Category: N-News

Vice President Joe Biden Visits LACI

Posted on November 17, 2015 by - N-News

Fred H. Walti, II, CEO, LACI, United States Vice President Joe Biden, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
VP, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and LACI CEO Fred Walti Take Part in Cleantech Roundtable

On Monday November 16, Vice President of the United States Joe Biden visited the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) to take part in a roundtable discussion with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, LACI CEO Fred Walti and a panel of investors and entrepreneurs to discuss jobs and clean technology.

Panelists included LADWP General Manager Marcie Edwards, Deputy Mayor of Economic Development Kelli Bernard, LACI Board Members Jim McDermott, Richard Morganstern and David Nahai, TCW Managing Director Tom Soto, as well as several entrepreneurs from LACI’s portfolio of companies, who got the Vice President’s ear for a few minutes while getting to share with him their innovative technologies.

Biden’s visit gave Mayor Garcetti and LACI’s Fred Walti a chance to show off the newly opened La Kretz Innovation Campus, a facility built and owned by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and now LACI’s home in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles. Garcetti’s opening remarks highlighted the features of the new facility and the impact La Kretz will have on the economy and the cleantech landscape in Los Angeles.

“LACI recognizes that while we face global challenges, what we need are local solutions. Solutions like this… in every city,” said Mayor Garcetti in his opening remarks. “It offers our entrepreneurs, our future workers, our students, our innovators, our darers and our doers 60,000 square feet of space that is theirs to explore the possibilities of what tomorrow may look like.”

“This is where the magic happens…invention, innovation, incubation,” said LACI’s Fred Walti. “This (La Kretz) is a unique place to build a company…a cleantech entrepreneur can take an idea, do research, go down the hall and prototype, then go across the hall to LADWP, and test and get an idea certified…then get a chance to get the idea to marketplace. There’s no other place like this… this is the model for the future.”

Vice President Biden praised the efforts of the Mayor, LACI, and the entrepreneurs sitting at the roundtable. “This incubator brings together innovative minds with the courage to take a chance on a new idea…you have a mayor with a vision…a sense of optimism,” said Biden. There’s power in an incubator… using science and technology to take an idea from paper to product to the marketplace.”

Participating LACI portfolio companies included LACI CIO Ian Gardner from CAGIX, Ka Suen of Chai Energy, Arcady Sosinov of FreeWire Technologies, Chris Blevins of Pick My Solar, Lauren Gropper of Repurpose Compostables and John Walsh of Vena Water.

Biden went on to stress building unity and consensus in pursuing an innovation economy and moving our nation forward, telling the entrepreneurs, “You represent the future.”

Pick My Solar Wins at Techweek Launch LA

Posted on November 15, 2015 by - N-News, Portfolio Companies, N-PortfolioCompanies

Congratulations to LACI Portfolio Company Pick My Solar, who won the $50,000 prize as champions of the Techweek Launch LA pitch competition on Friday November 13. Competing against 100 startups all over LA and judged by a panel of prominent venture capitalists, Pick My Solar was also voted People’s Choice award winner on Twitter.

Techweek’s Launch Championship pits top startups from around the country and the world in a competition to crown Techweek’s Launch Grand Champion. Pick My Solar now moves on to Miami in December to compete against winners in Miami, Detroit, Kansas City, Chicago and New York competitions. LACI wishes Max, Chris, and the whole Pick My Solar Team the best as they continue on.

UBI Recognizes LACI as One of Two High Impact Incubation Programs

Posted on November 3, 2015 by - N-News

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Toronto, Ontario, Canada (November 3, 2015) – At the UBI Awards and Networking Event in Toronto on November 3, 2015, it was announced that the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) was recognized as one out of only two High Impact Incubation Programs in North America, based on UBI’s Global Benchmark Study of 2015. LACI was noted for its contribution to the growth of its local economy by catalyzing job creation, providing high-quality incubation services to its client startups, especially on access to fund indicators.

LACI has also been shortlisted for the UBI Global World Rankings Announcement for Top University Associated Business Incubators 2015 on December 15 in Stockholm, Sweden.

This is the second consecutive year LACI has received an honor from UBI’s world-renowned rankings, as the 4 year old incubator was recognized as the #6 Incubator globally by UBI in 2014, from over 800 candidates in 67 countries.

Based on the one of the most comprehensive frameworks to measure incubator performance, UBI Index examines over 66 distinct criteria to determine each incubator’s economy enhancement performance, such as job creation and talent retention, value for their client base, such as access to funds and competence development, and the client’s post-incubation performance (see www.ubiindex.com  for details).
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A New International Partnership in Support of Cleantech Entrepreneurs

Posted on November 3, 2015 by - N-News

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Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator and MaRS Cleantech announce a new international partnership in support of Cleantech entrepreneurs

LOS ANGELES, CA (November 3, 2015) — Tuesday was the dawning of a new international collaboration as the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) and MaRS Cleantech, a division of MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, have announced an co-operation agreement aimed at increasing the adoption of clean technologies and the advancement of a sustainable future for both cites.

