RockPort Partners

April 15, 2008

Article from The New York Times: Technology Smooths the Way for Home Wind-Power Turbines

Wind turbines, once used primarily for farms and rural houses far from electrical service, are becoming more common in heavily populated residential areas as homeowners are attracted to ease of use, financial incentives and low environmental effects.

April 8, 2008

Eka Systems Recognized as a Top 100 Technology Provider
M2M Magazine Cites Company for Market Leadership, Product/Service Portfolio and Growth

Eka Systems, a global provider of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and Smart Grid solutions for electric, gas and water utility companies, announced that it has been chosen as one of the 100 most influential providers of machine-tomachine technology in the M2M Sourcebook. The 2008 M2M 100 is a compilation of the most important and influential machine-to-machine technology providers as determined by the editors of M2M magazine and its editorial advisory board.

March 5, 2008

Article from GreenCarCongress.com: Think Global Gets Investment from GE, Launches TH!NK City, Introduces New Crossover EV Concept and Signs Li-Ion Supply Deal with A123Systems. 

At the Geneva Motor Show, Norwegian electric car manufacturer Think Global presented a new investment relationship with GE, which is putting $4 million in Think via GE Energy Financial Services to further ramp up GE’s efforts to enable global electrification of transportation.

February 18, 2008

Article from Mass High Tech:  Babson College to harness wind power on campus. 

Babson College in Wellesley plans to install a residential-scale wind turbine on the school's campus as a demonstration project. The project, which is expected to be up and running at Babson by the close of the spring 2008 semester, would make the institution the first Boston-area college to use wind power through an on-campus installation.

Jan.15, 2007

NanoGram Corporation Raises $32M to Extend Solar Technology and Advanced Materials Solutions to Commercial Scale.
Names executive Timothy H. Starkeyto lead solar module pilot plant build-out; Adds Benoit Pouliquen as Independent Director

The NanoGram Corporation, a leading developer and licensor of core process technology for the manufacture of unique nanostructured materials for optical, electronic and energy applications, today announced that it has closed on a third equity round of $32M to date to expand its solar technology and nanomaterials solutions businesses.

Nov. 28, 2007

Think starts production of it’s new electric car, the TH!NK City at it’s factory in Norway. 

The production of Think's new electric car the TH!NK City has begun. Production takes place in Thinks Norwegian factory outside Oslo. The production start- up is going according to plan, and on November 28th the first TH!NK City left the assembly line in the factory. The first cars will now go through testing and road trials under Norwegian winter conditions. The production start- up is going according to plan, and on November 28th the first TH!NK City left the assembly line in the factory. The first cars will now go through testing and road trials under Norwegian winter conditions.

Nov. 14, 2007

Article from The New York Times: Taking a Whack at Making a Car

IAN A. BRUCE presses an Italian-made alligator-skin boot onto the accelerator of his three-wheel thrill machine and careens around a corner. The agile metal box tilts precariously to one side, leaving Mr. Bruce nearly horizontal to the ground. "The experience is like driving a jet fighter," he shouts over the engine. "It's truly a new kind of vehicle."  The machine, which has one wheel in front and two in back, is a hybrid of a motorcycle and a car, and it underscores a trend: vehicles of the future are as unorthodox as the entrepreneurs who are trying to create them.

Nov. 12, 2007

Article from CNET: Green Chemistry's "Race to Innovation"

Just a few steps behind green tech, green chemistry is the latest movement that's both a source of technology innovation and a rallying cry for environmentalists.  Green chemistry calls for designing chemicals to be environmentally benign and commercially viable. But its reach goes far beyond reducing toxins in drugs or children's toys, the latest being the recall of the Aqua Dots toy on Wednesday.

Nov. 9, 2007

NanoGram Corporation and Partner Nagase & Co., Ltd. / Nagase ChemteX Expand Nanomaterial Production Capability.

NanoGram Corporation, a leading developer and licensor of core process technology for the manufacture of unique nanostructured materials for optical, electronic and energy applications, along with partner Nagase & Co., Ltd. / Nagase ChemteX today announced the expansion of its combined nanomaterial production capabilities serving customers worldwide Japan.  

