Moderator:
John Rockwell, Managing Director, DFJ Element
Panelists:
Steve Westly, Founder and CEO, The Westly Group
Ron Gonen, Co-Founder and CEO, RecycleBank
Michael Murray, CEO, Lucid Design Group
John Denniston, Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers
Frank P. Paniagua, Jr., Founder and CEO, Green Plug
Event Description:
There are endless news stories about the growth of the cleantech industry.We hear about large enterprises such as Google and Walgreens implementing cleantech.But what are the trends in the consumer market?
More and more venture capitalists are now backing greentrepreneurs who aim to invent green-consumer products that the mass market consumer will actually pay for. The press talks about the new green car in the driveway, the solar panel on the roof or the energy efficient light bulbs throughout the house.What will come next?
This panel will focus on green-consumer products that have the potential to trigger a tipping point for mass market adoption.
• How will green tech solutions transform your life and living space?
• What are the green tech trends for 2008 and beyond? Is green tech ready for mass market?
• What types of consumer green tech start-ups are getting funding today?
• What are the opportunities for aspiring “greentrepreneurs”?
• How do US greentech trends compare with other countries?
• What role will government play in promoting consumer greentech?
Bios:
Moderator:
John Rockwell
Managing Director
DFJ Element
John has more than 15 years of experience investing in venture capital and developing companies commercializing applications of advanced materials and over 20 years of financial investment experience. Prior to Element, John was a Partner at Advent International Corporation and managed the firm’s California office. John joined Advent in 1996 and participated in the direct investment activities of both Advent’s EnviroTech and Advent Energy II funds. He has invested broadly across the CleanTech sectors with an emphasis on advanced materials, information technology, and electronics. Areas of focus include applications of advanced materials, energy, and supply chain management.
Before Advent, John spent 7 years at Materia Ventures Associates, investing in and managing early- stage companies that were commercializing advanced material technologies. While at Materia, John also served as CEO of Luxar Corporation, a manufacturer of CO 2 lasers for the medical market and as President of SSC, Inc., a manufacturer of high performance ceramic oxide materials used in superconductors, fuel cells, catalysts, and other applications. From 1984 to 1988, John held various positions at 3M Corporation in its Acquisitions and Business Development Department.
John is a member of the boards of Accelergy Corp., BMG Seltec, Inc., Deeya Energy, Inc., Miartech, Inc., PowerGenix Systems, Inc., and SyntheSys Research, Inc. Previous boards on which John has served include: Luxar Corp., OK International, Inc., RedPrairie Corp., SSC, Inc., and Superconductivity, Inc. He is past Chairman of the CleanTech Venture Network Advisory Board.
John received a BS in Business Administration from Michigan Technological University and an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.
Panelists:
Steve Westly
Founder and CEO
The Westly Group
Prior to founding The Westly Group, Steve Westly served as the Controller and Chief Fiscal Officer of the state of California – the world’s sixth largest economy. As Controller, he chaired the State Lands Commission and served on 63 other boards and commissions, including CalPERS and CalSTRS, the nation’s two largest public pension funds, which together invest more than $350 billion. During his four-year term, Mr. Westly spearheaded innovative tax programs that helped close the State’s budget deficit and also led an effort to commit more than $1 billion to clean technology investments.
Before running for office, Mr. Westly helped guide the online auction company eBay through its period of most rapid growth, serving as the Senior Vice President of Marketing, Business Development, M&A and International. Mr. Westly helped bring eBay to Europe and Asia and developed the marketing and acquisition strategies that paved the path for the firm’s exponential growth.
Mr. Westly began his career in Washington, D.C., where he worked first on Capitol Hill and later in the Office of Conservation and Solar at the U.S. Department of Energy. Mr. Westly returned to California to become special assistant to the President of the California Public Utilities Commission. While there, he published two books on alternative energy and the utilities. Mr. Westly also held senior positions at Sprint Communications, Netcom, and WhoWhere?.
Mr. Westly holds a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and an MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, where he served on the faculty for five years. Mr. Westly and his wife, Anita, run the Westly Foundation, which provides education and health care services for children and underserved communities throughout California.
Ron Gonen
Co-Founder and CEO
RecycleBank
Ron Gonen is the Co-Founder and CEO of RecycleBank. Prior to RecycleBank, Ron was a Senior Consultant at Deloitte Consulting. Ron focused on developing CRM and strategic account management programs for clients. His clients have included Bank of America, Bank of Montreal, Bank One, GE, and DIRECTV. Ron was a co-recipient of Deloitte Consulting’s National Impact Award in 2002 for his development and management of a consulting unit that provides pro bono consulting services to non-profit and charitable organizations. In addition, Ron was a founding member of the National Conference for High School Students Against Hunger and Homelessness. Ron received an MBA from Columbia Business School where he was a Eugene M. Lang Center for Entrepreneurship award winner and received a Bachelor of Arts in History and Economics from the University of Massachusetts where he graduated cum laude and was awarded Massachusetts Commonwealth Scholar honors.
Michael Murray
CEO
Lucid Design Group
Lucid Design Group provides data acquisition and display software to the green building industry. The company’s flagship product, The Building Dashboard™, allows homeowners to continuously monitor their electricity and water use and, in buildings with renewable energy systems like solar panels, how much energy they are producing. Monitoring is done on a personal computer in the home.
With a B.A. in Environmental Studies, Michael’s career was green from the very beginning. Before launching Lucid, Michael was with Global Footprint Network, an environmental non-profit that assessed the environmental performance of utilities, businesses, real estate development and governments. He’s considered a green building consultant and software guru.
John Denniston
Partner
Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers
John Denniston came to KPCB from Salomon Smith Barney, where he was a Managing Director and head of Technology Investment Banking for the Western U.S., and also served on the Investment Committee for Salomon’s direct investment venture fund and its venture capital fund-of-funds. Prior to Salomon, John was a Partner with the law firm Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, where he was the head of Brobeck’s Venture Capital Practice Group, Co-head of its Information Technology Practice Group and a member of the Investment Committee for its venture capital fund.
Frank is the Founder and CEO of Green Plug, Inc. A two year old technology company dedicated to fixing the AC to DC consumer charging experience and changing the world. As a serial entrepreneur, Frank has spent his entire career involved in start-ups. Frank was the co-founder of the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) and was Vice President of Worldwide OEM Sales at RasterOps and VideoLogic (both companies executed successful IPO’s), founder of KidWise LearningWare, co-founder of Eskape Labs and AutoNetworks and the president of IXMICRO. (EskapeLabs, and AutoNetworks were acquired.) Frank has a history of success including 23+ years of “solution selling” into the industry’s most respected PC and consumer electronic manufacturers (Apple, Compaq, Digital Equipment, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Sun and Sony). Frank’s expertise is building and growing new ventures into successful companies. Frank’s last tenure was as a partner for Trusted Strategies, an IT Security consulting firm. Frank holds a BA degree from California State University Hayward.
