Brinks Innovation Competition

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

Catacel Corp. Wins 2011 Brinks Innovation Competition at Midwest Clean Tech 2011, Ecologic Tech and AquaMost Runners-Up

CHICAGO – Intellectual property law firm Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione today announced that Garrettsville, Ohio-based Catacel Corporation, which designs and manufacturers energy-efficient catalytic materials, has won the 3rd Annual Brinks Innovation Competition, a competition for business-ready ventures that are developing new products in the green and clean technology sector.

Columbia, Mo.-based Ecologic Tech, which engineers and manufactures environmentally responsible building materials, placed second in the competition. Madison, Wisc.-based AquaMost, Inc., which has developed new water purification technology, placed third. All winners were on hand to receive their awards on September 14, 2011, at the Midwest Clean Tech Conference 2011, held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Sponsored by Chicago-based Brinks, one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the country and one with a specific focus on the research sciences, engineering and technology, the Brinks Innovation Competition helps emerging and venture-ready clean and green tech companies gain visibility for their technology and make connections with early-stage investors, researchers, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and financiers that are focused on clean technologies, along with corporate R&D and business development executives.

“Collectively, the winners in this year’s competition represent a variety of exciting new products in the clean technology sector, with products that offer gains in energy efficiency, better and more environmentally responsible building materials, and clean water technologies,” said James P. Naughton, a shareholder and chair of the firm’s Green Technology Group. “The diversity in technology in the competition this year is a testament to the growing potential of the Midwest as a hotbed for innovation,” adds Naughton.

Catacel Corporation, represented at the competition by its CFO Graham Evans, engineers and manufactures novel, proprietary catalytic materials that significantly increase process output and improve energy and operating efficiencies by combining and improving heat transfer and catalytic functions. Catacel’s reactors are smaller, lighter, lower-cost and more energy-efficient than alternatives. Catacel primarily serves the advanced energy and chemical industries with a focus on the fuel cell, hydrogen, gas-to-liquid, petrochemical and aerospace sectors, and has engineered solutions for a range of global clients.

Ecologic Tech focuses on green technologies that solve problems in the building materials and biomass sectors. Represented at the competition by its CEO Jerry Liu, Ecologic Tech utilizes fly ash and other innovative materials to create new products. About 40 percent of the fly ash generated nationwide is used as a concrete ingredient or for constructing roadbeds, but the remaining 60 percent is unused and disposed of in landfills. Ecologic Tech manufactures bricks out of fly ash removed from the smoke of coal-fired power plants, and the new brick technology will significantly increase fly ash recovery rates.

AquaMost, Inc., whose President and CEO Todd Asmuth presented his company’s technology at the competition, has developed a unique water purification device based on a patented technology developed by scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The AquaMost device rapidly, economically and effectively destroys a variety of pathogens in water, including bacteria, viruses and fungi. The device also destroys harmful chemicals that contaminate drinking water, including hormone mimics such as bisphenol-A (BPA) found in plastics, as well as chemicals in pharmaceuticals and industrial contaminants.

Each entry in this year’s competition was evaluated by a panel of experts representing regional universities, venture capitalists and business executives familiar with clean and green technologies.

The Brinks Innovation Competition is presented by the Global Midwest Alliance, the Midwest Research University Network and the Economic Development Council and is sponsored by Brinks. For more information, visit www.midwestcleantech2011.com.

About Global Midwest Alliance
Global Midwest Alliance (GMA) is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to establish the Midwest as a globally recognized leader in innovation and business growth. They help trail-blazing Midwest companies and entrepreneurs grow by leveraging existing resources to develop new products and find customers throughout the world. GMA is the only business-led, region-wide organization dedicated to opening global opportunities for Midwest companies. For more information, visit www.globalmidwestalliance.org.

About MRUN
The Midwest Research University Network (MRUN) is an alliance of university business development professionals dedicated to facilitating growth of technology spinout companies through start–up formation. MRUN provides a forum for universities, investors and entrepreneurs to work regionally in pursuit of local venture formation. More information about MRUN is available at www.mrun.us.

About Brinks
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione is one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the United States and serves the intellectual property needs of clients around the world. Brinks has 150 attorneys, scientific advisors and patent agents who specialize in intellectual property litigation and all aspects of patent, trademark and copyright law. The firm also advises on issues relating to intellectual asset management, trade secret, unfair competition, and technology and licensing agreements. Brinks routinely handles assignments for companies in the electrical, chemical, and mechanical engineering sectors; the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and nanotechnology industries; and for companies whose work relates to Internet and computer technology law. The firm’s trademark practice works on behalf of clients who deal in a wide variety of products and services. Brinks is based in Chicago and has offices in Ann Arbor, Mich., Indianapolis, Ind., Research Triangle Park, N.C., Salt Lake City, Utah, and Washington, DC. More information is available at www.usebrinks.com.

