Last Call for Israeli Clean Tech Companies: Meet Dream Teams In California

If you were an aspiring actor, it would be like getting an invitation to a wine and cheese Hollywood party with the industry’s top directors. Or an aspiring chef, getting some in-person training with Le Cordon Bleu masters in Paris. If you are an Israeli clean technology entrepreneur in focus areas of renewable energy, water, or smart grid technologies, now is your time to shine under the sun of California’s hottest clean tech investors, potential partners and utilities companies.

The California Israel Chamber of Commerce (CICC) is making its last call for Israeli companies to apply to its prestigious 3-day event, promising to open doors to some of the best opportunities America has to offer. Will your company open that door on April 26 to 28 this year?

Costing a symbolic $1,500 to participate, Israeli clean tech companies – about 12 to 15 in total – will meet over a period of 3 days with an unparalleled group of VCs, Californian clean tech companies, and high-profile utilities representatives from companies such as PG&E and the California Public Utilities Commission.

The process of selection isn’t easy, but Shuly Galili, the executive director of the California Israel Chamber of Commerce (CICC), tells Green Prophet there is a still a few days for companies to apply. An 8 slide presentation will be ask as part of the application process so the CICC has ascertain how ready your company is to come to market. The CICC is looking for companies that are in advanced stages of development, not just in the lab.

Californian investors and the like are open to a range of ideas from the clean technology spectrum, says Galili, but preferred market areas will be in renewable energy, water and smart grid technologies. These are the solutions that California is looking for.

Due to a similar even last year, the Israeli solar energy company Tigo was able to raise money, reports Galili, who is hoping to help more Israeli clean tech companies do the same.

Here are some of the events on the agenda of the 3-day meeting:

One-on-one meetings with VCs and companies

A seminar on accessing US government stimulus funds (similar to the one that BrightSource just cashed in on in California)

3 hour meetings with public utilities companies to understand their needs and limitations (how to work with and sell to utility companies)

Seminars that allow Israeli companies to see their competitors in California, and their development in the market (will give young Israeli companies a perspective on their market potential)

Seminars on finding funding capital in the US

“The Israeli VC funding landscape is dwindling,” says Galili. It’s becoming a challenge to find funding, and knowing how Californians think and invest will help open doors, she adds. About 30 different VC funds will participate in the event.

The Who’s Who?

Participating organizations in the initiative will include industry giants such as SRI, Chevron, IBM, the California Public Utilities Commission, Electric Power Research Institute, Energy Recovery Inc, Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), Google, PARC, General Electric (GE), Intel, Sempra Generation, SVB, Perkins Coie, BrightSource Energy, Applied Materials, the Cleantech Group, Israel Cleantech Ventures, US Venture Partners, Greylock Partners, Battery Ventures, Vantage Point Venture Partners and more.

Want to apply? Download the application here – the CICC Cleantech Initiative (links to PDF).

Read more on Israel and California cooperation in cleantech:
The Israel Cleantech Tour Returns to California
California Signs Cleantech Coop Deal with Israel
Top Californian Cleantech Investors Head to Israel