 | NOVA Innovation Competition for Environmental Sustainability - Deadline June 30 |
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Saint-Gobain’s NOVA External Venturing team seeks partnerships with innovative start-up businesses in the fields of construction products, advanced materials, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. It is a real opportunity for startups to receive public recognition, support from experts, cash prizes and perhaps even a partnership with the world’s largest building materials company. The competition’s three winners will benefit as follows: - The NOVA External Venturing team will work with the three winners to assess the possibility of partnerships with Saint-Gobain (joint development, license, financing, etc.). - The top three cash prizes are: $50,000 (first place), $25,000 (second place) and $10,000 (third place). Application deadline: June 30th As the world’s largest building materials company Saint-Gobain complements its significant commitment to in-house research and development by identifying start-up companies on the leading edge of emerging technologies that mesh with Saint-Gobain’s areas of strategic interest. NOVA External Venturing is the "match-maker" between start-ups and Saint-Gobain business units. Saint-Gobain and the US Green Building Council NCC have just signed a partnership to organize an Innovation Competition for startups that will be held at Greenbuild (the world’s largest exhibition for green building) in San Francisco, on November 15th, 2012 and will reward innovative solutions in the areas of Innovative Materials, Energy Efficiency, Green Building & Distribution Processes. Start-ups in the following areas are encouraged to apply: - Construction Materials that improve comfort, efficiency and safety, and lower housing costs. [Green materials, built-in solar power, thermal and acoustic insulation, prefabricated solutions and systems, ventilation and air quality, water purification and management, functional materials such as antimicrobial and self-cleaning, etc.] - Energy with a focus on sustainable approaches and next-generation technology. [2nd and 3rd generation photovoltaic cells, fuel cells, catalysis, energy storage and conversion solutions, etc.] - Clean Technologies for customers or processes. [Biomass, biopolymers, gas separation, exhaust gas processing, recycling technologies, etc.] - Lighting and Display technologies for energy efficiency, design innovation and new applications. [Transparent electrodes, substrates and active layers for LEDs, encapsulation of OLED devices, lighting solutions incorporated into building materials, natural lighting technologies, etc.] - Services for the Construction Industry to help envision and build the future. [Software or Internet solutions for craftsmen, renewable energy installation, renovation and energy performance, etc.] - Advanced Materials that push the boundaries of materials science for high-performance applications. [Ceramics, crystals, innovative glass and plastics, etc.] Important dates: - June 30, 2012: application deadline - September, 2012: pre-selection by in-house experts of Saint-Gobain and of the USGBC - November 15, 2012: finals, top management of Saint-Gobain and the USGBC About Saint-Gobain - World’s largest building materials company - Established in 1665 - More than $50 billion in annual sales - 190,000 employees - Operations in 64 countries - World leader in advanced materials and construction products, with a strong focus on energy efficiency and environmental sustainability http://www.novainnovationcompetition2012.com/ SOURCE: Saint-Gobain External Venturing |
