Two Colorado companies competing in Clean Tech Open nationals.

• Author: Speier, Susanna
• Position: ENTREPRENEURS - New Sky Energy and Sun Trac Solar

"What are you good at? What do you need help with?"

Those were questions asked to match mentors with the finalists of the Rocky Mountain Clean Tech Open when they began the rigorous competition for one of three regional awards six months ago.

On Nov. 3, Mayor John Hickenlooper announced that Colorado-based New Sky Energy and Sun Trac Solar, and Montana-based Rivertop Renewables, were the winners of the Rocky Mountain Clean Tech Open and $50,000 in cash and in-kind services.

They are now headed to California, where they will compete against the California and the Pacific Northwest winners for the National Clean Tech Open title and more than $1 million in prizes. Winners were scheduled to be announced on Nov. 17.

Cool Energy Inc., winner of the Rocky Mountain Clean Tech Open's Sustainability Award, is also headed to the nationals, where they will be competing for a sustainability award.

Clean Tech Open Executive Director Rex Northen cited Thomas Friedman as one of the many thinkers who believes that it will be inventors--not big companies--who will solve environmental problems. Consistent with Friedman's philosophy, the role of the Clean Tech Open is to help inventors and small entrepreneurs with less than $500,000 in capital to see their technological innovations to fruition.

The...