Will “social capital” be the next big industry to emerge?

Will “social capital” be the next big industry to emerge?

It’s new enough that there’s not even a commonly accepted term for it. Some call it “social capital” or “social entrepreneurism”, others “blended value”, and some choose the Starbucksian name “double-triple bottom line.” You might just call it making money from doing good.

Microcredit is the… Continue Reading

D.light Design sets out to replace the kerosene lamp, with eco-friendly lighting for India

D.light Design sets out to replace the kerosene lamp, with eco-friendly lighting for India

A San Francisco-based company with plans to help the developing world snuff out its kerosene-burning lamps and replace them with cheap, solar-powered LEDs and compact fluorescents has finally unveiled its production models and announced the details of its for-profit business plan.

We’ve followed the progress of… Continue Reading

Cheap lights and hot heat — two more cleantech innovators

Cheap lights and hot heat — two more cleantech innovators

Following in the theme of great-but-unusual cleantech startups I talked about last week, I recently took some time to talk to Bill Reichert of Garage Technology Ventures about a couple of his firm’s latest investments in the field.

Garage is the firm that Reichert heads up… Continue Reading

Cleantech startups of note: D. Light Design, ReadySolar, Redwood Renewables

Cleantech startups of note: D. Light Design, ReadySolar, Redwood Renewables

Three green technology companies emerged as among the more interesting companies at the Launch Silicon Valley pitch-fest yesterday.

Several hundred entrepreneurs and investors gathered in Mountain View, Calif. for the annual ritual, where 30 hand-picked companies gave a ten-minute pitch.

D. Light Design Wants to Eliminate… Continue Reading