Green Launching Pad winners announced

Six New Hampshire businesses have been selected for the second round of funding through the Green Launching Pad initiative.The companies selected to receive a portion of the $1.5 million funding grant are SustainX Inc. of Lebanon, which creates nontoxic technology for low-cost scalable energy storage; Blue2Green of Ashland, which promotes hydroelectric power production by restoring dams; Holase Inc. of Portsmouth, which has developed self-contained, solar-powered LED traffic signal lights; New England Footwear of Newmarket, which has developed a sustainable footwear manufacturing process through the use of organic materials; Therma-HEXX of Exeter, which has invented an invisible low-cost solar collector and heat exchanger; and Walker-Wellington of Portsmouth, which developed a hydrokinetic turbine power generation system.A partnership between the state, the University of New Hampshire, and New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning, with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Green Launching Pad helps innovative companies bring new products to market and create jobs. Last year, intensive support was given to five New Hampshire companies working to bring clean new energy products to market in the program’s initial round of funding.About 50 businesses and entrepreneurs submitted applications for the second funding round of Green Launching Pad. An advisory board selected the six business teams that will be supported during an intensive summer business accelerator program comprised of support by business, science and engineering faculty to develop finance and marketing plans as well as angel investors and private sector business mentors.”The first round of the Green Launching Pad has been a tremendous success, benefiting not only those companies that participated, but working to strengthen our state’s economy,” said Gov. John Lynch. “I am focused on making sure that we are growing the jobs and companies of the future right here in New Hampshire and the Green Launching Pad is just one way we are doing that. The ideas and the products that have been nurtured by the Green Launching Pad are helping create good jobs, and I am pleased that we are working together to help six more New Hampshire businesses.” – CINDY KIBBE/NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS REVIEW