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Demo Day at CVIEF 2019 |
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Come meet the Valley Ventures Accelerator 2019 cohort
at their Demo Day which will take place at this year’s Central Valley Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum! The fall 2019 cohort will be capped off at CVIEF on October 23, 2019 in Clovis, California.
Demo Day will be an opportunity for members of the cohort to pitch to CVIEF attendees, potential investors, industry leaders, fellow entrepreneurs and more. CVIEF attendees can experience the Valley Ventures demo day by seeing the pitch competition and by interacting with the ventures at the stock exchange where they will vie for Bulldog Investment Dollars from other attendees. Awards will be presented to a select number of ventures.
Want to learn more about the Valley Ventures cohort and how CVIEF can help your venture? Click here! Register to pitch at CVIEF so you
Want to meet the Valley Ventures Accelerator 2019 cohort at their
Demo Day? Click here!
Apply to participate here!
To apply for the next cohort, visit the official Valley Ventures website! |
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In the News
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| Technology Innovation Evaluation (TIE) |
The Water, Energy and Technology Center’s Technology Innovation Evaluation (TIE) program is a valuable tool for startup founders to gauge where they stand in the innovation commercialization process. The TIE committee vets technologies and provides feedback to founders to help them move their technology from concept to commercialization.
The TIE committee includes technology experts who conduct a confidential, independent review of the technology, assess commercial feasibility, and propose follow-up actions to move the technology toward validation and possible commercialization. Interested in becoming part of the important effort to maximize our precious natural resources? The WET Center is looking for technology experts to join our TIE committee. If you or someone you know would be interested in serving on the TIE committee, please contact Grace Manly at gmanly@mail.fresnostate.edu or call 559.278.4540.
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Agriculture adopts digital technology faster
than other sectors |
With data monitoring for farmers and crop producers becoming more advanced, the agriculture industry is on par with other technological fields.
Author, John Grieg, capped a recent article by stating that there is "little doubt agriculture adopts some technologies quicker than other sectors of the economy.”
Read the full article here. |
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U.S. Department of Commerce to award $587 million in natural disaster relief
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The Economic Development Administration (EDA) released a notice that over $500 million in grant awards is available for communities affected by natural disasters.
There is no application deadline; the EDA will distribute funds until the surplus is gone.
Learn more here. |
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Yosemite Farm Credit
Position: Credit Analyst
Location: Merced County
Marketing Analyst
Deadline: open until filled
Position: Full-time
Salary: Varies
Location: Fresno, CA
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There's a blockchain energy app for that
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The Energy Web Foundation (EWF) wants to create an app store for blockchain energy. Blockchain energy is simply a software database for energy and the EWF is working to make blockchain more accessible.
The CEO of EWF, Hervé Touati said that “having an energy-specific blockchain will add value to distributed energy through the network effect. After all, Uber wouldn’t be very valuable if only 10 people used it in your city.”
Learn more here. |
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Senior Management Analyst
Deadline: August 26, 2019
Position: Full-time
Salary: $73,716-$92,052
Location: Fresno, CA
Community Development Specialist
Deadline: Open until filled
Position: Full-time
Salary: varies
Location: Visalia or Madera
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| BioPower Enterprises involves itself with programs to encourage diversity |
BioPower Enterprises, a cleantech and solar energy company, just completed the OMNI Works incubator at East Los Angeles College.
This program aims to support women and minority-owned businesses.
You can find out more about BioPower Enterprises here. |
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Ivy Documents Filing
Get 20% off your first year - mention Fresno State
BlueTechValley has a group on LinkedIn! View it here.
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| Assistance applying for SBIR/SSTR grants |
Are you struggling to apply for an SBIR/SSTR grant? America's Seed Fund has released a helpful instruction page detailing how best to navigate the SBIR/SSTR application process.
Click here to read more and get started. |
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Twitter: @BTVCluster
Email: bluetechvalley@csufresno.edu
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| WET Member Highlight |
All Power Labs is a Berkeley-based company that manufactures gasification products in an effort to produce thermal energy. The company was founded “out of necessity” according to Justin Knapp of All Power Labs.
Knapp said that founder, Jim Mason, found an old
Swedish manual on gasification and decided to use this
as a way of powering blowtorches. “He paired this with
a mission to tackle the most pressing issue of our
day in the form of global climate change."
You can learn more about All Power Labs here. |
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| Team Member Highlight |
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Meet Tim Jacobsen, a five-year Technology Innovation Evaluation (TIE) committee member. Jacobsen is originally from the Bay Area and left his hometown of Saratoga to study plant and soil science at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo.
Jacobsen’s industry experience spans 40 years, covering a myriad of irrigation management jobs such as: consulting, product development capacity, crop consulting, pest control advising, and fertility management. This extensive experience has culminated in Jacobsen being a valued member of the TIE committee.
