from VentureBeat. I’m still getting used to the idea of grants as funding for companies. I know, grants and other instruments like SBA loans have helped start companies for a long time, but with so much private money looking to be invested in green energy you’d think the gov’t could sit it out, or am I looking at this the wrong way?
Bloo Solar picks up $100K grant for solar nanotech
By Chris Morrison 02.28.08
Various schemes for increasing the effectiveness of solar cells through nanotech have shown great promise of late. One idea, under development by Bloo Solar, is to increase the surface area of cells by layering nano-sized “bristles” on.The bristles are essentially nano-scaled, hair-like wires, arranged vertically to capture more energy. The company claims that its technology increases total surface area by 700 times, helping capture far more sunlight.
The $100,000 grant was provided by the National Science Foundation. Bloo Solar is located in West Sacramento, Calif., and has not yet taken venture funding, according to our records.
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And getting your R&D money from any source that does not cost you an arm and a leg is nothing but smart. The closer you can drive the technology to a producable format, the higher the valuation of the idea and the less you have to give up for the venture capital. There is a reason that VC, Venture Capital is also known as VC, Vulture Capital. Very smart move.