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Prieto Battery
Launched July 2009 from the CSU Chemistry Department.
Developing transformational lithium ion nanowire batteries. Projecting 10,000 times more energy density, 3 times longer life, and 1/3 the cost of current technologies.
National Exposure
Cenergy has led two trips to the east coast to pitch the CSU Supercluster model to a national audience in New York City and Washington D.C., and Cenergy representatives have spoken with over 20 groups internationally, including the Kauffman Foundation, the New England Clean Energy Foundation, the Institute of Transportation Engineers conference, various community groups, venture capital groups, and others at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. These showcases provided an unparalleled opportunity for top CSU scientists to explain to a targeted group of private and public sector individuals the value of CSU's emerging research on clean energy. These events elevated the university's research profiles with these influential groups and will stimulate future market‐based partnerships. Throughout these presentation, representatives of hedge funds, private equity funds, financial services companies, venture capital firms, government, media and research institutions, participated in a series of topical breakouts with CSU and Cenergy faculty.
In addition to this outreach, Cenergy representatives serve on 10 boards, including the Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster, the Colorado Energy Coalition, the South Metro Chamber of Commerce, Rocky Mountain Innovation Initiative, and others. This representation provides CSU with influence throughout Colorado and the U.S. to drive the CSU brand and further grant and sponsored research opportunities.
Grant Support
One of the other key activities of Cenergy has been grant support. With the fast and furious influx of large new clean energy grant opportunities being offered from the Department of Energy, Cenergy has put a significant and focused effort into assisting the CES faculty with grant writing and networking that result in highly competitive submissions. Grant application support to date has included work on 10 ARPA-E submissions (worth over $20 Million), 2 Electrification grants (worth over $10 Million), multiple SBIR/STTR's, the $12 Million Wind Consortium grant, and the $100 Million Smart Grid grant proposal. We believe that these grant applications (even in cases that we aren't awarded the grant) will lead to significant sponsored research and commercialization opportunities, and are committed to continuing to put resources towards these efforts.
Operational efficiency
Cenergy accomplished its commercialization objectives, including the outreach mentioned above, grant support, spin-out of 1 new startup, (with one more close behind), and creation of a new startup support infrastructure with templates to enable faster spinouts in 2010, at 40% under total budget, and 60% under operating expense budget.
Technology Transfer: Traditional vs. Supercluster
Traditional Method
- A scientist successfully identifies research that could become a new product and takes this idea to the CSU Research Foundation (CSURF)
- CSURF evaluates researcher's idea for marketability, potential for licensing, opportunities for growth and effort it will take to develop
- Promising ideas move toward commercialization
- Product is developed for market through co-development with the private sector, through licensing to a private company, or through a start-up company
- Product emerges into market after development
Supercluster Method
- Working with businesses, areas with needed research are identified early on based on global needs
- Supercluster collaborates with CSU Ventures to establish patents and develop market feasibility
- Supercluster works with an existing industry partner to help develop product and move it to market quickly
- Co-development of product, licensing and additional intellectual property development are continually cultivated throughout process
Click here for Cenergy's Technology Disclosures as of September 2009.
Entrepreneurship — Cenergy
