Clean Technology
In the Clean Technology sector, the quarter was comparatively quiet after the large funding amounts tendered in the previous quarter, though overall the same number of companies were funded - seven. The dominant funding event was a $50 million round for Serious Materials. The company develops and manufactures sustainable green building materials that it claims reduce the impact of the man-made environment on climate. Serious says it is going to use the proceeds to build new manufacturing facilities for its product lines in order to scale up production.
Of note, five other Clean Technology companies that received funding during the quarter were all water-focused firms:
| Primo Water | – mineral-enhanced water cooler water |
| Purfresh | – ozone-treated water purification |
| Stonybrook | – nanofibrous membranes for filtration |
| Zero Point | – evaporative processes for creating potable water |
| AquaVenture | – Water purification technologies (No website) |
Energy
Venture funding of Energy companies was up sharply from the previous quarter in both total funded amounts and number of companies funded, with 14 companies raising $174 million.
Lithium-ion technology companies received the greatest amount of funding, including the biggest deal of the quarter: A123 Systems raising $30 million in its series D funding. A123 has won some significant contracts for supplying hybrid electric vehicle fleets, most notably from General Motors Company.
Also, International Battery secured $25 million to complete its new manufacturing facility and ramp up production of its rechargeable lithium-ion cells and batteries. Planar Energy Devices raised $4 million in its first funding round to develop its thin-film lithium technologies.
Environmental
In the Environmental sector, NativeEnergy raised an undisclosed amount for its first round of institutional financing. The company offers traditional renewable energy credits and carbon offsets to businesses and individuals to help build wind and natural fuels projects. It already has several successful completed projects.
Table 1
Venture Funding Activity – 4th Quarter 2007
Industry
Click Industry For Detail
($25 Subscription Req’d) |
Total
Amount
Funded |
% Change
Vs. Prior
Quarter |
Number of
Companies
Funded |
% Change
vs. Prior
Quarter |
| Alternative Energy |
$202 Million |
- 65 % |
17 |
- 54 % |
| Clean Technology |
$123 Million |
- 66 % |
7 |
+ 40 % |
| Energy |
$174 Million |
+ 100 % |
14 |
+ 40 % |
| Environmental |
Undisclosed |
-- |
1 |
-- |
| Total |
$499 Million |
- 52 % |
39 |
- 26 % |