt, Empower Energy, Tenkiv, Terzo Power, and Solar Roof Dynamics. Jack Crawford, Impact VC General partner, kicked off the event welcoming startups and investors to the capital of the 5th largest economy in the world. Excitement continued with speakers from Mayor Steinberg, to Betty Yee, and to panels of active investors.  This was a big step-up from the First Summit last year, which was very good itself.

At rows and rows of exhibit tables, 75 tech companies of all types were showcased on the floor of the Golden 1 center, surrounded by investor and panel discussions that were recorded and shared around the world.  It was an amazing event. CleanStart had its own table and encouraged investors and supporters to take a close look at all the green companies not only at the show but also on our map of the 100 core cleantech companies in the region.

Checking with our exhibitors at the end of the day, they all said they made many important connections to potential investors, to advisors, and to potential customers.

There is huge value in getting this kind of attention.  This Summit and the Five Star Bank invitation-only pitchfest in March have really put Sacramento on the radar screen for investors.  There will be another Summit next year, and Five Star is hoping to do two of its events each year. The next is planned for the fall.  These are golden opportunities for startups to get in front of the right people, and CleanStart is here to help get you in the pipeline.  Both events are selective, so preparation is essential. There are other events outside the region that can be very good as well, but are even more competitive while offering significant cash prizes.  The Clean Tech Open is one of those, and we also can help get you in there.

And don’t forget the Big Bang competition at UC Davis each year.  We sponsor a special prize for the best clean tech business plan in the Big Bang, available along with the other standard prizes for the top three overall.  The rules now are much less restrictive on who can participate, so don’t overlook this opportunity.

If you need to raise money, these are some efficient ways to get your story out to the right crowd.  Contact us if you want to know more.

 

Thomas Hall

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gary Simon is the Chair of CleanStarts Board. A seasoned energy executive and entrepreneur with 45 years of experience in business, government, and non-profits.

Company Profile: AjO

Company Profile: AjO

May 1, 2018

Our next greatest energy resource may not be found in the ground, the wind or the ocean, but in the simple act of fine-tuning the systems we already have. What am I talking about? I introduce to you AjO, the startup shaking up the way the housing industry deals with energy efficiency.

AjO is a web-based data tool that integrates data and visual story to drive demand for home energy efficiency. The database is the first of its kind to supply fast, easy and accessible reports to track the details of home improvement projects. It will allow contractors, builders and real estate agents alike to inform homeowners on the percent and dollar value of upgrades that reduce energy usage, such as lighting and insulation. Additionally, all fields are coded for search capacity so AjO is helping create a standardized dictionary of terms and opening doors for people working in the housing industry that are not certified in energy efficiency.

Debra Little, the visionary entrepreneur behind AjO, says that by viewing energy efficiency as an energy resource, it has the power to displace other more costly measures such as building new energy plants. Investing in AjO, alongside other energy efficiency tools can ultimately reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and yield a cleaner planet. This one central goal has driven Debra to work tirelessly in R&D for years and bootstrap the entire project herself.

Debra is currently growing AjO, connecting with communities like CleanStart partner BlueTechValley (BTV), and looking for additional funding to push it to the next level. Unfortunately, taking advantage of support like BTV takes Debra an entire day to drive to and from Fresno or the Bay area. Naturally, AjOis looking forward to a larger CleanStart presence for support here in Sacramento. Entrepreneurs like Debra can benefit from CleanStart connections and events like last month’s grant workshop and future Cleantech Meetups. Make sure to keep on the look out for this rising startup!

For additional information, visit AjO’s website here or contact Debra Little at DL@AjOhp.org.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kate is a recent graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and has a strong background in entrepreneurship and global politics. After helping launch an AgTech startup on the central coast, Kate is back in her hometown looking to take her experience into the world of Cleantech and help grow the Sacramento region.