Video: Clean tech accelerator opens in San Francisco

Greenstart, a clean tech accelerator based in San Francisco, announces its first four companies to the 12-week program.

In the video below, I talk to Greenstart co-founder Mitch Lowe about the importance of motivating talented individuals to solve energy problems and San Francisco's Mayor Edwin Lee about his thoughts on the accelerator. The video ends with pitches from the four companies. Watch the video:

The companies include:

• Tenrehte Technologies: inventor of wireless products for the energy efficiency market. The company's first product is PICOwatt, a Wi-Fi smart plug that can keep tabs on real-time energy use. Buildings can save between 20 and 30 percent at the outlet.
• Sylvatex: creates SmartFuel to reduce petro-diesel consumption by replacing part of the fuel with biomass-derived ingredients. The goal is to reduce carbon emissions.
• Lonon: inventor of a smarter window called SmarterShade. The technology allows windows to tint on-command.
• Wa.tt: a free energy monitoring tool that aims to save consumers 15 percent on their energy bill.

Each of the four companies received $25,000 to $100,000 in funding. Besides funding, the entrepreneurs will receive moral support from mentors, get on a fast track to clean tech connections, and eventually get a chance to pitch their idea to investors at the end of the 12-week program.

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com