Paris, France; Dubai, UAE; Shanghai, China, April 26,2024 - The esteemed World CleanTech StartUPs Awards (WCSA) is excited to announce the commencement of its 2024 edition, inviting innovative CleanTech startups from around the globe to showcase their solutions. Celebrated annually, WCSA recognizes not only the groundbreaking technologies but also the visionary founders, investors, and accelerators who are at the forefront of the clean technology revolution.
WCSA is dedicated to fostering growth and innovation within the CleanTech industry, providing a vital platform for startups to present their transformative solutions. This initiative plays a crucial role in supporting the global shift towards sustainability by spotlighting the significant advancements and the individuals spearheading this change.
Following the resounding success of its inaugural WCSA2023 ceremony in Munich, Germany, WCSA2024 has expanded into a more specialized awards program.
Anis Jouini, CEO at ECM Greentech and Chair of the WCSA, commented on the expansion of the award categories: "This year, we are proud to introduce four distinct categories to further celebrate the diverse contributions within the CleanTech sector. By introducing these new categories, we aim to acknowledge and celebrate the broad spectrum of contributions that are driving the sector forward.”
The four distinguished WCSA2024 categories are:
The WCSA2024 ACWA Power Innovation Award: Given to the startup that demonstrates the most impactful, visionary, and disruptive technology innovation. It recognizes groundbreaking contributions to the CleanTech sector that have the potential to significantly alter industry standards and practices.
The WCSA2024 Visionary Founder Award (Dr. Charlie Gay Award): Honors a founder who has significantly advanced clean technologies from niche markets to mainstream application.
The WCSA2024 Visionary Investor Award (Paddy Padmanathan Award): Recognizes an investor who has significantly influenced the scaling of clean technologies on a global scale.
The WCSA2024 Visionary Accelerator Award (Prof. Eicke R. Weber Award): Awarded to an accelerator that has effectively nurtured groundbreaking innovations in the CleanTech industry.
Prof. Eicke R. Weber, Vice-Chairman at European Solar Manufacturing Council, Former Director at Fraunhofer ISE and Chair of the World CleanTech Awards after whom the WCSA2024 Visionary Accelerator Award is named, remarked: "I am honored to lend my name to an award that recognizes accelerators pushing the boundaries of innovation and implementation in clean technology. It is crucial that we support environments that foster the rapid development of solutions to our most pressing environmental challenges."
Powered by ACWA Power, with strategic partnerships including the CleanTech Business Club and the New Energy Industry Association for Asia and the Pacific (representing SNEC, the flagship event series in the solar, energy storage, and hydrogen fields), the WCSA2024 judging panel, comprised of industry experts and leading CleanTech entrepreneurs, will select the finalists and the winner of the WCSA2024 ACWA Power Innovation Award. The CleanTech Pioneers, named in the new categories, have been granted exclusive authority to nominate candidates for their respective awards, with nominees confirmed by the jury through acclamation.
Thomas Altmann, Executive Vice President of Innovation & New Technology at ACWA Power and Co-Chair of the Awards, stated: "Following a highly successful first edition that brought together 32 startups representing 21 countries across 5 continents, we are thrilled to power the second edition of this competition. The incredible talent and innovation demonstrated by last year's winner have set a high bar, and we eagerly anticipate what this year's visionary founders and innovators will bring.”
Thomas Korn, CEO of "Water Stuff & Sun GmbH”, the winner of the first edition, shared: "Winning the WCSA2023 was a significant milestone for us. It has undoubtedly propelled our efforts to reshape the storage, distribution, and utilization of renewables. The recognition and support from ACWA Power, as part of the World CleanTech StartUPs Awards, are helping us scale our solutions and expand our impact significantly. With this continued support, we are confident in making a profound impact and accelerating our growth within the clean technology industry.”
Entries are now open until May 22, 2024, and the winners will be announced on June 12, 2024 during the Awards Ceremony held at the Gala Dinner of the 17th SNEC PV Power Expo in Shanghai, China, the world's leading solar and cleantech conference and exhibition.
Mi Yue, Executive Vice-Chairman of the New Energy Industry Association for Asia and the Pacific, stated:
"We are delighted to spread the word about the World CleanTech StartUPs Awards 2024 amongst our members in Asia and the Pacific, as well as through our extensive global network at SNEC. Hosting the Awards Ceremony in Shanghai at the 17th SNEC PV Power Expo is a proud moment in our collaboration with the CleanTech Business Club and ACWA Power.”
For more information on the awards and how to apply, please click HERE
About the Awards:
The World CleanTech StartUPs Awards (WCSA) is an esteemed annual global competition that recognizes the most innovative and disruptive CleanTech startups, alongside their visionary founders, investors, and highly effective accelerators.
WCSA aims to inspire and promote growth within the CleanTech industry by providing startups with a platform to showcase their groundbreaking solutions. This initiative not only highlights significant advancements in clean technology but also supports the global movement towards sustainability by celebrating the key contributors who are driving change.
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