Cleantech Forum® XXI, the longest-running and largest annual assembly of global leaders of the clean technology sector, will be held in San Francisco from February 23-25, 2009 as clean technology takes an unprecedented place in the global conversation on economics, financial and energy issues.
The world's most prominent clean technology investors, entrepreneurs, influencers and policy-makers attend the Forum to form alliances, meet capital and engage with peers to share ideas and expertise.
Forging the investment agenda for 2009 and beyond will be attendees from a diverse range of global organisations, including Amyris Biotechnologies, Australian Trade Commission, Applied Materials, Bank of America, Braemar Energy Ventures, Cambridge Associates, China Environmental Fund, Emerald Technology Ventures, Fujitsu, GE Ecomagination, IBM Big Green Initiatives, Innovation Centre Denmark, Intel, Jefferies & Company, Merrill Lynch, New Enterprise Associates, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Nomura International, Piper Jaffray & Company, Sequoia Capital, Siemens, Silicon Valley Bank, Silver Spring Networks, SJF Ventures, Southern California Gas Company, Suntech Power, and Tata Power, US Green Building Council, among others.
The global financial crisis has only spurred greater interest in the clean technology sector and the Forum. This year's attendance is on track to match or exceed last year's, which was attended by nearly 1,000 of the world’s clean technology leaders, representing over USD3 trillion in capital.
This year's theme is Upside Driver in a Downside Market, emphasising the momentum of clean technology in driving job and wealth creation and stimulating global economic growth at the same time as addressing climate change and resource scarcity.
“Now more than ever, this is the 'must-attend' event for the sector’s key players,” said Nicholas Parker, Executive Chairman, Cleantech Group. “We’re convening around the hard issues, the unprecedented opportunities and the convergence of major economic decision makers. The access to capital, ideas, and key relationships is unparalleled, and the Forum is structured specifically (to create as many opportunities as possible) for attendees to interact with each other in informal settings and come away with what they need to move their organisations, and the sector, forward.”
The Cleantech Forum XXI program will be even more engaging for 2009. With numerous breaks, lunches and casual receptions, multiple parallel tracks of panel discussions and small-scale CEO presentations, attendees will be able network with hundreds of influencers throughout the three-day industry insider event.
Formats at the Forum are interactive and help to develop clear roadmaps towards accelerating market adoption of clean technologies. Attendees are able to gain a global perspective with access to insights from leaders in North America, Europe, India and China, Israel and the Arab region. Forums are news-breaking events as well, with major investment, policy and scientific initiatives frequently announced.
There will be an expanded slate of screened investment opportunities at the Forum, where competitively selected and institutional grade CEOs from across the clean technology category present and pitch. In addition, 20 CEOs at the forefront of key sectors will present in small-scale sessions, allowing attendees to ask difficult questions, examine sector issues and continue conversations in public or side discussions.
Sessions will cover the most promising opportunities in water, green buildings, thin film solar, smart grid and synthetic biology, as well as scientific breakthroughs and global policies, among others.
