The MIT Clean Energy Prize is a student business plan competition open to all full time students in the US. The winner of the MIT Clean Energy Prize sponsored by NSTAR and the US Department of Energy will receive a $200K cash prize plus a similar amount in kind awards to help launch a successful business.  The competition’s objective is to provide a platform to educate, network and celebrate a new generation of energy entrepreneurs who will accelerate the pace of innovation in this field. 

This year there will be five categories with winners of each receiving significant cash prizes.  These categories are Biomass, Clean Hydrocarbons, Energy Efficiency, Renewables, and Transportation.

The competition works in partnership with the MIT $100K Business Plan Competition and serves as its Energy Track.

Five semifinalists in each category will be announced on March 5th, 2009.  Semifinalists will be provided with extensive mentoring by industry leaders from the Energy and Entrepreneurship community to further develop their entries.

All semifinalist teams will be invited to the MIT campus in Cambridge, MA for the MIT Clean Energy Prize Award Ceremony on May 12, 2009.

The process will be rigorous and intensive, but all teams will be provided with opportunities to develop skills, receive mentoring, expand their networks, and be provided with exposure.