ANN ARBOR – Intellectual property law firm Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione announced that Detroit-based SurClean, a start-up that produces laser tools for removing coatings in an environmentally safe and energy-efficient manner, has won the 4th Annual Brinks Innovation Competition.
The Brinks Innovation Competition is an annual juried contest that helps emerging and venture-ready clean and green tech companies in the Midwest gain visibility for their technology and make connections with early-stage investors, researchers, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and financiers. Each entry in the Competition is evaluated by a panel of experts from regional universities, venture capitalists and business executives familiar with clean and green technologies.
The Brinks Innovation Competition is the centerpiece of the annual Midwest Clean Tech Expo presented by the Global Midwest Alliance and the Midwest Research University Network. Top executives representing the winner and both runners-up were on hand to receive their awards on Wednesday, September 12, following presentations from four of the five finalists at the Midwest Clean Tech Conference 2012 at Chicago?s McCormick Place. This year’s show was also held in conjunction with the International Manufacturing Technology Show.
?We are grateful for the opportunity to present our laser-based coatings removal product before such an engaged and knowledgeable audience,” said Susan Sprentall, CEO, who represented SurClean in the finalists? presentations. “The Brinks Innovation Competition provided us a tremendous forum for meeting people who will help further develop our investor network necessary for future development.”
?Winning a prestigious competition such as the Brinks Innovation Competition also lends credibility to SurClean’s ongoing product development efforts,” said Sprentall. “That support is critical to our long-term goals in bringing our products to market.?
Kelly K. Burris, a shareholder in the Ann Arbor office of Brinks, Chair of the firm?s Greentech practice and co-chair of the Brinks Innovation Competition, was enthusiastic about the Competition and the Michigan win.
?The growing number of applications Brinks received for this year’s Competition, with Michigan-based winner SurClean and Michigan-based GreenSand one of the top five finalists, reflects the region?s potential for innovation and clean technology-driven economic growth,? said Burris. ?Our hope is that the success of the finalists in this year?s Brinks Innovation Competition will inspire other Michigan and Midwest entrepreneurs to develop and commercialize innovative new clean technology.?
SurClean?s laser-based products incorporate a disruptive technology to replace the use of harmful chemicals, media blasting and other abrasives typically used in the removal of paint and other coatings from aircraft, vessels and bridges undergoing maintenance. The company?s system uses a laser beam to disintegrate and remove paint and other coatings like rust from substrate in a cost-effective, safe, energy-efficient and earth-friendly way. SurClean addresses safety concerns, environmental issues and hazards associated with the control and use of chemicals used in coating stripping, and eliminates the production of contaminated waste products in most cases.
Two Chicago-area companies were runners-up in the Brinks Innovation Competition. The first runner-up, Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technologies (HEVT) provides the transportation industry with high-performance, efficient and cost-effective components and integrated systems that foster the adoption of electrified transport and yield significant savings in fuel economy.
Second runner-up ARID Technologies, based in Wheaton, uses innovative membrane separation technology to reduce evaporation and harmful hydrocarbon emissions at gasoline stations.
