2. The Problem
1. Step change in Energy demand – Global demand for energy is expected to
double by 2050 to support population and economic growth and improved
standards of living
2. Supply will struggle to keep pace – Energy supply from all sources will
struggle to keep up with demand. There will be continued dependence on
fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal but rapid growth in renewables will
be necessary
3. Environmental stresses are increasing – Energy needs to be produced in
environmentally and socially responsible ways. Environmental stresses from
producing and using energy are increasing, and there is an urgent need for
renewable, low carbon technologies
2
3. The Solution
Speed up the development and commercialization of
clean alternative energy sources!
3
4. But energy innovation is complex and
involves multiple diverse disciplines….
Geoscience
Agriculture
Physics
Chemistry
Environmental Science
Genetics
Marketing and Distribution
Bioscience
IT and Automation
Commodities Trading
Engineering Engine Technology
Materials Science
4
5. …takes a long time….
Embryonic
Pilot Stage 1
Pilot Stage 2
Full scale
commercial
Growth &
Expansion
• Yield optimization
• Max capacity
• Profitable operation
• Design improvements
• Seek new sites
• Profitable operation
Demo Plant
semi-commercial
FOCUS
• Ideation
•Bench testing
• Patentability
• Proof of concept
• Patent filing
• Angel financing
• Pilot as marketing tool
• Generate design data
• VC financing
• Confirm yields
• Durability test
• Commercial financing
NEEDS
• Scientists
• Lab facilities
• Patent search
• Scientists
• Few engineers
• Cheap facilities
• Funding
• Engineers
• Design capability
• explore raw material
access
• Funding
• Process engineers
• Raw materials
• explore markets for byproducts
• Investment /working cap.
• Raw materials
• Refining plants
• Blending
• Marketing
• University Campus
• Energy incubator
• Campus
• Energy Incubator
• Industrial site
• Industrial site
• Industrial complex • Industrial complex
• Close to market
• Close to market
OPTIMAL
LOCATION
• University
Campus
Stages of Development
• Raw materials
• Refining plants
• Blending
• Marketing
• Attractive financing
5
6. …has a high failure rate….
Technical
Feasibility
Economic
Feasibility
Ideas
$
$
Solution
Conceptual
Feasibility
6
7. …and needs a lot of support and resources
Mentor/
Educate
Celebrate
Success
Regulation
Learn
From Failure
Networking
Industry
Cluster
Large
Cos
Taxes/
Incentives
Research
Culture
Collaboration/
Partnership
Peer
Firms
Universities
Government
Private
Innovation
Invention →
Commercialization
Services
Value
Chain
Investors
Entrepreneur
Development
& Support
Accounting
Infrastructure
Innovation Ecosystem
Logistics
Legal
Technical/
Engineering
Business
Accelerator
Intellectual
Property
7
8. Powering Future Transportation - Mission
Accelerate the development of Alternative Transportation
Fuels
• Promote and enable an ecosystem, industry cluster and culture in the
region to support alternative fuels innovation by engaging
entrepreneurs, academia, industry, investors and government
• Develop In-Accel.com, an online Innovation Accelerator, to bring
together a global community of inventors, developers and investors to
accelerate the pace of energy innovation
Accelerating energy innovation needs an unprecedented
level of cooperation and collaboration
8
9. Why an innovation accelerator?
• Focuses early stage research on real problems – promotes research
collaboration with entrepreneurs and industry – accelerates the
commercialization of research
• Enables “Valley of Death” funding – to move from lab to pilot, pilot to
demo, demo to commercial scale up
• Promotes innovative, collaborative culture through the cycle –
research, entrepreneur support, funding, industry/ end user support
• Research benefits from a “global” ecosystem that interacts with research
centers around the world
• Development and scale up benefit from a local ecosystem and industry
cluster that provide support to entrepreneurs and a network of
partners, peers, customers and service providers throughout the value
chain
Global connectivity and local support
9
