This document outlines a proposal by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and partners to create a Clean Start consortium to win $1 million in funding from the US Economic Development Administration's (EDA) i6 Green competition. The consortium would establish multiple Proof of Concept Centers (PCCs) across Northern New England focused on green energy innovation and entrepreneurship. It would fill gaps at existing PCCs through competitive seed grants, mentorship, education programs, and technical assistance. If selected, the organizers would help deliver the program and facilitate collaboration among PCC members and partners across Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

1. Clean Start™
A northern New England response to
EDA’s i6 Green RFP

2. Agenda
• Welcome and Introductions
– UNH’s Green Launching Pad (GLP)
– Clear Innovation Partners (Clear)
• Clusters and i6
• Clean Start™ Consortium
• Next Steps
• Lunch

3. Green Launching Pad
Overview

4. UNH is leading a northern New England
consortium of academic, research,
technology and entrepreneurship
support organizations to pursue a
nationally competitive, federally-funded
regional innovation “cluster” grant

5. Brief History of Clusters
and Clear

6. A cluster represents the eco-system of
a sector within a region
1. Universities and
Incubators
2. Technology and Trade
Councils/Ass’ns (TCs
3. Risk capital providers
4. Professional Services
Providers (banks, law,
accounting, consulting)
5. Public sector, private
sector and non-profit
funders
6. Specialty research
providers
7. Economic and
Community
Development

7. 2008: Karen Mills co-authors Brookings Report
2009: Mills appoints Ginger Lew
2010: Multi-agency cluster RFP’s > $350M
2007: Bush Signs
America Competes
1986: Reagan creates Council on
Competitiveness
HBS’ Michael Porter Founding Member
2009: Mills heads SBA
2011: Obama
Reauthorizes
America Competes
2011: “Authorizes the
Secretary [of
Commerce] to award
competitive grants to
eligible recipients for
activities related to
the development of
regional innovation
clusters”
2011: Multi-agency cluster RFP’s announced

8. In 2010, Clear led i6 Challenge: 30
players, 5 states, 3 sectors…
Universities and Colleges Professional Services (VC, Banks, Law and Accounting)
VT University of Vermont VT Fresh Tracks Capital
NH University of New Hampshire NH Borealis Ventures
RI University of Rhode Ilsand ME Bernstein Shur
VT Norwich University ME Macdonald Page
VT Champlain College Other
Tech and Trade Assocations ME Maine Technology Institute
NH New Hampshire High Tech Council MA Jackson Laboratories
VT Vermont Bio Science Alliance NH Dartmouth Medical School Office of New Ventures
ME Biotechnology Association of Maine ME Maine Medical Center
ME Maine Association of Manufacturing VT Vermont Venture Network
ME Maine Composites Alliance VT Vermont Manufacutring Extension Center
CT Connecticut Technology Councils Incubators and Accelerators
CT Connecticut Digital Media VT Vermont Center for Emergin Technologies
Regional Associations ME Maine Center for Enterprise Development
NE New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC) NH Dartmouth Regional Technology Center
NE Northeast Economic Developers Association (NEDA) MA Northshore Innoventures
US Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) RI Rhode Island Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
NE New England Venture Capital Association CT Connecticut Center for Advanced Technologies
Energy/Environment Health/Bio Sciences IT/Mobile/Web

9. And partnered with MHTC and NECEC
to pursue two SBA cluster RFPs
NE Defense Tech Cluster NE Clean Energy Cluster
Top 20
of 137

10. i6 Green
Catalyzing green/clean energy
innovation and entrepreneurship
via
Proof of Concept Centers (PCCs)

12. UNH is organizing a NNE consortium to
win i6 Green in EDA Region 1
• Region 1: 13 states from New England to
Virginia
• $1M EDA cash match (+ $1M DoE, NSF, USDA,
and EPA)
• Seeking $1M of matching funds from public,
private and non-profit sector partners
– 60% cash match pass through to PCC partners
• May 26th Final proposal due

13. i6 Green
EDA’s Slide Deck

20. Clean Start™ Consortium
Creating multiple PoCCs
from northern New England’s
existing Energy and Entrepreneurship
Assets

21. Modeled on Green Launching Pad™
Clean Start™ is a program to
“create” up to four PCCs from existing
institutions and organizations
by filling resource gaps

22. Clean Start™ model fills gaps for
existing regional players….
…and is designed to align
with their existing
strategy and programs
Maine Vermont
Maine GLP New Hampshire 1 Vermont 1
Proof of Concept Center Elements
Competitive Seed Grant Gap x Gap x
Mentorship x x Gap x
Education and Networking Events x x Gap Gap
Technical/Operational Assistance x x x x
Entrepreneurship Education Gap x x Gap
Sector Education Gap x Gap Gap
New Hampshire

24. Sources expected to include public,
private and non profit sectors
State Entities
Foundations (direct or
via EDCs)
Educational
Institutions
Private sector
Other
Federal match
Sources of Funds

25. Uses relate to filling Proof of Concept
Center gaps throughout the region
Seed Fund
Mentorship, OA/TA
Education and
Networking
Other
Web services platform
UNH Fee
Regional Fee
Use of Funds

26. With an i6 win, organizers will help
deliver the program with partners
• Design PCC program with partners to ensure
alignment
• Provide PCCs assistance where required to
organize and execute program
• Facilitate connection and collaboration among
NNE PoCC members
– Convening
– Communications
– Connections
• Administer program and report to federal and
other program partners

27. Clean Start™ is differentiated and
delivers good “bang for the buck”
• Broad consortium
• Multi-state
• Multi-PCC
• Multi-topic: wind, ocean, solar, biomass,
energy efficiency…
• Rural and urban
• Scalable and replicable
• Bi-partisan

28. $1M shared by three states is modest
but profile and impact is outsized
• Each state/entity benefits
• Region benefits
• National profile
• Cluster awards beget cluster awards
• Innovation, economic growth, high wage jobs

29. Letters of Support vary according to
the type of partner
• Tech and Trade
Councils
• Economic and
Community
Development
• Professional Services
Partners
• Venture Capital and
Individual Investors
• University academic,
business and research
programs
• Incubators and
Accelerators
• State agencies
• Partner with seed grant and events
• Partner to offer OA/TA services and
loans
• Partner to provide legal, accounting,
banking and consulting guidance and
sponsoring events
• Partner on judging grant competions,
participating in and events
• Partner in providing OA/TA,
mentorship and business/tech
resources
• Partner in providing space/service and
event/seed grant support
• Partner to deliver state resources and
assistance

30. Next Steps
• Finalize letters of support and cash match
partners
• Finalize program elements with PoCC partners
• Submit proposal May 26th
• Winner announced September 2011

31. Thank you

32. Since 2008, Clear has written about,
presented on, and organized clusters
Presenter
Organizer
Columnist
A 5-state consortium
NE Defense Tech Cluster NE Clean Energy Cluster
2010
2010

33. Kauffman on university-centered Proof
of Concept Centers (PoCCs)
Proof of Concept Center
-Competitive Seed Grants
-Mentorship
-Education and Networking
-Technical and Operational Assistance
-Business and Market Planning
-Undergraduate and graduate student
engagement
-Incubation?

34. Regional investment pool designed to
serve the whole of NNE
• Regional events and networking
– For collaboration and connection
– For sector alignment and initiatives (e.g. bio-
energy, wind)
• Communications platform
– Web and Mobile: directory, content, connection
– Regional and sector news and newsletters
– Common event directory/platform