LACI and MaRS Cleantech will focus on several joint programs aimed at advancing cleantech innovation globally, including the development of a reciprocal “Landing Pad” program, enabling cleantech entrepreneurs to access programming, networks and platforms to assist companies in both Canadian and California markets.

In addition, the partnership will concentrate on projects such as the development of LACI’s Network for Global Innovation (NGIN), which brings together innovation institutions around the world to provide access to customers and investors worldwide, share best practices and accelerate the commercialization of clean technology on a global scale.

The agreement was signed at the new La Kretz Innovation Campus in Downtown Los Angeles in an event co-hosted by VerdeXchange and LACI that featured remarks by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, and a panel discussion featuring the topic Cleantech Collaboration: California and Ontario, Canada.

“We’re delighted to announce this collaboration between hubs in Toronto and Los Angeles during Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s visit to California,” said Dr. Ilse Treurnicht, CEO, MaRS. “Partnering with LACI will create opportunities for innovative cleantech companies in Canada and California to collaborate and grow globally.”

“We are thrilled to be entering into this co-operation agreement with one of Canada’s premier innovation institutions,” said Fred Walti, CEO, LACI. “Both LACI and MaRS are dedicated to helping cleantech innovators get their ideas to market — no matter where in the world that market is. This is an exciting example of the best kind of collaboration between two technology leaders and important trading partners.”
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SoCal Edge: Accelerating Investments in Innovative Building Technologies

Posted on October 26, 2015 by - N-News, SoCal Edge

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SoCal Edge First Movers and Advisory Board with representatives from the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Kilroy Realty, UCLA, Hudson Pacific Properties, Jones Lang LaSalle, Morlin Asset Management, Los Angeles Green Building Council, Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites, Southern California Edison, ABM, and RedCar Properties LTD.
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By Monica Kanojia

Any time industry leaders and stakeholders are brought together great strides can be made toward accomplishing mutual goals. The Los Angeles Better Buildings Challenge (LABBC) provided a platform to do just that during its Third Annual Building Technology Showcase, where leading technology companies gave fast-pitch presentations on the best energy and water solutions available in the marketplace to the LABBC’s network of property owners, property managers, and contractors.

The showcase, co-hosted by LACI, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, represented a breadth of technology experts with presentations ranging from water recycling and water metering to building controls to cooling tower solutions. Each expert presented their technology’s features and applications as well as average energy and cost savings, ROIs, rebates, and successful case studies. Networking after the presentations led to a number of productive connections.

Full story…
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Hyperloop, Lyft Execs Predict Profound Shifts in Personal Mobility

Posted on October 23, 2015 by - N-News, GloSho15 News

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by Michael Walker
10/22/2015 5:48pm PDT

The day after ‘Back to the Future’ ‘Day, leaders at the GloSho15 conference predicted a near future of self-driving electric cars and 15-minute trips from L.A. to Vegas: “We don’t have to reinvent the wheel — this is existing technology.”

Full Story….
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Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to Deliver Keynote Address at GloSho15

Posted on October 1, 2015 by - N-News

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A long-time champion of sustainability and job creation, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will deliver the keynote address on the morning of October 21st, Day 1 of GloSho’15. In April, Mayor Garcetti released L.A.’s first-ever Sustainable City pLAn, a roadmap for accomplishing back to basics short-term results while establishing a path to strengthen and transform LA in the decades to come. By taking on the challenges of the environment, economy and equity together, the Mayor’s pLAn is moving the City of Los Angeles towards a truly sustainable future.

The Mayor’s address kicks off a day of programming featuring compelling keynote speakers, technology demonstrations, and high-level thought leadership panels, featuring top investors who will provide an insider’s perspective on the evolving Cleantech investment ecosystem. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or an investor, no other Cleantech conference in North America brings you this kind of access to intellectual capital, business opportunities and investment.

Visit glosho.la frequently for the latest GloSho’15 program.
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LACI Wins Grant in SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition

Posted on August 5, 2015 by - N-News

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White House Cabinet Member Maria Contreras-Sweet, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) returned to her hometown Tuesday August 4th to visit the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s La Kretz Innovation Campus in Downtown Los Angeles, celebrating LACI and the City of Los Angeles with a pair of awards that will directly impact L.A.’s small business community.

Ms. Contreras-Sweet presented CEO Fred Walti a check for LACI’s win in the SBA’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, applauding LACI’s efforts working with small businesses and green job creation. The grant will help the organization further its mission of accelerating the commercialization of clean technology to grow the innovation economy and enhance its efforts to include a diversity initiative and more inclusive entrepreneurship for underserved Angelenos.

