Posts Tagged ‘firefly led lighting’

Austin Technology Incubator Graduates Six Clean Energy Companies: Atonometrics, Dorsan Biofuels, Firefly LED Lighting, Ideal Power Converters, OpenAlgae and RRE Solar

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

Tonight, at a special graduation and alumni event, the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), a not-for-profit part of the IC2 Institute of The University of Texas at Austin (UT), will graduate 21 companies.  Of those 21, six companies were part of ATI’s Clean Energy portfolio, including Atonometrics, Dorsan Biofuels, Firefly LED Lighting, Ideal Power Converters, OpenAlgae and RRE Solar.  These companies have collectively achieved remarkable business successes and have created hundreds of jobs for Texans.

Over 20+ years, ATI has developed and refined industry specific capabilities, currently organized into Information Technology, Wireless, Clean Energy and Bioscience sectors. In each industry sector, ATI brings its portfolio companies deep domain expertise and market- and technology-specific networks of advisors and investors. Tonight’s graduation event showcases successes in all four sectors, including six remarkable companies in clean energy.

Founded in 2001, the ATI Clean Energy Incubator (CEI) is one of the longest-established clean energy incubators in the United States and has a privileged position since UT does more energy research than any other university in the world. Through a strong partnership with the local electric company, Austin Energy, CEI has historically focused on electricity-related startups and is continuing the leadership role as a founding participant in the Pecan Street Project, which is running a $30 million smart grid/smart premises demonstration project in Austin. Currently, CEI is working successfully across the clean energy and clean tech spectrum with companies in the important spaces of water, energy management & efficiency, transportation, and green building technologies.

CEI has always invested in building the clean energy/clean tech ecosystem in Central Texas.  With Austin Energy, CEI hosts the annual Clean Energy Venture Summit, the premier clean energy investment conference in Texas.  The team also partners with the CleanTX Foundation to host CleanTX Forums and Solar Energy Entrepreneur Networking (SEEN) events in Austin. CEI is supported by the City of Austin, the Texas State Energy Conservation Office and the US Department of Energy. The six Clean Energy graduates include:

Atonometrics is a leading supplier of test and measurement technology for the solar photovoltaics (PV) industry.  The company has a worldwide presence with customers in Europe, Asia and North America.  Germany’s leading PV national laboratory, Fraunhofer, has adopted Atonometrics’ products in their PV lab.

Dorsan Biofuels was an early-stage biotech company with a proprietary technology for creating fungal biocatalysts capable of producing advanced biofuels and chemicals from agricultural, municipal and industrial waste materials.  Dorsan Biofuels raised enough angel money and SBIR funding from the US DOD to perform the research required to secure the IP and successfully completed a sale of those assets to Novozymes A/S, a large multinational producer of high-value chemicals, in December 2011. Dr. Kay Hammer returned to ATI as CEO of Dorsan Biofuels after also being the co-founder, along with Robin Curle, of one of the very first portfolio companies for ATI 20+ years ago. In 1991, Hammer co-founded Evolutionary Technologies International (ETI) – the first spin-out from MCC – to commercialize the results of a 3-year research project to build an enterprise solution to data integration management.

Firefly LED Lighting, founded in 2009, provides patented Firefly LED lighting to numerous commercial properties and residences with long life and high efficiency, using only 10% of the electricity versus incandescent lamps. With up to 60,500 hours of light output, Firefly LED lamps are the brightest, most energy efficient LED lights on the market. Made here in the USA in Texas, Firefly lighting is in large hotels, government buildings, restaurants, commercial properties and universities. Notably, the Texas-based, revenue generating company received a $3 million ETF grant and is bringing manufacturing jobs to the state.

Ideal Power Converters (IPC) makes electric power converters critical to clean energy installations, especially commercial-scale solar. Its PV inverter, as one example, reduces the weight and size of conventional inverters by 90%, disrupting this multi-billion dollar market. Recognized by the State of Texas with a $1 million ETF investment, and $2.5 million from the DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, production of these lightweight systems will also create thousands of clean tech jobs in Central Texas.

OpenAlgae enables low-cost recovery of oils from algae – a solution that requires novel technologies and disciplines ranging from biology to engineering, physics to water management. Algae processing requires a series of difficult separations. The difficulties lie not in the separations, but in doing each separation in a cost-effective, scalable way. OpenAlgae efficiently and cost-effectively concentrates algae from water and recovers oils from algae without using solvents or drying. Founded in 2008, OpenAlgae is owned by the Board of Regents of The University of Texas at Austin and Organic Fuels Holdings, Inc., Houston, Texas.

RRE Austin Solar develops large-scale solar farms and plans to become a 500MW+ solar developer within 5 years. It is developing the largest solar energy farm in Texas, the Pflugerville Solar Farm, where it will produce 60 MW. RRE wants to provide renewable energy through solar PV and become a change agent of clean energy perception.