Oct. 22, 2007

SatCon Technology Corporation Signs Agreement with RockPort Capital Partners and NGP Energy Technology Partners for $10 Million Short-Term Debt Financing to Retire Existing Convertible Notes.

SatCon Technology Corporation (NASDAQ CM: SATC), a developer and supplier of power management and system architecture solutions for the alternative energy, distributed power and hybrid electric vehicle markets, announced today that it has executed a definitive purchase agreement with RockPort Capital Partners and NGP Energy Technology Partners for a secured $10.0 million short-term debt financing. The debt financing is expected to close by mid-November.

September 17, 2007

Microseismic Extends Competitive Edge in Passive Seismic Monitoring Using Panasas Activestor Parallel Storage

Panasas, Inc., the leader in parallel clustered storage solutions for the High Performance Computing (HPC) market, has added MicroSeismic, Inc. to its ever-growing roster of customers providing seismic imaging services for the oil & gas industry. MicroSeismic has boosted its passive seismic application performance by 2X since deploying the Panasas® ActiveStor™ Parallel Storage Cluster, enabling the geophysical data services company to significantly reduce the time it takes to process data and return high-quality results to their oil & gas customers who benefit from this time advantage in their drilling efforts. 

September 9, 2007

Article from The New York Times: In the Green Marathon, Which Stocks Will Be
the Winners?

HIGH oil prices, cheap credit and government subsidies have been a boon for companies that promise to make more efficient use of energy or produce it from renewable sources. But it’s unlikely that the investment climate for alternative energy will always be this favorable. If it shifts, some businesses will surely falter.

September 4, 2007

ISE Gasoline Hybrid Drive Systems to Power NABI Buses for Los Angeles Metro

ISE Corporation recently received an order for its ThunderVoltTM gasoline hybrid-electric drive systems to power six NABI (North American Bus Industries) buses in the Los Angeles, CA area.  Funded by the Advanced Transit Vehicle Consortium (ATVC), the hybrid buses will be operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro).

 

July 31, 2007

Article about Think Global in Business 2.0: The 29 Best Business Ideas in the World

Have You Driven a Fjord Lately? Think’s zippy little electric car is a Web-enabled, carbon-free Scandinavian driving machine. If it takes off, it could help reverse 100 years of automotive history.

 

July 20, 2007

Article from The Wall Street Journal: Desperate Sprinklers - As water restrictions tighten, homeowners find new ways to keep the grass green. Ben Casselman on reclaimed sewer water, dowsers and downright cheating

Brenda Hott wasn't going to let anything come between her and a lush green lawn. When the city of Atlanta recently limited watering in her neighborhood to one night a week, the 50-year-old cardiologist started getting up every hour in the middle of the night to haul hoses around.

July 19, 2007

Eka Systems Completes First Institutional Round of Financing

Funding from Angeleno Group and Rockport Capital Partners enables Eka to Deliver a Superior Mesh Networking Solution to the Utility Industry

Eka Systems, Inc. (“Eka”) a provider of wireless sensor and mesh networking products and solutions, announced that it has completed a  Series C financing led by Angeleno Group and Rockport Capital Partners with participation from existing investors.

July 11, 2007

Think Global has successfully completed a private placement of approximately $60 million.

Think Global has completed a private placement of approximately $60 million, aimed at several strategic investors. This, in addition to the $25 million they received earlier this year, ensures the Norwegian electrical car manufacturer a solid financial base of $85 million.

June 27, 2007

Comverge to Acquire Enerwise Global Technologies to Create Largest Demand Response Company

Comverge, Inc., (NASDAQ: COMV), the leading provider of clean energy solutions through demand response, announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Enerwise Global Technologies creating the largest Demand Response provider in North America with over 1400 megawatts (MWs) of managed capacity.

June 17, 2007

Article from Forbes: Pip-squeak Power Plant - Lilliputian Systems invented a microchip-size fuel cell that can run your cell phone for a week.

