Eternal Sun and Solease winners Dutch Climate-KIC Venture Competition 2012

Eternal Sun and Solease are the winners of the Dutch round of the Climate-KIC Venture Competition 2012. During a 10-minute pitch these two start-up companies convinced the jury that they are the most promising starters within the Dutch Climate-KIC network, based on their potential business case and climate relevance.

The winners have received a voucher of €20.000 for services at any Climate-KIC core partner in participating countries and support from the Dutch Climate-KIC team in the search for funding. Furthermore Eternal Sun also won the Public's Choice Award, with which they are offered to make a professional company movie. Both companies will be the Dutch nominees for the final rounds of the Climate-KIC Venture Competition 2012, to be held in Bologna. The final winner of the Climate-KIC Venture Competition 2012 receives a grant of €40.000.

Chair of the jury was Steve Blank, serial entrepreneur and Silicon Valley expert. Blank: "I'm impressed with the high level of innovation and inspirational entrepreneurship that was presented today. I hope winning this local competition is the first step for these entrepreneurs to growth of their companies. Growth will be the only way if they really want to have this important positive impact on our environment."

Eternal Sun aims to create new possibilities tot test integrated solar energy products of any size in an easy way, by offering modularly expandable, large areas steady-state solar simulators. Eternal Sun can easily determine the efficiency of any type of solar module or solar thermal collector.

Solease aims to create a world where everyone will have cost-efficient and risk and hassle free access to solar energy: Solar energy made easy. Solease have developed an innovative rooftop solar lease product with which they have reached grid parity as off today. The monthly lease amount will, without help of subsidies, be equal or lower than the monthly electricity bill.

The Venture Competition 2012 is part of the Climate-KIC entrepreneurship activities, aiming at generating more climate-related startup companies, let starters grow faster and generate growth to the existing business. Within Climate-KIC incubators and valorization centers in the Netherlands, as well as in Germany, France, United Kingdom and Switzerland work together to accelerate growth and nurture the innovative ideas of the climate entrepreneurs connected to the Climate-KIC start-up network.

During the Innovation Festival, 1 and 2 October in Bologna, all nominees will battle for the number 1 position. The winner will receive a voucher of €40.000 to be invested to develop the winners company even further.