“It is amazing to be part of ATI during a phase of explosive growth of clean energy and technology companies here in Central Texas.  It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with these six early-stage clean energy companies and assist in getting them to the point of where they are today,” said Mitch Jacobson, Clean Energy Co-Director. “We are very proud of these six companies who are helping to solidify Austin’s and ATI’s leadership in the clean energy and clean tech industry. We look forward to watching their continued success and helping more companies prosper in this very exciting industry.”

Contact:

Laura Beck for ATI

laurabeckcahoon@gmail.com

512-786-1098

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Austin Technology Incubator Holds Graduation For 21 Companies, Celebrates Beginning 23rd Year of Incubating Central Texas Companies

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

One week from today, the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), a not-for-profit unit of the IC2 Institute of The University of Texas at Austin (UT), will host a graduation and alumni event to celebrate more than two decades of incubating Central Texas technology companies.  On January 26, at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center at The University of Texas at Austin, ATI will recognize the “graduation” of 21 companies who have moved on from ATI over the past few years.

ATI will also announce the winner of the Laura J Kilcrease Civic Entrepreneurship Award. And, for the first time in many years, ATI will bring
together over 300 of the hundreds of technology influencers who have been part of the ATI family as executives of portfolio companies, advisors, investors, business partners, UT student interns, and ATI staff.  This alumni gathering will celebrate the community that ATI has created and hundreds of amazing business successes ATI has had a hand in.

The 21 companies to be honored as ATI graduates on January 26 include businesses focused on information technology, wireless, clean energy, and biosciences technology.  They are:

  • Agile Planet
  • Atonometrics
  • Axelo
  • Calxeda
  • Dorsan Biofuels
  • Famigo
  • Firefly LED Lighting
  • GameSalad
  • Ideal Power Converters
  • itzbig
  • Nitero
  • Notice Technologies
  • OpenAlgae
  • Qcue
  • RFMicron
  • RRE Solar
  • Savara Pharmaceuticals
  • Spredfast
  • Terapio
  • Unwired Nation
  • WiMax.com

View the full press release at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/1/prweb9120155.htm.

Press interested in attending the January 26th event and/or speaking with executives from ATI or the graduating companies can contact Laura Beck at 512-786-1098 or laurabeckcahoon@gmail.com.

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Call for event attendees to register for CEVS 2011 today

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

The Austin Clean Energy Incubator and Austin Energy recently announced the 5th Annual Clean Energy Venture Summit (CEVS) and the Cleantech Open Regional Judging & Awards, scheduled for September 28-29, 2011 at the AT&T Executive Education & Conference Center in Austin, Texas. The Clean Energy Venture Summit has become the premier cleantech business plan competition and educational conference in the Southern United States. 

We encourage you to register online at www.cleanenergyventuresummit.com, so you won’t miss out on this great learning and networking opportunity. Speakers this year will include Brewster McCracken, Executive Director of the Pecan Street Project, who will be moderating a smart grid panel and Larry Weis, General Manager of Austin Energy, who will participate in a utility panel focused on smart metering.

The Summit provides clean technology companies and entrepreneurs a venue for presenting their innovations to venture capitalists, angel investors and others who invest in clean energy, as well as experts from utilities, corporations, academia and government. This year, the Clean Energy Venture Summit has selected 10 later-stage start-up companies to present their technology to a panel of experienced investors; and, for the first time, the winners will receive cash prizes. The Summit has emerged as a major national funding resource for clean tech companies. In fact, our rough estimates indicate capital under management that is connected to CEVS totals at least $19 Billion. 

“The Clean Energy Venture Summit is a valuable opportunity for innovative cleantech companies to be center stage in front of the nation’s top clean energy investors,” said Mitch Jacobson, Co-Director of the Austin Clean Energy Incubator. “The major funding successes of ATI Clean Energy Incubator member companies such as Firefly LED Lighting and Ideal Power Converters after participating in CEVS speak for themselves.”

CEVS Successes:

Astrowatt, presented at CEVS 2010, completing Series A funding three months later in December. The company has also recruited a new management team, welcoming Jeannine Sargent as executive chairperson and Curt Vass as CEO in March 2011.

Ener-G-Rotors was part of CEVS 2010, and has since been named one of the top 10 US companies, making new energy technologies ideal for military customers. The honor was announced by the Clean Technology and Sustainable Industries Organization, a Texas nonprofit organization.

Firefly LED Lighting presented at CEVS 2009 and went on to raise funding from CTAN and ETF for a total of $3.4M. They are presently seeking an additional $4M in series B. Firefly has 12 Reps/Distributors, and are installed in Multiple Commercial and Residential buildings. They have over $30M in identified opportunities. 

