On May 3rd Northwestern’s own S2E Solar was one of 25 semi-finalists in the MIT Clean Energy Prize competition. Five teams in five different categories competed to go on for the grand prize, which was awarded on May 9th. The competition was open to student teams from universities across the country.
The categories included Transportation, Clean Non-Renewables, Renewables, Energy Efficiency, and Deployment. S2E Solar, which makes high-efficiency, low-cost transparent conductors for thin film solar cells, competed against four other solar teams in the Renewables category. While the category was over saturated with solar-based technologies, there were plenty of interesting companies. The category winner, Ubiquitous Energy, has developed ultra-lightweight, ultra-flexible solar cells that can be deposited on paper or textiles.
Stand out teams in other categories included PK Clean, which can transform plastic waste into fuel, and the grand prize winner, CoolChip Technologies, which has developed a technology to address thermal management issues at computing and data centers.
The day consisted of a closed judging round, as well as a three hour poster showcase open to the public. The poster showcase gave teams the chance to speak with a wide variety of industry people, make contacts, and share their companies with the general public. A reception after the days events allowed teams and judges to mingle and network. The clean tech landscape in Boston is robust, and the event drew a large and enthusiastic crowd, making it fertile ground for entrepreneurs, investors, and those interested in the future of energy and clean tech innovation.
S2E Solar will go on to compete as a finalist on May 24th in Northwestern’s NUVC competition.
Entrepreneur.NU 