"Innovation has never been more critical for our economy and ourenvironment," said Chris Vargas, Partner, Cleantech Circle, a judge andmentor for the 2008 competition. "That's why I'm absolutely thrilled to seethe breadth of ideas the 2008 Clean Tech Open winners have brought to thetable. I have no doubt this is just the beginning for them -- as it is forthe clean tech industry as a whole."

In the last two years, Clean Tech Open has helped its alumni raise over$115 million in funding and create hundreds of jobs. Expectations for the2008 winners are high. The six winners represent a diverse group ofCalifornian entrepreneurs, with businesses ranging from environmentallyfriendly diapers to innovations in solar technology to energy efficiencymanagement for data centers. The winners competed in six categories, andinclude:

--  Air, Water & Waste Award: Over the Moon Diapers -- makes high    performance, consumer friendly diapers that are industrial wash compatible    and can be laundered by diaper services.--  Energy Efficiency Award: Viridis Earth -- company makes an efficient    retrofit product to save 20-30% off of the $30 billion spent annually in    the U.S. operating residential air conditioners, offering a payback of less    than two years.--  Green Building Award: BottleStone -- manufactures ceramic stone    surface material made of 80% recycled waste glass.--  Renewables Award: Focal Point Energy -- offers solar hot water and    steam generation for industrial applications.--  Smart Power Award: Power Assure -- makes on-demand energy efficiency    management software for data centers.--  Transportation Award: ElectraDrive -- offers rapid, inexpensive    adaptation of existing vehicles to electric drive.    

An additional "Alumni Award" recognizing outstanding business achievementby a 2006 or 2007 CCTO finalist was presented to Jim Sanfilippo, CEO ofNiLA Inc., winner of the Energy Efficiency Award in 2007. The companyoffers environmentally sustainable lighting to the motion picture industry.The new James Bond film, "Quantum of Solace," features NiLA lights.

Runners up in each category were also announced and include: Porifera,creates carbon nanotube membrane for reverse osmosis desalination; NexChem,develops energy-saving process improvement for zinc galvanizing;GroundSource Geo, uses drilling technology to provide a complete greenbuilding heating, cooling and hot water solution; Solar Red, reduces costof residential photovoltaic installations by 50 percent; Renewable FuelTechnologies, uses agricultural waste biomass and converts it to BioCoal,for use in California cement plants; Energy Empowered, offers home displaysand controls to reduce standby power usage; and Goose Networks, offershosted commute management software.

Each winner completed Clean Tech Open's unique and valuable trainingprogram, including a summer-long set of entrepreneurial workshops providingvital preparation and training in all facets of business planning, fromlegal to finance to marketing, and has included mentoring services fromsuccessful entrepreneurs.

"Seeing Clean Tech Open grow over the past three years has been nothingshort of inspiring, and the 2008 winners provide further validation thatour mission to provide education and support to passionate entrepreneurscan make a decided impact," said California Clean Tech Open Co-Chair,Michael Santullo. "I'm grateful to the volunteers, sponsors andparticipants of this year's Open, and am excited to see what's ahead."

2008 Clean Tech Open Sponsors:

As a nonprofit organization, Clean Tech Open is reliant on theparticipation, funding and support from this year's sponsors, including:AMD, Google, Grundfos; California's investor-owned utilities PG&E, SCE &SDG&E; Lexus, Siemens TTB, the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of EnergyEfficiency and Renewable Energy and the five National Labs: ArgonneNational Laboratory; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; NationalRenewable Energy Laboratory; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; and PacificNorthwest National Laboratory.

2008 Clean Tech Open Prize: "Start-up in a box:"

The winning startups each received $100,000 in prizes from a "start-up in abox" package to help launch their clean tech business. The prizes include$50,000 in cash from the category prize sponsors, and essential businessworth another $50,000 from Accretive Solutions, Adaptive Planning,Autodesk, Inc., Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, City of San Jose, CiscoWebEx, Environmental Business Cluster, MacCorkle Insurance Service,Marketwire, Moyo Group Inc., New Energy Finance, Page One Public Relations,People Connect, Plug and Play Tech Center, Positive Impact Partner, SanJose BioCenter, San Jose Redevelopment Agency, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich& Rosati.

About Clean Tech Open:

A non-profit organization, Clean Tech Open is an innovation catalyst,helping today's clean-tech innovators become tomorrow's viable clean-techbusinesses. The core of Clean Tech Open is an annual regional business plancompetition that provides clean-tech entrepreneurs and early stagecompanies with the training, services and insights they need tosuccessfully go to market. To date, Clean Tech Open has assisted alumnicompanies in raising over $115 million in funding, as well as createdhundreds of jobs in the clean tech market. Fueled by a one of a kindnetwork of over 400 volunteers and in-kind sponsors, Clean Tech Openconnects the public and private sectors with a shared vision for making theclean-tech sector a thriving economic engine. Past alumni start-ups includeCool Earth Solar, Aurora Biofuels, GreenVolts and Adura Technologies. Tolearn more, please visit: www.cleantechopen.com.

Clean Tech Open is under the fiscal and administrative sponsorship ofActerra: Action for a Sustainable Earth, a California 501(c)3 non-profitpublic benefit corporation. Acterra is located at 3921 East Bayshore Road,Palo Alto, CA 94303-4303.