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Sacramento State Expands BlueTechValley Outreach to Surrounding Areas!
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Sacramento State, one of BlueTechValley’s seven Innovation Cluster Hubs has signed their contract! Through this collaboration, Sacramento State will assist BTV in expanding incubation and acceleration efforts throughout the extensive Central Valley Region.
The goal of the Innovation Hubs is to create sustainable, energy innovation centers, which will now be available in Fresno, Humboldt and Sacramento California! Sacramento will now be able to recruit innovators and entrepreneurs within their region and to help identify 100 startup companies, innovators, and entrepreneurs through the already established Technology Innovation Evaluation process.
The TIE process,which is conducted through Fresno State’s International Center for Water Technology, offers a confidential, independent review of the technology, an assessment of ratepayer benefits and commercial feasibility, and proposed
follow-up actions for validation and commercialization.
The hub in Sacramento will also offer an opportunity for disadvantaged communities, allowing for innovators and entrepreneurs in the community to have a platform to pitch their ideas and receive beneficial feedback through the TIE program. This hub will also be recruiting student interns whenever possible. This is an amazing opportunity for the Sacramento area, and we are excited to see the success that comes from it!
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| In the News! |
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| EPA Starts Water Rule Repeal, Fulfills Trumps Campaign Pledge |
California's Near- Record Snowpack is Melting into Raging Rivers |
Valley Farmers Seek Help from Senator Kamala Harris |
"EPA administrator Scott Pruitt June 27 initiated the repeal of an Obama-era water jurisdiction regulation by issuing a proposal that would reinstate prior policies on what waters are subject to federal protections, the agency announced."
To read more, click the link above
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"A wet winter and near-record snowpack has left the Sierra Nevada buried in a deep, lingering snow; ski resorts in Northern California are still open. But as temperatures have risen, melting some of that snow, so too have the state's waterways."
To read more, click the link above
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"Agricultural leaders and farmers pressed their case for a reliable water supply, immigration reform and their fair share of the Farm Bill during a roundtable discussion with Senator Kamala Harris on Wednesday."
To read more, click the link above
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Team Member Highlight!
Courtney Meinhold
 Courtney grew up in Visalia California on a family farm that specialized in producing walnuts. Because of her background with agriculture and the importance of agriculture to her family, majoring in Agricultural Communications at California State University Fresno made perfect sense to her. She jumped at the opportunity to intern for California Water Institute, and since then, because of her outstanding work ethic and dedication to the company, she has been promoted to a full time employee, her official title is Program Assistant.
In her job she is constantly faced with new tasks and problem solving, which makes the job exciting and challenging. Her other responsibilities are handling public relations, event planning, managing the website and social media sites. Something most people don’t know about Courtney is that she is actually very shy, and has an obsession with bean and cheese burritos, her favorite being from a local restaurant back home in Visalia. When Courtney isn’t working she is spending time walking her dog Chompa, traveling as often as she can, playing sports with her friends and being outdoors soaking up the amazing Central Valley sun rays. You can find Courtney greeting you with a welcoming smile in the California Water Institute office in the new Jordan Agricultural Research Center located on Fresno States campus.
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Nuance Energy Group: Leading Solar Innovation
 Nuance Energy Group, Inc. is a solar company based in California and became a WET Center Member with BlueTechValley back in 2014. This partnership was incredibly beneficial to Nuance Energy because it introduced the possibilities of on-farm energy management including solar and energy storage in the agricultural industry. Brian C. Boguess, CEO of Nuance Energy, believes that the California agricultural industry can benefit from company’s like Nuance Energy providing more attention and education, when it comes to solar and energy storage. “Because of costly demand charges, agricultural operations are billed very large amounts through their utility. Solar and energy storage can significantly benefit the small operations farmer through cost savings and energy load shifting, said Brian”. Nuance Energy leads with water analytics combined with renewable energy needs to help Ag growers with their on-farm energy management best business practices. With energy storage, these large utility bills can be significantly reduced! Nuance Energy is currently focused on smaller agricultural operations, allowing farmers to save tons of money and have less stress about running their Ag pumps throughout the day.
Nuance Energy received a $3 million investment from a global investor, Tabuchi Electric LTD, a global technology leader since 1925. This Investment allows Nuance Energy to deploy more solar and accelerate the adoption of energy storage throughout agriculture communities in North America. Nuance Energy has already installed 29 agricultural solar projects in the Central Valley in 2017, which is a huge step for the future of California agriculture!
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What is Valley Ventures:
Launched through BlueTechValley, Valley Ventures is a four month accelerator program specifically focused within the agricultural, water, and energy field. The goal of the program is to provide companies the resources necessary to prepare for raising investment or generating revenue in the Central Valley. Valley Ventures consists of a multitude of mentors ranging from successful entrepreneurs, seasoned investors, and experienced executives who provide vital feedback and relationships that will help companies reach their optimal scale. Through the connections with the California Water Institute, the Center for Irrigation Technology, and the WET Center, they offer technical expertise unparalleled in the world of agriculture, water, and energy technology.
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| Mentors: |
Apply! |
The program includes a mentor group composed of a variety of professionals, including investors, industry experts, technical professionals, successful entrepreneurs, and target consumers. Our group of mentors have been handpicked based off their experience and success to represent the best of their respective fields. With this strong network of mentors, Valley Ventures will assist entrepreneurs in improving sales, funding, and industry understanding. Because of the Central Valley's extensive community of businesses, professionals, and educational programs, they have developed a curriculum and network that is unrivaled for the economic region.
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Applications are currently being accepted, with review beginning August 1, 2017. The deadline to submit an application is August 15, 2017. Applying ventures should have a focus in agriculture, water, or energy. Go to our website to apply today!
valleyventures.org
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| Did You Know! |
Humboldt State University Launched
their new BTV wesbite!
In our last newsletter we discussed Humboldt signing the contract with BlueTechValley,
and they have officially launched their
website! You can check out their website here: http://www.btvnc.org/
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The month of July is National Ice Cream Month!
We scream, you scream, we all scream for
ice cream! July is national ice cream month, and what better way to celebrate then getting a delicious scoop from the Gibson Farmers Market, made right on Fresno State's campus! |
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| Upcoming Events! |
UC Entrepreneurship Academy
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AgPLUS Funders Forum
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The three-day UC Entrepreneurship Academy is the premiere academic program for commercializing science and engineering innovations. It is a springboard for moving research out of the lab and into the world.
For more information, click the link above |
The purpose of the two-day event is to share innovations in financing tools for business, and to determine the feasibility of a regional finance fund to support new and existing food and Ag businesses and nonprofits in the Central Valley.
For more information, click the link above
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Berkeley New Business Practicum Office hours: If you are having difficulty affording an attorney, you can sign up for a 40 minute time slot to get legal help for your new business! Legal guidance is provided by Practicum attorneys and attorney- supervised senior law students. Please click the following link if you are interested!
Sign up for free legal advice! |
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Follow BlueTechValley Innovation Cluster on Twitter or Linked in
Or Contact Us bluetechvalley@csufresno.edu
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