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Doing More With Less Is Not New

Cleantech is fundamentally about efficiency—more productivity with less energy, more energy with less carbon, more economic growth with less impact. Global businesses have always sought such efficiencies, and Bessemer Venture Partners has our roots in one such breakthrough.

 

Shriram EPC Windmill

Shriram EPC's Wind Farm In Action

Our cleantech investments have already started producing clean energy and making a positive impact on the environment.

 
Cleantech Practice Overview

At BVP, we believe the global economy must accommodate new population and create opportunities for economic growth and improved standards of living in both the developed and developing worlds while

  • using (increasingly expensive) commodities more efficiently,
  • emitting fewer greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming,
  • addressing the challenge posed by an already strained infrastructure, and
  • relying on energy resources to which there is stable access.

This amounts to a massive paradigm shift for industries and economies. As a result, the following principles will drive our cleantech investment strategy:

  • The Developing World’s Industrialization, as we welcome more than 2 billion people to a higher standard of living
  • The reality of a Carbon Constrained Globe
  • Consumer Preference for Green Products
  • The essential role played by Innovation and Technology as part of the solution


Venture Capital firms such as BVP will provide capital, recruit talent, and influence policy makers to develop and commercialize cost-effective technologies to help us move toward the “Doing More With Less” paradigm while reducing negative effects to our environment.

Please feel free to submit your business plan or executive summary to cleantech@bvp.com
Past Investments Current Portfolio
Investment Team
Justin Label Derrick T.L. Lee Kent Bennett Matan Friedman Umesh Padval
Justin
Label 		Derrick T.L.
Lee 		Kent
Bennett 		Matan
Friedman 		Umesh
Padval
Rob Chandra Siddharth Nautiyal Vishal Gupta
Rob
Chandra 		Siddharth
Nautiyal 		Vishal
Gupta

Recruiting Talent to Cleantech

BVP has worked with entrepreneurs and executives in their transition from IT to cleantech. We have also been instrumental in helping our cleantech portfolio companies recruit talent from other technology sectors.

Name Current Cleantech Roles Past IT Roles
Tom Riordan CEO, Exclara Founder, QED; PMCS, Intel, MIPS
Gary Fromer CEO, CPower GM/SVP, SAP
Joseph Laia CEO, Miasole VP, KLA-Tencor, Novellus

 

BVP's interest in more efficient production methods dates to its founder's application of the Bessemer process to steel making. BVP's Cleantech  investors combine their diverse backgrounds to help young companies deliver the innovations essential to meet the world's growing need for environmentally friendly products and services.

American Superconductor's high-temperature metal/ceramic composite superconductor wire is a near-perfect conductor of electricity. Felda Hardymon led BVP’s investment in 1987; the company went public as NASDAQ:AMSC in late 1991. BVP exited its position in 1992.

Applied Solar Technologies provides distributed solar energy technology and installation management services to enterprise customers throughout India.

Kent Bennett is a Senior Associate at BVP’s Wellesley Hills office. Working with Ron Elwell, he concentrates on the mobile wireless, media and consumer green tech sectors. Most recently, Kent was a management intern at Google, Inc, where he helped

Justin is a Partner in Bessemer’s Menlo Park office, focusing on Cleantech investments. He has been with Bessemer since 2001. Justin initiated Bessemer's Cleantech practice in 2005. His Cleantech investments include Silicon Valley Solar and Exclara , and he is also involved in Bessemer's other Cleantech portfoli

Derrick is a Vice President in Bessemer’s Shanghai office, and was formerly based in the firm's Menlo Park office focusing on semiconductor, hardware, and communications investments.  He serves on the board of Summit Microelectronics, and is involved with Bessemer's investments

 A fabless semiconductor focusing on high performance LED integrated circuits.

Vishal Gupta is a Managing Director with BVP India, based in the Mumbai (Bombay) office. He has been closely involved with the firm’s investments in Motilal Oswal Financial Services, Shriram EPC, Sunil Hitech Engineers, and Orient Green Power, among others. Vishal serves on the board of NetAmbit InfoSource and E-Servi

Matan Friedman is a Senior Associate in the California office. He joined BVP in 2008 to focus on the Cleantech sector. Most recently, Matan was Manager of Strategy and Business Development for Ze Gen Inc., an early stage Boston based

 A company revolutionizing the production of solar photovoltaic cells.

Rob Chandra is a Partner in Bessemer's Menlo Park office. Since entering the venture capital industry in 1996, Rob has been involved with 22 early-stage investments that have gone public or been acquired by public companies. Three of Rob's portfolio companies went public during 2008. Rob is the founding partner of 

 A specialized engineering services company addressing the Indian infrastructure sector.

Siddharth Nautiyal is a Senior Associate with the BVP India team in the Mumbai (Bombay) office. He works on all aspects of sourcing, negotiating, and managing deals in that country. Prior to joining Bessemer in 2006, Siddharth spent five years with McKinsey & Co.'s Bombay office as an Engagement Manager. He foc

Umesh Padval is an Operating Partner based in BVP’s Menlo Park office. He brings to BVP’s portfolio companies close to 25 years of experience in marketing, sales  and general management in the high tech industry. Umesh has management experience in