A few days ago I attended the Ignite Clean Energy awards. To set the stage, unlike a number of MIT-specific events, this was hosted by the MIT Enterprise Forum for a number of local institutions. Thus, it didn't have a particularly MIT flavor.
The setting was the Stata center; it felt more like being in a version of the Westinghouse Science Fair. Exhibits weren't really well detailed, and most of the ideas on display were not as deeply technology focused as I thought. Rather, I think this was designed as a showcase for interesting early stage ideas, whether or not they can really be turned into companies or not is something else.
Stellaris(the ultimate winner) seemed to have the most buzz. I couldn't help but notice that the they put the execs with gray hair out on display; it just felt more like a real company. Stellaris uses passive optics to create solar windows and tiles at a 40% lower manufacturing cost than other players. Not sexy, but a picks and shovels approach that could turn into a viable business.
The Eagle Axis is another team that I found interesting, not only because I've known one of the board members(Bud Enright) for years. They have antenna technology for solar cells that triples the efficiency of existing cells. When senior people like Bud get involved, it means there's something under the covers.
None of these companies wow-ed me however. They all felt like science projects with varying degrees of viability, but not really venture businesses.
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