A couple of years ago it seemed that the battery era was coming to an end. In a flurry of announcements, Japanese manufacturers including Toshiba and NEC said they'd soon be rolling out miniature fuel cells to power mobile phones, music players and laptops. To recharge you'd only have to pour in some more alcohol. Consumers would be freed from the tyranny of the wall plug.

June 5, 2007

Tioga Energy Launches with Funding by NGEN Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and RockPort Capital Partners - Solar Electricity Services Provider Grants Access to Clean, Commercial-Grade Power

Tioga Energy, Inc., a solar electricity services provider that offers comprehensive power purchasing services to organizations and industry, launched today with an initial funding round of more than $10 million.  Leading the investments were venture capital groups NGEN Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, RockPort Capital Partners, DFJ Frontier and Kirlan Ventures. 

April 18, 2007

David Prend of RockPort Capital Partners named one of eight new National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) Board Members – Ted Schlein of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Elected Chairman of NVCA Board of Directors

The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) has named Ted Schlein, partner of Menlo Park-based Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, as its 2007-2008 chairman. His chairmanship was announced today at the 2007 NVCA Annual Meeting held at the Mariott Wardman Park hotel in Washington, D.C.

April 17, 2007

Comverge, Inc. Prices Initial Public Offering

Comverge, Inc. (NASDAQ: COMV) ("Comverge") today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 5,300,000 shares of common stock at $18.00 per share. Comverge intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to finance the capital requirements of current and future VPC contracts, to finance research and development, to repay indebtedness, to fund any future acquisitions and for other general purposes.

March 27 , 2007

Advanced Electron Beams closed $17.5 Million in VC Funding to Fuel Development of its Clean Energy Alternative - RockPort Capital Partners Leads Round Joined by Atlas Venture and General Catalyst Panels

Advanced Electron Beams (AEB) today announced it has received $17.5 million in a Series B funding round led by RockPort Capital Partners, with participation from existing investors Atlas Venture and General Catalyst. The funding will be used to accelerate AEB’s efforts to commercialize one of the world’s most efficient, clean and cost-effective forms of industrial energy.

March 8 , 2007

Practical Instruments Wins $4M in Funding from DOE Solar America Initiative (SAI) - DOE Funds Heliotube™ Product Roadmap to Provide Double the Efficiency of Today's Solar Panels

Practical Instruments, a provider of high-performance concentrating rooftop solar panels, has been awarded $4M from the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Technology Pathway Partnerships (TPP) program, Department officials announced today. Practical Instruments will use the federal funding to accelerate the evolution of its Heliotube™ product platform, a high-efficiency, low-cost concentrating solar panel that is optimized for the rooftop.

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January 31 , 2007

HydroPoint secures $19M in Series C Financing - Proven Leader in Smart Irrigation to Expand Turnkey Services Offering

HydroPoint Data Systems, Inc., provider of market-leading WeatherTRAK® water management systems, today announced the closing of $19 million in private equity financing. The Company's series C round was led by RockPort Capital Partners, a leading venture capital firm specializing in energy, materials and process technologies, with strong support from Chrysalix Energy Venture Capital, a global venture capital firm focused on clean energy technologies.

October 16 , 2006

RockPort Capital Partners and Nth Power Lead $8M Series A Round for Practical Instruments - New Concentrating Solar Panels Bring Platform for Unparalleled Power to the Rooftop

Practical Instruments, a provider of high-performance concentrating solar panels, today announced it has closed a $8M Series A funding round, led by solar investment veterans RockPort Capital Partners and Nth Power, two of the leading venture capital firms in clean tech. The Series A also includes investments from Trinity Ventures, a leading early-stage venture investor with more than $1 billion under management, and Rincon Venture Partners, a southern California-based venture firm with strong ties to commercial real estate and large multi-property owners and retail chains.

