San Francisco will play host to more than 800 investors, entrepreneurs and leading renewable energy experts at the international Cleantech Forum XVI convening next week. This year’s forum is highlighting 2008 as ‘The Defining Year for Cleantech Globalization.’
Investors, entrepreneurs, industry influencers and corporate leaders at the forefront of the rapidly developing cleantech investment and business category from North American, Europe, the Gulf States and Asia will convene in San Francisco for Cleantech Forum(R) XVI, to be held at the San Francisco Fairmont Hotel from February 25-27, 2008.
Cleantech Forum XVI is hosted by the Cleantech Group, LLC, founders of the cleantech investment category. The annual flagship meeting of the world’s cleantech leaders, representing over $8 trillion in assets, will define investment trends for 2008 and focus capital on the emerging opportunities and solutions to natural resource constraints and global climate change issues.
Dr. Sultan Ahmed al Jaber, CEO of the Masdar Initiative and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, will deliver the keynote address at the Cleantech Forum XVI Gala Dinner on Tuesday February 26. With a $15 billion commitment announced in January, Dr. Sultan al Jaber is leading the largest government-supported cleantech initiative in the world.
U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Andy Karsner will highlight the Department’s transformational public-private sector work intended to accelerate the development, deployment and commercialization of cutting-edge, clean energy technologies from the Agency’s national laboratories into the global marketplace.
Ko Kheng Hwa, Managing Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board, will discuss the recent allocation of $490 million in cleantech R&D funding which is part of a larger strategy to strengthen Singapore’s position as a leader in Asia’s emerging cleantech industry.
Mayor Gavin Newsom for City of San Francisco will open Cleantech Forum XVI on February 26, 2008 and highlight the groundbreaking steps the city is taking to stimulate investment and reach the goals of a 20 percent decrease in CO2 emissions below 1990 levels by 2010 and carbon neutrality for city government by 2020.
In 2007, venture capital firms invested more than $6.0 billion in cleantech worldwide, representing the sixth consecutive year of sustained investment growth, according to the Cleantech Group’s recently issued year-end analysis. VC investments are an early indicator of larger capital flows and highlight emerging sectors of innovation and substantial growth.