*  *  *

CLICK HERE TO MEET THE FINALISTS

*  *  *

ENTRIES FOR THE COMPETITION ARE NOW CLOSED

PRIZE UPDATE: In addition to a cash prize, the winner of the 2011 Brinks Innovation Competition is being offered free base rent for two months and a 20% discount off of base rent for ten additional months in one wet-lab, dry-lab, or office within the University Technology Park at IIT Incubator (Please Note:  Base rent excludes property taxes and operating expenses).

*  *  *

COMPETITION UPDATE: Final entries for the Brinks Innovation Competition were received at the end of June.  The Brinks Innovation Competition panel of judges is pleased to recognize and thank the variety of entrants from across the clean tech sector. These include advanced submissions in water technologies, energy efficiency,  environmental materials, green build, wind power and biomass. The highly qualified pool of entrants illustrates the diversity of business opportunity that exists across the clean tech industry in the Midwest.

The top five finalists in the Brinks Innovation Competition will be announced on Friday, August 5, and will be exhibiting and presenting their technologies at Midwest Clean Tech 2011 on September 14, 2011 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

*  *  *

Global Midwest Alliance, The Midwest Research University Network (MRUN) and Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione are pleased to invite you to participate in the Midwest Clean Tech 2011 Brinks Innovation Competition, in conjunction with Midwest Clean Tech 2011, a one day program exhibiting Midwest excellence in Clean Technology innovation, products, and services.

Now in its third year, the Innovation Competition was created to help emerging and venture ready clean tech companies gain visibility and make connections.  The Innovation Competition will provide a showcase for developers of new technologies who offer competitive returns for investors and customers while providing solutions to global challenges.  The companies featured in this competition are developing products, services and processes which:

• Improve and promote the productive and responsible use of natural resources;
• Reduce or eliminate negative ecological impact; and,
• Provide superior performance at lower costs

Competition entries may include, but are not limited to, the areas of environmental technologies, renewable & alternative energy, infrastructure & community, and green building science.

Submissions to the competition will be judged by a panel of qualified experts representing regional universities, venture capitalists and clean tech business executives.  All finalists will receive recognition through conference print materials and the event website, and will be eligible to attend the Clean Tech 2011 conference free of charge.  Additional finalists’ representatives may attend at the reduced registration rate of $100.

The winning top five competition entrants will be invited to present their winning technology at the Midwest Clean Tech 2011 conference as a speaker (including complementary registration) before an international audience of early stage investors, researchers,  entrepreneurs, clean tech-focused venture capitalists and financiers, and corporate R&D and business development executives.  All other finalists will have the opportunity to display information on their entry in exhibitor space at the conference venue.

Criteria

• Applicants must be focused in the clean tech space as described above.
• Applicants should have a sound business plan.
• Applicants should have ideally completed an initial or angel round of funding.
• Companies presenting on the agenda at Midwest Clean Tech 2011 are not eligible to participate.
• Sponsors of Midwest Clean Tech 2011 are not eligible to participate.

(Download Entry Information Here)

Application

• Applications can be downloaded here as a Word document or as a PDF document.
• To apply, please send a 50-word (max) company profile and a non-confidential Executive Summary (two-page maximum length, including graphical content) to brinksinnovationcompetition@usebrinks.com.  Applications must be received no later than Monday June 28, 2011.
• Presenters will be notified of acceptance by August 5, 2011.
• The Executive Summary must be in Word or pdf format and must be organized under the following headings:  Name and Company Contact Information, Company Summary, Product/Technology, Market Opportunity, Sales and Marketing Strategy, Team/Founders, Investment Sought, and Use of Proceeds.
• There is no cost to apply or present.
• The competition judging panel reserves the right to disqualify submissions not adhering to application requirements or to request resubmission in the event that application criteria are not met.

Schedule

The Midwest Clean Tech 2011 Conference will be held on September 14, 2011 at the Federal Reserve Bank, Chicago, Illinois.  The Brinks Innovation Competition will take place during the afternoon session of the conference.

For those finalists selected among the top five to present their company at the conference, a presentation length of eight minutes will be strictly enforced.  PowerPoint slides are allowed, with a six-slide maximum – slides MUST be submitted before the event.  Presenters will have the opportunity to respond to audience questions immediately following their presentation.