Center for Technology Transfer embraces "Cleantech"

Madison, Wis. - To better reflect its mission of funding energy-saving technologies, and to avoid confusion with a commonly used technological term, the Center for Technology Transfer in Madison is changing its name to CleanTech Partners, Inc.

The private, nonprofit organization provides investment funding and business expertise to companies that have developed new energy-saving technologies, and need assistance to bring their products and services to the market.

Masood Akhtar, president of CleanTech Partners, expects the change to eliminate the confusion caused by it previous name. He said the words "technology transfer" too often are associated with the sort of work conducted by university organizations that license research discoveries.

In contrast, he said the name CleanTech has entered the public lexicon to describe technologies that are energy efficient, economically viable, and environmentally friendly. "It feels like a better fit for our organization," Akhtar stated.

CleanTech Partners scouts venture fairs, universities, tech organizations, and industry to find new energy-saving technologies that are worthy of investment. The organization focuses on assisting in the commercialization of technologies that can reduce energy costs for the pulp and paper, metal casting, food processing, printing, and plastics industries. CleanTech Partners is sponsored in part by Focus on Energy, Wisconsin's energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative.