What makes a cleantech superstar? Money, management, technology and talent - This was the overriding message from AxiCom’s inaugural CleanTech networking seminar in December. With global investment in CleanTech increasing year-on-year during 2010, start-up organisations were keen to hear what it takes to become the next superstar from the diverse selection of panellists.

The panel included Dr. Henri Winand, CEO of Intelligent Energy, a UK-based global clean power systems company; Chi Onwurah MP, a junior shadow Minister for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills; Lorna Brazell, IP Partner at Bird & Bird, an international law firm; and Dr. Simon Haworth, a clean technology venture capital investor. During the course of the event the panel examined the characteristics of a successful clean technology, how to impress investors, IP protection and the UK as a world leader in clean technology. 

So what is CleanTech exactly? Answers included Dr. Winand’s “delivering more efficiency for our customers” and “the wave we are surfing” from Dr. Haworth. Dr. Winand suggested cleantech superstars require “insights and hard work” and argued that a differentiated technology and professional representation through PR was vital, “if you don’t have those, you are not in the game”.    

Investors look for “someone with a great vision, but need to see cash today” according to investor Dr. Haworth, who advised companies to “talk about the business not the technology” when seeking investment and to “stop worrying about the idea. Protect it, but the execution skills, the management and the ability to show early revenue are much more interesting to me.”

Protecting Intellectual Property (IP) troubled many cleantech companies present. To prevent customers infringing on IP (a common occurrence), Dr. Winand recommended “better running shoes” (i.e. a shorter time to market) as the only route to success, describing patent defensive strategies as “a game of chess”. Lorna Brazell was optimistic about IP laws, remarking that many companies will pay to licence technologies and that IP litigation is now realistic for smaller companies. The panel also discussed the role of Government in “picking winners”, with Chi Onwurah MP emphasising that financial support for technology clusters and test centres was vital to ensure the continued commercialisation of novel technologies.  

To be a cleantech superstar, good ideas, people and management, risk capital that can open doors and a stable policy framework are needed. “What you need is talent” commented Dr. Winand, who highlighted the increasing difficulty in finding talented people due to restrictive immigration policies and the loss of a “buzz” of building things within our society. For a would-be cleantech superstar, “getting the right talent to grow is paramount.”

Watch more video clips from the event at our CleanTech YouTube channel, you can learn more about what we do one our expertise page, keep up to date on the latest news and issues via our Twitter stream and connect with us via our LinkedIn Group.

Matt