Midwest Alternative Energy Venture Forum

MAEVF 2009 Chicago – This Blog Editor attended the third consecutive MAEVF in Chicago on November 18. The conference was sold out with nearly three hundred entrepreneurs, sponsors, hosts, speakers and attendees. MAEVF was held at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The University of Chicago leads the world with 85 Nobel Laureates alumnus, including President Obama most recently for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Keynote Speaker was Matt Roger, Senior Advisor to the Secretary U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Roger had been directly responsible for the release of over $32 billion in federal stimulus money in the form of direct grants and loan guarantees since Feb. 2009 into alternative energy projects. Over 250 full time peer reviewers have been screening project selection. This attending blogger wonders, (1) what market distortions will result from such an unprecedented influx of funding, (2) how can politics and corruption possibly be kept away from this taxpayer cash, and (3) how funding such long term projects is additive to the immediate goal of ending a severe recession.

Nine emerging technology companies presented their business plans at the MAEVR, including Air Water Treatment, Bias Power, Inc., Coskata, Inc., Digital Optics International, e-One, Intelligent Generation LLC, KGRA Energy, Paradigm Sensors, LLC and PyroPhase Inc. These presenters were highly vetted and had significant new technology applications.

Richard Wottrich, Blog Editor