About Us

The Ignite Clean Energy Competition is one of many events produced by the Energy Special Interest Group (Energy SIG) of the MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge (MITEF). The goal of the Energy SIG is to help build the Clean Energy Cluster in Massachusetts and throughout the region, primarily by assisting entrepreneurs in the creation and deployment of startup companies in the sector. For simplicity's sake, the definition of Clean Energy is taken to be any product or service that reduces the demand for fossil fuels. While there are advocates for clean coal and fossil fuel-based technologies in the group, the emphasis is on those technologies that will help our society move away from a dependence on non-renewable fuels.

Energy SIG Steering Committee Members receiving the 2006 President's Award from the MIT Alumni Association. (l-r) Myron Kassaraba, Berl Hartman, Linda Plano, Ann Chaney, Jonathan Klavens, Joe Turnbull, and Jim Walker.

History

The Energy SIG was created in the spring of 2004 along with several other Special Interest Groups at the invitation of the MITEF. The purpose of the SIGs was to provide additional member benefits to those who were members of the Forum. Perhaps one or two people each attended the initial SIG concept meeting for Advanced Computing, RFID Tags, Medical Devices and the like. Clean Energy, however, attracted six very passionate people, including: Dan Goldman, Berl Hartman, Myron Kassaraba, Linda Plano, Joe Turnbull, and Jim Walker.

From the perspective of the organizers of the Energy SIG, providing benefits for the MITEF members was a laudable goal, but only part of the mission. The newly-formed Steering Committee quickly focused on the development of the Clean Energy Cluster in Massachusetts as the driving force behind the group's activities. Within two months, the first major meeting was held, attended by 75 people - clearly a nerve had been struck within the community.

The idea for the Ignite Clean Energy Business Presentation Competition was generated in 2004 by Jim Walker, the founding Chair of the Energy Special Interest Group (Energy SIG) at the MITEF. The result was ICE 2005, thanks to the approval of the MITEF Board and the support of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and other sponsoring organizations.