Jacobsen, who works at Fresno State's Center for Irrigation Technology, stated that his favorite part of being a member of TIE is being introduced to new ideas that are often supremely inventive and unorthodox. Jacobsen vastly enjoys working in a mentorship capacity to ventures and often advises them to realize "If you don't measure, you can't manage."
Regarding TIE, Jacobsen said “We are the first people these ideas are presented to. We help them consider what they haven’t, redirect them, help with resources and offer encouragement along the way.” |
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| Funding and Other Opportunities |
American-Made Challenges Waves to Water Prize
Award Amount: $2.5 million
Deadline: September 11, 2019 (Stage 1 of 4)
This opportunity comes from the Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO). The prize, totaling $2.5 million, will be awarded to applicants who submit proposals for desalination systems that benefit coastal communities.Winning proposals will demonstrate the development of wave-powered desalination systems that can make ocean water drinkable for disaster relief purposes. Click here to learn more.
AE50 Awards
This award is available for applicants who have products already brought to market in 2019. Adding “AE50 Award Winner” to any product profile is a mark of distinction. There is no entry fee. Click here for the entry procedure.
Project Pitch Pilot
Submit your three-page pitch and know within three weeks if you meet the program’s objectives to support innovative technologies that show promise of commercial and/or societal impact and involve technical risk. Click here to watch a webinar about Project Pitch Pilot.
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| BlueTechValley and Partner Events |
Central Valley Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum
Date: October 23, 2019
Location: Fresno, CA
Following the success of past years' events, the Central Valley Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum will take place on Wednesday, October 23, 2019, at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District. This annual event has something for companies and organizations of all sizes: a “Shark Tank” style competition, a stock exchange, and breakout sessions for investors and startups.To learn more, visit cvieforum.com or follow us on Twitter!
Grant Writing Workshops
BlueTechValley, in partnership with the Grant Farm, will be hosting a grant writing workshop series. These workshops will allow entrepreneurs to better understand the grant process. Participants will learn critical skills to help them secure funding for their cleantech and ag efforts. In this workshop you will learn:
- how to create a road map for writing successful proposals
- how to prepare for grant writing in advance
- what to know before you start writing
- what to look for in a grant notice
- key ways to approach funders
- the top ten ingredients for a successful grant submission
- added extras to make your application stand out
- tricks of the trade
Locations and Dates:
Sierra Small Business Development Center, Truckee – September 3, 2019 | Register
Humboldt State – September 18, 2019 | Register
For more information, click here!
Winning Money for Innovation and Technology Day 1
Date: August 28
Location: Ridgecrest, CA
Want to learn more about SBIR/STTR programs and how to better utilize SBIR Seed Capital? Join CSU Bakersfield SBDC for an enlightening seminar on how to improve your funding options! The first installment of their two-part seminar will take place on August 28! Attendees will become well versed in the intricacies of funding for innovation. Learn more here.
Startup Investment & Community Capital Expo
Date: September 27
Location: Seaside, CA
CSU Monterey Bay is hosting the Startup Investment & Community Capital Expo (SICC) this September! This event will be a perfect opportunity for local startups to network with venture capitalists, bankers, angel investors and others who can help them raise the necessary capital to grow their businesses. The event will feature speakers and panels on capital sources as well as funding success stories and exhibits. Don’t miss your chance to network and connect with the Monterey Bay startup community. Learn more here.
CEO Crash Course
BlueTechValley and CleanStart are now accepting applications for unique business workshops happening this summer. The CEO Crash Course is a multi-day business development boot camp being offered at both Fresno State and at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. The CEO Crash Course will concentrate on CEO fundamentals such as pitching, business legalities, marketing, leadership, team building, and more! By participating, your venture will receive individualized mentoring and publicity for your venture. A multitude of BlueTechValley ventures credit the CEO Crash Course for providing them the necessary tools to succeed in business. Ventures selected to participate in this year's CEO Crash Courses at Fresno State or at the University of the Pacific will not need to pay for the program as they will be sponsored by the California Energy Commission (CEC), the Economic Development Administration (EDA), and Wells Fargo.
Registration for the Fresno workshop (September 23, 24 & 25)
For more information, click here!
Central Valley Clean Tech Showcase
Date: October 9, 2019
Location: Sacramento, CA
The Central Valley Clean Tech Showcase will bring together entrepreneurs, industry leaders, policy makers, regulators, funders and investors to discuss the latest clean tech innovations, ideas, initiatives and challenges. Through exhibits, keynote talks, panel discussions and founder presentations, the showcase will highlight the successes of regional clean tech companies as well as explore future opportunities in technology advancement. Admission is free. Register here!
Chico Meetup
Date: November 6, 2019
Location: CSU Chico Colusa Hall 100A
The Vine, along with BlueTechValley and our Chico State hub, is hosting a meetup on October 30, 2019 to discuss all things food and agtech related. Learn more here.
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