Featuring two panels: "Agricultural Technology" and "Hydrogen/Fuel Cell." 
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The next frontier in venture capital activity is literally going back to our roots – toward agriculture, technology and innovations in manufacturing that allow for more efficient farming. These innovations range anywhere from software that collects market value information and soil data, all the way to robotics. Agriculture has attracted the attention of investors, not only from the heartland but also from Silicon Valley, who have launched at least 26 private food and agricultural sources over the past year, according to FoodTech Connect. With climate change related threats to crop yield, growers are looking at everything from embedded sensors and analytical platforms to linked weather data and enhanced seed genetics for fertilizer and water optimization. Along with that, investors are looking at both the economic and societal value of this market.

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Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies meet the needs of end users seeking distributed energy solutions to improve energy reliability, reduce energy cost volatility, and reduce emissions. The development of low cost hydrogen production and storage technologies is widely recognized as a major business opportunity and a potential source of economic growth that may facilitate the replacement of petroleum as the world’s predominant energy source. Significant federal and state incentives were available in 2013, contributing to the 55% growth of the stationary fuel cell market that same year. The combination of valuable regional policies, such as the ZEV program, and increasing demand contributes to the investment by the public and private sector into the fuel cell market. Economic potential of hydrogen fuel cells include projections of substantial sales growth and $400 million in initial public offerings by 2015.  Market expansion will likely be driven by policy and commercial demand for clean, renewable, low carbon, and highly efficient energy production – especially from consumers in the utility, industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential sectors.

Agricultural Technology Panelists:
W. Blake Sturcke, Founder & EVP, Corporate Development, Turning Earth LLC
Lance Donny, Founder, OnFarm Systems
Gray Peckham, Director of Investments,Sustainable America

(Full bio's featured below) 

 

Hydrogen/Fuel Cell Panelists:
Robert J. Friedland, President & CEO, Proton OnSite
Alexandra Lieberman, Senior Manager, Connecticut’s Green Bank
Trent Molter,  President & CEO, Sustainable Innovations 
(Full bio's featured below)

Please contact us if you are interested in delivering your pitch or exhibiting! There is no extra charge for companies who wish to pitch or exhibit. 

Don't miss the Proton OnSite tour! Registration will open at 4:15 so arrive early to enjoy a complimentary tour of the facility! 

 

Panelist Full Bios:

W. Blake Sturcke is EVP & Head of Corporate Development of Turning Earth, LLC.  Over the course of his career Sturcke has served as a trusted advisor to emerging growth companies and entrepreneurs across a number of industries. Sturcke worked for 15 years for leading global investment banks as a Capital Market and Corporate Finance advisor to international and national clients. Sturcke led the Emerging Growth Equity Group and the Consumer Equity Capital Markets business at Deutsche Bank. Prior to joining Deutsche Bank, Sturcke held a succession of positions at Morgan Stanley, including leadership roles in the firm’s Investment Banking Division in New York, Hong Kong and India. Sturcke began his career in institutional sales and trading with Morgan Stanley. Sturcke is a member of the Steering Committee of Connecticut’s Department of Energy & Environmental Protection Solid Waste Management Advisory Committee.

Lance Donny is a recognized leader known for crafting strategy and vision that drives profitability and achieves business success. Donny has successfully led broad efforts from business development to finance and technology and his unique experience in software, finance, agriculture, and business enables him to be successfully in unknown and challenging conditions. Donny has made a name for himself as a strategic thinker, thoughtful leader, and visionary with a keen understanding of financial analysis and forecasting. He transitions easily from the board room to the field and consistently deliverers’ industry-leading results by driving company growth and customer success through new product roll outs, strategic planning, business development, and skillful financial management. 

Robert J. Friedland, founder of Proton OnSite in 1996, has held several senior positions at Proton since its inception. Earlier in his career, Friedland was with United Technologies Aerospace Systems (formerly the Hamilton Sundstrand division). At Hamilton, Friedland held various positions of increasing responsibility including Program Operations Manager of Navy and Electrochemical Systems. Friedland is a Director of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association, the Connecticut Technology Council, and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. He is a member of the Executive Steering Committee for H2USA .

Alexandra Lieberman is a senior manager of clean energy finance at Connecticut's Green Bank, which structures public-private partnerships to deploy clean energy at scale across the state. Alexandra helps the Green Bank source and secure private capital sectors, including the first-ever securitized commercial PACE program and a $60M public-private leveraged tax-equity fund for residential and commercial solar. She began her career at OC&C Strategy Consultants in Abu Dhabi and New York, where she worked on over $1B of private equity transactions, focused on natural resources. She holds a join MBA/Master's in environmental management from Yale and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Trent Molter is the founder of Sustainable Innovations LLC. He leads an innovative team focused on the creation of hydrogen/halogen energy storage products, efficient electrochemical hydrogen separation and compression systems, and a novel means of converting CO2 to liquid fuels. Previously he co-founded Proton Energy Systems, Inc. to commercialize systems for industrial gas, transportation and energy. As SVP he took an active role in business development, strategic planning, and intellectual property management, and was active in the Company's IPO. Molter has a BS in chemical engineering from Clarkson University, MS in Metallurgy from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Connecticut. 

Gray Peckham is an innovative analyst with more than 12 years helping investors and stakeholders allocate capital and mitigate risk through commodity and market cycles. Expertise in corporate equity and credit valuations, as well as in analyzing political risk to energy companies operating globally. Peckham brings a deep understanding of oil and natural gas markets, sustainable energy, capital flows, and strategy. He is a trusted advisor to investors, energy-related stakeholders, and early-stage ventures. 

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