The Administration continues to identify alternative energy and cleantech technologies as national priorities. Steven Chu, former director of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, is the Secretary of Energy. And yet the United States lags behind many countries in its cleantech investments. Brazil, Canada, and Mexico, for example, all invest a greater share of GDP in clean energy. A Pew survey found that America ranks eleventh in clean energy investment in the world at only 0.13% of its GDP in clean energy (versus 0.37% of GDP for Brazil and 0.25% of GDP for Canada). Canada and Venezuela will surpass the U.S. in oil production in the next decade.

• What are the most promising sources of clean energy?
• What are the best financing models and sources of funding for cleantech and alternative energy?
• What is the role of government in fostering cleantech and alternative energy?
• How does government policy drive cleantech and alternative energy financing? 
   

Please join us for a panel discussion of this current cleantech and clean energy environment and responses to these questions and more.

The panel includes:

Don Reinke (moderator) is a partner at Reed Smith LLP with extensive experience as a corporate lawyer in the areas of venture capital finance, public securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and other general corporate representation of technology start-up and emerging growth companies. Don is currently a Deputy Chair of the firm's Global Emerging Company/Venture Capital Practice in the San Francisco office of Reed Smith. Among his many cleantech and clean energy companies, Don's cleantech clients include one of only a handful of dual publicly listed Amex/AIM listed companies.

Maurice Gunderson is Senior Partner at CMEA Capital, joining in 2006 to focus on investments in new and innovative energy sources and technologies. Maurice is a specialist in thermodynamics and energy technologies. Throughout Maurice's career, he has been instrumental in the development of cryogenic equipment, engines and energy conversion systems, turbo-machinery, and control systems for process plants and pipelines. Previously, Maurice co-founded Nth Power, a venture capital firm specializing in investments emerging from the global restructuring of the energy industry. Prior to founding Nth Power, Maurice spent more than 20 years developing energy products and launched five successful companies. Maurice also has served on the board of directors of over twenty energy technology companies. He currently serves on the boards of Amerigon, Inc. (Nasdaq:ARGN), and CMEA Capital portfolio companies Contour Energy Systems (fka CFx Battery, Inc.), and NuScale Power, Inc., and is an expert team member at Scion-Sprays, Ltd. in the UK. Maurice has an MBA from Stanford University as well as an MS in Thermodynamics and a BA in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University. He is also a member of ASME, SAE, ASHRAE, AIAA

Gabriel Kra (BCEMBA 06) is Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer for Elan Management, overseeing Elan's investments in alternative energy and cleantech companies. Gabriel is a board participant or observer on all of Elan's investments. Prior to joining Elan, Gabriel was an investment banker with Deutsche Bank in its Solar and cleantech group in San Francisco. Previously, Gabriel held management positions in 3 venture-backed telecommunications and semiconductor startups. Gabriel holds MBAs from Haas and the Columbia Business School, a Master's degree in atmospheric chemistry from SUNY Stony Brook, and a BA in Philosophy from Columbia College.

Elan Management is a private family office which makes and manages investments in early stage renewable energy and clean tech companies. Elan has a broad mandate to coordinate and manage such investments across the clean tech and renewable energy landscape, with patient capital and the ability to fund a portfolio company through its entire life cycle. Examples of existing family investments include green building, energy efficiency, wind, desalination, electric vehicle, algal bio-fuel, battery, solar thin-film and carbon credit origination companies.

Robert Walsh has over 30 years of global petroleum industry experience, including 26 years at Royal Dutch Shell. His Shell experience included senior manufacturing, supply, distribution and strategic planning positions in North America and Europe.  Most recently he was the CEO and a director of Aurora Biofuels, an algae based renewable fuels start-up.   Previously he served as the President and director of LS9, a sugar based industrial biotechnology start-up. Mr. Walsh received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University.

Event and Registration Information

The program begins with a networking hour at 6:30 PM with complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres in the Bank of America Forum at the Haas School of Business.

Registration is required. Links for online pre-registration are listed below:

• UCB/UCOP/LBL students, faculty, and staff pre-register here
• Alumni and community members pre-register here
• Be a "number" and Pitch Your Company! 

Online pre-registration ends at 5 pm Tuesday October 26 and all registrations after this time must be completed on site at the event. If you are unfamiliar with the UC Berkeley campus, check out the campus map to locate the Haas School on the east (uphill) side of campus.