Here's More on Picasolar's SXSW Eco Win
Like the national champion Razorbacks of 1964 did before it, UA startup Picasolar went into Austin last week and came out with a win.
Picasolar, sister firm to IA client Silicon Solar Solutions, was named the winner (with a California startup) in the Greentech category of the prestigious SXSW Eco Startup Showcase.
INOV8 shared the news last week, but here's more from the UA Newswire. And here's a sample:
The third annual Startup Showcase spotlighted innovative early-stage companies in the areas of “Greentech,” “Cleanweb” and “Social Impact.” Picasolar tied for the win in the Greentech category with Pax Pure of San Rafael, Calif. Eight companies per category competed at the conference, which ended Oct. 8 in Austin, Texas, in front of a live audience and panel of judges made up of top investors.
Picasolar’s technology, a hydrogen selective emitter invented by chief technology officer Seth Shumate — a doctoral student in the microelectronics-photonics graduate program at the University of Arkansas — could improve the efficiency of solar cells by 15 percent. It is a key innovation in the fastest-growing segment of the fastest-growing energy source in the world.Picasolar was only Arkansas company in the Startup Showcase, which featured 32 companies. Each company delivered a four-minute pitch, followed by four minutes of questions and answers with a panel of judges. The judges included representatives from Target, Shell Technology Ventures, the Whole Planet Foundation, New Enterprise Associates and Sprint.The Greentech category included startups that offered a diverse range of products and services that fulfill a market demand while significantly reducing or eliminating environmental impact.
To everyone at Picasolar, well done. Keep up the good work.