The SBA chose 80 winners from 400 applicants for the Growth Accelerator Fund. “The entrepreneurial ecosystem in America is incredibly exciting and very powerful,” said Javier Saade, Associate Administrator for Office of Investment and Innovation. “Administrator Contreras-Sweet and I welcome this year’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition winners and the important and inclusive work they do in support of innovative and high-growth small businesses.”

All in all, Tuesday was a win-win for LACI and the City of Los Angeles, as the City received the “Dream Big” Award in the SBA’s “Startup in a Day” Program, a grant which L.A. will use to build an open-source web portal aimed at streamlining business licensing and registration, enabling that process to take place in under 24 hours.
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Fred Walti commented, “We are honored that the SBA recognized both LACI and the City of Los Angeles this way, to invest in our efforts to create green jobs and help build a sustainable city.”

Read the full press release here: https://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/08/prweb12890657.htm
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SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, Victor Parker, District Director, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and LACI CEO Fred H. Walti II – Presentation of “Dream Big” Award to City of LA
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Michael Swords, LACI VP Partnerships, Maria Contreras-Sweet, SBA Administrator, Fred H. Walti II, LACI CEO – Tour La Kretz Innovation Campus
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Pick My Solar wins SBA’s “Outstanding Small Business” award for 2015

Posted on May 8, 2015 by - N-News, Blog, Press Coverage, Portfolio Companies

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LACI Portfolio Company Pick My Solar was named this year’s “Outstanding Small Business” on May 4th at Los Angeles City Hall. Presented by Mayor Garcetti as part of LA Small Business Week, the recognition comes from the U.S. Small Business Administration‘s Small Business Development Center.

Pick My Solar was founded in 2013 and joined LACI that same year. With backgrounds in engineering, Co-Founders Max Aram and Chris Blevins have always felt passionate about solar power, both from scientific and environmental perspectives. When they entered the solar industry after college, they realized that a major obstacle to broad-based industry growth was confusion on the part of consumers over the purchasing, bidding, and financing of solar power. Max and Chris then created Pick My Solar, which serves as an online marketplace, to simplify the process, drive down costs, and provide transparency for homeowners.

Since it’s founding just two years ago, Pick My Solar has assisted over 10,000 homeowners with solar pricing, data, and installation.

This award from Mayor Garcetti and the Small Business Administration adds to an exciting list of recognitions the company has received this year, including winning a U.S. Department of Energy grant for app development and being highlighted on KTLA’s “Money Smart” segment.

LACI’s President & CEO Fred Walti commented on the award, saying

Pick My Solar is a great example of a company harnessing the innovative, entrepreneurial spirit here in the LA region. Not only are they making a positive environmental impact through the services they offer, they’re saving homeowners money and contributing to the increase in home solar installations, which helps created jobs in LA’s green economy. Here at LACI, we’re proud to have Pick My Solar as one of our Portfolio Companies and know they will continue to succeed as they expand throughout the Southern California market.

To learn more about Pick My Solar and how they can help you go solar in a simple, affordable way, visit their website.

If you’re interested in putting LACI’s tools and networks to work for you and your business, apply to be a Portfolio Company here.

Earth Day 2015: A new partnership for innovation between LACI and Greentown Labs

Posted on April 22, 2015 by - N-News, Blog, Main, Partners, Programs

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LACI partnering with Somerville, MA’s Greentown Labs to expand resources and market access for cleantech startups

Earth Day 2015 marks the beginning of a bi-coastal partnership between the two leading cleantech incubators in their respective markets. LACI and Greentown Labs have signed an agreement fostering collaboration between the Los Angeles and Boston area cleantech ecosystems to benefit early stage environmentally focused companies.

Greentown Labs is the first domestic partner to join LACI’s Network for Global Innovation (NGIN), which brings together innovation institutions around the world aimed at accelerating the commercialization of clean technology on a global scale.

“LACI is very excited to welcome Greentown Labs into the Network for Global Innovation family”, said Fred Walti, President and CEO of LACI. “They are an outstanding example of an incubator building significant cleantech companies and getting them successfully into the market. We’re excited and honored to have them join the rest of NGIN partners in Mexico, Finland, Germany, Italy, China, and Japan”.

In addition to exchanging best practices between startup ecosystems, the collaboration will also allow early stage companies to access each organization’s network of potential investors, customers, and partners. As part of the agreement, LACI and Greentown Labs are both hosting “Landing Pad” programs, a component of NGIN designed to help cleantech entrepreneurs enter NGIN members’ markets in a structured, cost-effective, and risk-mitigated way.

 “We see our partnership with LACI as critical to our startup companies, providing connections to new investors in new markets, both nationally and internationally”, said Greentown Labs CEO and Executive Director Emily Reichert.

LACI and Greentown Labs will offer office space, mentor and advisory services, networking, and showcase opportunities to each incubator’s portfolio companies, providing the foundation for successful market expansion for cleantech entrepreneurs. To date, NGIN partners in Beijing, Berlin, Los Angeles, and now the greater Boston area have Landing Pad programs available to cleantech startups in the network.