 

August 25, 2006

MicroSeismic, Inc. Raises $7 Million in 2nd Equity Round - Altira Group Leads Round Followed by Chevron Technology Ventures and RockPort Capital Partners

MicroSeismic, Inc., a geophysical service company providing 3-D seismic imaging for both exploration and production of hydrocarbon resources, today announced the closing of a $7 million preferred share offering. Proceeds will be used to acquire capital equipment for expansion of operations as well as to fuel sales growth and to fund software development. Altira Technology Fund IV LLC, led the round. Previous investor CTTV Investments LLC, the venture capital arm of Chevron Technology Ventures, and new investor RockPort Capital Partners also participated.

July 20, 2006

Paul Anderegg joins EcoSMART Technologies - New CEO to create sustainable growth for environmentally safe pesticide company

EcoSMART Technologies is pleased to introduce Paul Anderegg as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately. EcoSMART Technologies is a world leader in proprietary pesticide products derived from natural plant oils.

July 5, 2006

EcoSMART Technologies Secures $9 Million Investment - Financing to be used for commercial expansion

EcoSMART Technologies, a world leader in proprietary pesticide products derived from natural plant oils, announced today that it has secured $9 million in its latest round of private equity financing. The funds will be directed toward market expansion in the commercial pest control and agricultural markets, as well as research and development of new products. The lead investors are RockPort Capital Partners and DFJ Element.

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April 5, 2006

Southwest Windpower Raises $8 Million in Growth Capital; Funding follows strong sales growth; fuels upcoming residential wind technology launch.

Southwest Windpower (SWWP), the world's largest producer of small wind generators, announced completion of an $8 million Series-B equity investment led by RockPort Capital Partners, a venture capital firm in Boston. CTTV Investments LLC, the venture capital arm of Chevron Technology Ventures and existing shareholder Altira Technology Fund IV LP of Denver also participated in the financing.

March 20, 2006

Comverge Announces Closing of Its $5.5 Million Series “C” Preferred Funding Round; Forms Strategic Alliance with Air Products.

Comverge, Inc., a leading Demand Response company enabling utilities, industry and consumers to better manage peak electricity usage, announced the closing of its Series “C” Preferred Share financing round and the formation of a strategic alliance with Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE: APD). Air Products was joined by Partners for Growth as a new investor in Comverge’s Series “C” round. Current investors, Nth Power, EnerTech Capital Partners, Rockport Capital Partners, Norsk Hydro Ventures, Ridgewood Capital, Easton Hunt and Data Systems & Software, Inc. also participated in the Series “C” round.

March 8, 2006

Cleantech Funds Jump 60% - A report says cleantech surpassed semiconductors as a venture investment category in the fourth quarter

Cleantech has surpassed semiconductors as the fifth largest venture capital investment category in North America, a report Wednesday said, in another sign of investors' growing interest in clean technologies such as solar power and water purification.

March 8, 2006

ISE Corporation, Leading Manufacturer of Hybrid-Electric Drive Systems, Announces $25 million Series B Financing.

ISE Corporation ("ISE") and NGP Energy Technology Partners L.P. ("NGP ETP") today announced a $25 million equity investment in ISE, a leading supplier of advanced electric and hybrid-electric drive systems for heavy-duty buses, trucks, airport equipment, and specialized military vehicles. In addition to NGP ETP, investors in the ISE Series B financing include Rockport Capital Partners and Third Avenue Management. This $25 million Series B preferred stock financing is one of the most significant investments to date in a hybrid-electric technology company.

January 18, 2006

NanoGram Raises Funds to Accelerate Commercialization and Partnership Programs.

NanoGram Corporation, a leading developer and licensor of core process technology enabling the manufacture of unique nanostructured materials for optical, electronic and energy applications, announced today that it has raised $18.7 million in a new round of financing.

January 18, 2006

RockPort Capital Partners Announces Close of RockPort Capital Partners II, L.P.

RockPort Capital Partners announced the close of its second venture capital fund, RockPort Capital Partners II, L.P., with commitments of $261.15 million. RockPort is recognized as a leading firm in the rapidly expanding sectors of Energy and Power Technologies, Advanced Materials and Process and Prevention Technologies. RockPort’s Fund II will make early, mid and later-stage investments, and continue to be active on the boards of its portfolio companies.