Date: Mar 03, 2012 Source: (
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Accio Energy is making utility-scale wind energy systems reliable and affordable with Aerovoltaic energy systems that directly convert wind energy to electricity without any moving parts. These Aerovoltaic energy systems offer the low cost of big wind with the modularity and flexibility of solar.
Accio Energy was invited to attend the 2012 New Ventures Forum (NVF) based on an initial evaluation of its technology by the Siemens TTB team. Aerovoltaic technology doesn't rely on electromagnetic effects to produce electricity from the wind's kinetic energy, instead harvesting energy by using the wind to move electrically charged particles against a voltage gradient. The electricity generated is fed directly to the grid or stored locally to provide energy on demand.
"We had been introduced to the New Ventures Forum and TTB venture technologist Dr. Farshid Arman by Michigan NextEnergy," said Accio Energy CEO Jennifer Baird. "When we were invited to attend the 2012 NVF we were excited, although we didn't quite know what to expect. What we found at the New Ventures Forum was a great balance between presentations, collaboration, and networking opportunities."
Accio Energy's Jennifer Baird and Dawn White
Baird added that one of the key things her team learned at the NVF was that there was no reason to fear sharing their ideas.
"The TTB team showed respect for our intellectual property by focusing on what we could do and not delving into the details of how at this early stage of engagement. Siemens has a process for enabling the controlled two-way sharing of proprietary information as the business relationship grows and it was clear they weren't there to gather competitive intelligence," said Baird.
Over the course of the NVF's three days the Accio Energy team worked closely with TTB venture technologists Drs. Farshid Arman and Debjit Mukerji developing a business case for the application of their technology within Siemens. "We learned how to shape our story to match Siemens' needs," said Baird. "We then focused on how we could move the needle for Siemens. The end result was a really strong presentation. And we now have an entry point into a huge company, something we most likely couldn't have achieved on our own. For Accio Energy, the New Ventures Forum was an invaluable experience."