Ideal Power Converters (IPC) was part of CEVS 2009, which resulted in signing a seed funding agreement with Battery Ventures. Now shipping commercial products, there are 10 people working at IPC with $1MM in sales and a big upswing expected next year. 

Tigo Energy moved on from presenting at CEVS 2010 to collaborating with Suntech Power Holdings to develop smart panel technology for PV installations. In early 2011, the company raised $10.6 million in Series C funding.

In addition to the later-stage business competition; the event will also host the South Central regional finals for the Cleantech Open, a national seed-stage clean energy competition with 5 companies vying for a chance to win a total of $80,000 regionally and, for three finalists, $250,000 at the Cleantech Open Global Forum in California.

For more information on CEVS 2011 and to register to attend the event visit www.cleanenergyventuresummit.com or email ATI Events Manager Robin Murphy at rmurphy@ati.utexas.edu. We are expecting to sell out again this year with over 400 conference participants. You can follow us @CEVS2011 on Twitter and join the conversation with #CEVS2011. Through the Web site you’ll also be able to connect with CEVS on Facebook and LinkedIn.

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FIREFLY LED LIGHTING, INC. DEMOS LED LIGHTING IN LOBBY OF AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Firefly LED Lighting is pleased to announce the recent installation of its PAR 20 LED lamps in Austin Energy’s headquarters.  In just over two years since company inception, Firefly LED Lighting has brought its lighting products to market, delivering on the promise of using 90% less electricity than standard lighting products. This green company is revitalizing the local economy by creating jobs for Texans, with its headquarters in Austin and its products manufactured in Texas.

Just a few days ago, Thursday, July 21, 2011, Michael Villarreal of Austin Energy’s Facilities Management team installed 24 of Firefly’s PAR 20 lamps in the lobbies and elevator on the first floor of Austin Energy’s headquarters located at 721 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX. The installation of these lamps will show how LED lighting systems use up to 90% less electricity than standard lighting products.

Energy industry regulators in the United States and worldwide are phasing out incandescent and fluorescent lighting in favor of LED (light-emitting diode) technology to save energy costs and lessen environmental impact. Firefly LED Lighting products are more energy efficient and longer lasting than conventional lighting, lowering consumer costs by over 80 percent for energy and 96 percent for maintenance and increasing ROI with a quick payback.

Firefly LED Lighting products provide a 32 percent reduction in temperature, 48 percent increase in thermal conductivity, an up to 223 percent increase in surface area, and up to 40K hours of light output, along with added light and motion sensors and controls.

The most cost effective and energy efficient lighting on the market, the benefits of Firefly LEDs are:

  • High Efficiency
  • Long Lamp Life
  • Low Power Consumption
  • Low Maintenance and Lamp Replacement
  • Reduced Carbon Footprint
  • Low Heat Generation
  • Environmentally Safe

Firefly continues to work to get its LED lighting into more locations, get its products commercial ready and widely available, especially in a city so environmentally conscious and supportive of a local innovator. The company is always available to talk with media and to arrange tests or demos of its products.

ABOUT FIREFLY LED LIGHTING, INC.

Firefly LED Lighting is a Texas-based and Texas-manufactured LED lighting company, founded in June 2009 that provides energy-saving LED lighting products. Firefly LED Lighting is at the forefront of innovation and design, producing LED lamps with modular components not found in other LED lamps. The Firefly LED Lighting line currently includes PAR 20, PAR 30 and PAR 38 replacement bulbs and fixtures, along with custom solutions. Firefly is a recent graduate of the Austin Technology Incubator and is a recipient of funding from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund.

Contact:

Tammy Porter for Firefly LED Lighting, Inc.

512-589-3004

tammy@ffled.com

www.fireflyledlight.com    

 

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Firefly LED Lighting Receives Texas Emerging Technology Funding

Monday, March 7th, 2011

The State of Texas Emerging Technology Fund recently announced that it has awarded $3 million to Austin Technology Incubator (ATI) member company Firefly LED Lighting for product commercialization.

Energy industry regulators in the United States and worldwide are phasing out incandescent and fluorescent lighting in favor of LED (light-emitting diode) technology to save energy costs and lessen environmental impact. Firefly LED Lighting products are more energy efficient and longer lasting than conventional lighting, lowering consumer costs by over 80 percent for energy and 96 percent for maintenance and increasing ROI with a quick payback.

Firefly products are manufactured in Texas, which helps strengthen the local economy and create jobs. Firefly CEO Steve Barcik said “We are very excited to be awarded the ETF grant to help commercialize our products. It is a big vote of confidence and validates our business model. The Texas Emerging Technology Fund cultivates the powerful entrepreneurial community in Texas and it is an honor and a privilege to work together with them to grow the economy and put Texans back to work.”

Last week, Firefly launched a complete series of spot and flood lamps for indoor and outdoor use. Firefly’s modular heat sink and driver technology ensure that the lamps will provide years of service and save thousands of dollars.

Barcik said Firefly has a powerful relationship with ATI and Clean Energy Incubator Director Mitch Jacobson, including regular advisory meetings and networking opportunities with local clean tech entrepreneurs, venture capital investors, government officials, and potential customers.

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FireFly Moving Up, Builds Sales Team

Friday, December 17th, 2010

firefly_squareAustin Technology Incubator member company FireFly LED Lighting continues on an upward ramp this month through the acquisition of two key sales representatives.

Brad Rock, FireFly’s new Director of Sales, is coming off a 12-year stint in the same role at Spacelabs Healthcare and brings depth in large capital and equipment sales with skills around product start ups. He also brings large institutional order expertise to the team. Todd Kenter, FireFly’s new account executive, brings to the team 20 years of experience in lighting design, LED lights, sales and a deep knowledge of the LED market. Kenter’s background in customer interaction and design knowledge will be key to landing larger LED lighting orders.

The two went right to work after coming on board earlier this month. Sales meetings are being held and multiple projects are in view, including a large office building in Dallas, a technology showroom in Silicon Valley and a high-end residential retrofit in Austin.

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FireFly LED Closes More Than $300,000 in Series-A Funding Round with Texas Angels

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

The Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), a not-for-profit arm of The University of Texas at Austin, announced today that its member company, FireFly LED Lighting, Inc., raised more than $300,000 in its series A funding round with investors from Central Texas Angel Network (CTAN) and Concho Valley Angel Network (CVAN).

Austin,Texas (PRWEB) July 28, 2010 — The Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), a not-for-profit arm of The University of Texas at Austin, announced today that its member company, FireFly LED Lighting, Inc., raised more than $300,000 in its series A funding round with investors from Central Texas Angel Network (CTAN) and Concho Valley Angel Network (CVAN).

FireFly’s full range of LED bulbs enables direct replacement of existing incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, both indoor and outdoor, to lower energy and maintenance costs for customers by up to 90 percent. More than reducing costs, FireFly’s “Smart LED” bulbs come loaded with sensors to make lighting infrastructure smarter from the hallway to the flood light to the street corner.

FireFly CEO Steve Barcik said the funding will go immediately to accelerate FireFly’s engineering and manufacturing, processes the company has established in Texas. In addition, he said, the funds will enable initial demonstration projects and sales.

Barcik said the initial funding round was crucial in honing FireFly’s message and direction as a company. “Going through the process with CTAN and CVAN really helped us differentiate ourselves,” Barcik said. “It was a great experience for myself and the company.”

Participating in FireFly’s series-A round was CTAN’s first substantial investment in a clean technology-focused company, Randall Crowder, the network’s director, said. “FireFly is going after a large market with significant competitors,” Crowder said. “It says a lot about their technology and management that they have done so well raising money from local angels.”

FireFly formed in June of 2009 and became an ATI member company in October of the same year. The company’s stage in growth made them an ideal fit for the ATI’s value proposition, ATI-Clean Energy Incubator director Mitch Jacobson said.

“Since coming on board, we have assisted them in company and market strategy and direction,” Jacobson said. “We’ve also helped them to raise funds from private and public sources, introduced them to key individuals in our network and assisted them in finding talent for their company. We are very high on Steve and his team and on the Firefly business model and will continue to go down the road of success with them.”

Immediately following acceptance as a member company, FireFly got its feet wet after the ATI team urged them to compete in October, 2009’s Clean Energy Venture Summit. “The Clean Energy Summit was our first and biggest pitching event,” Barcik said. “It got the community on board, lined up investment and got our company in front of top venture capital teams.”

About the Austin Technology Incubator

The Austin Technology Incubator is a nonprofit unit of The University of Texas at Austin that harnesses business, government and academic resources to provide strategic counsel, operational guidance and infrastructure support to its member companies to help them transition from early stage ventures to successful technology businesses. Since its founding in 1989, ATI has worked with over 200 companies, helping them raise close to $750 million in investor capital. ATI is a key program of the IC2 Institute at The University of Texas at Austin. For more information, visit www.ati.utexas.edu

About FireFly LED Lighting

FireFly provides full range of “Smart LED” light bulbs for direct replacement of incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. FireFly’s LED Lights are low energy, low heat and have a long life allowing customers to reduce heat and energy costs by up to 90 percent. With control and sensors built into the lamps to create a smart building from the socket down, we provide a worldwide range of options for reducing energy and improving efficiency. FireFly has designed lights that meet customer and market demand for light output and reliability. Any where you see a light source you will see FireFly lamps, bulbs, and fixtures. For more information, visit www.fireflyledlight.com.

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