(Pittsburgh, PA – December 1, 2009) – At its Annual Meeting today, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development will announce the formation of the Energy Alliance of Southwestern Pennsylvania, a strategic partnership for tomorrow’s energy solutions.

Guided by CEOs of energy-related firms and universities and staffed primarily by the Allegheny Conference and Innovation Works, the Alliance will be a virtual organization focused on developing and executing a strategy for Pittsburgh regional energy industry growth.

The Alliance will advance a common strategy by coordinating with existing activities and organizations to advocate for improvements to our region’s competitiveness to create an even better climate for energy industry success and job creation. 

Through shared policy, advocacy, project coordination, company funding as well as communications and marketing efforts, the Alliance will position the southwestern Pennsylvania region as a global leader in energy innovation, production and related manufacturing. In so doing, it will assist the growth of the energy industry in our economy - retaining existing jobs, creating new ones and enabling prosperity for all residents.  (Note: Logo for Energy Alliance of Southwestern Pennsylvania is available here.)

Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Economy League conducted an analysis of the energy industry in southwestern Pennsylvania and identified seven sectors in which our strengths are already greater than other regions around the country. The Alliance will include activity in all seven:

Traditional energy
• Coal
• Natural gas
• Nuclear

Alternative energy
• Solar
• Wind

Conservation and distribution systems
• Transmission and distribution
• Intelligent building technologies

“With strengths across a diversified energy industry, our region is in an excellent position to execute a comprehensive strategy of economic growth and job creation,” said Allegheny Conference Chair John P. Surma.

“We’re proud to join with the Conference in creating the Alliance and offering guidance, support and funding for the latest innovations in energy. Our energy sector holds great promise for the commercialization of technologies that will help meet the world’s energy challenges. Innovation Works has a strong track record in developing start-up companies and bringing products to market. We’re looking forward to the contributions we can make to growing our region’s energy economy,” said Innovation Works CEO Rich Lunak.

Alliance formation follows “Open Letter” to world leaders on intent of Pittsburgh energy leaders to work together
The announcement today follows on an open letter issued earlier this year as G-20 leaders convened here to discuss the global economy. On Wednesday, September 23, 2009, an unprecedented group of Pittsburgh-based energy companies and universities stepped forward to share their commitment to our growing energy economy.

In an open letter in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the leadership from all seven sectors and the universities acknowledged the growing global energy demand and pledged to find the solutions to the world’s energy challenges together. “We believe that Pittsburgh will play a leading role in creating the new energy economy,” they said.  (Note: The Open Letter is available here.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates the commitment of business leaders across the seven components of the energy sector to work together to provide sustainable energy solutions,” said Allegheny Conference CEO Dennis Yablonsky. “Pittsburgh’s historic spirit of collaboration, diversity of energy resources and innovation know-how uniquely positions our region to create and implement a 21st century energy economy.”

“Energy companies, universities and organizations within our region bring two critical abilities to helping meet the world’s energy challenges. Our expertise in materials science, engineering, and nuclear energy can make the extraction and use of traditional energy sources cleaner and more efficient. Our historic strength in innovation holds great potential for developing distributed energy generation and delivery models, pioneering intelligent building systems, and finding cost-effective alternative technology solutions,” continued Yablonsky.

The energy industry is a significant economic generator in the region
The energy sector in the Pittsburgh region is responsible for:
• a $13.7 billion contribution to our regional Gross Domestic Product;
• 10% of our regional economy;
• 105,000 direct/indirect jobs;
• one fourth of 2009 business expansion projects; and
• more than $1 billion in public and private R&D annually.

Southwestern Pennsylvania sits atop extensive energy industry resources including coal and the natural gas from within the Marcellus Shale.

According to a recent Penn State University report, the Marcellus Shale is the largest unconventional natural gas reserve in the world with recoverable reserves estimated to be at least 489 trillion cubic feet. In 2008, the Marcellus gas industry in Pennsylvania generated $2.3 billion in total value added and more than 29,000 jobs. The pace of development and extraction is expected to increase and by 2020, the Marcellus Shale activity is forecast to be generating $13.5 billion in value added and almost 175,000 jobs.

The region is also well positioned in its innovation resources as they include the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), one of a handful of federal Department of Energy research centers nationwide and the only one devoted to fossil fuel research including the future of carbon capture and sequestration.

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The Allegheny Conference on Community Development and Affiliates – the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, the Pennsylvania Economy League of Southwestern Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance – work in collaboration with public and private sector partners to stimulate economic growth and improve the quality of life in southwestern Pennsylvania. Learn more at www.alleghenyconference.org.

About Innovation Works - Innovation Works is the Ben Franklin Technology Partner (BFTP) of Southwestern PA.  As one of the nation’s most active investors in seed-stage technology companies, Innovation Works provides regional startups in all technology sectors with the risk capital and business mentoring they need to grow and succeed.  As part of the BFTP network, Innovation Works was recently awarded $10 million over the next five years to grow regional energy-related startups as part of the Commonwealth’s Energy Independence Strategy.

HARRISBURG, PA – February 12, 2009, Government investment in early-stage technology companies and in innovation in established manufacturers in Pennsylvania from 2002 to 2006 injected billions into the state economy, returned $3.50 for each $1 spent and created thousands of new high-wage jobs, according to a new study released by the Pennsylvania Economy League.

Read More at Ben Franklin Technology Partners

PITTSBURGH, PA  – JUNE 25, 2008 --  The first companies have been selected to participate in AlphaLab, a new  program of Innovation Works to spur the growth of companies developing software, interactive games, and web and mobile applications.  Innovation Works, one of the nation’s most active seed-stage investors, selected the following companies to participate in the initial AlphaLab program: BlenderHouse, Chogger, crono, GameHuddle, Skill-Life, and Sonya Labs.

AlphaLab helps companies rapidly develop early versions of their product and reach the critical stage of initial customer feedback and validation before commercial launch. Twice a year, up to six companies are selected to participate in the intensive AlphaLab program.   In just five weeks of the initial open application cycle which ended March 31, 2008, scores of entrepreneurial teams from seven states applied for consideration.  Investors and industry experts assisted the Innovation Works team in reviewing and selecting the companies thought to have the best chance for commercial success; could make significant progress toward a product launch in roughly six months; and those that could maximize the $25,000 investment, free office space, and intensive business assistance provided to each of the AlphaLab companies.

The first group of web-related companies represent a diverse mix of market segments being pursued, first-time and experienced entrepreneurs, teams working at the concept-phase to those with early iterations already released for user feedback, teams from outside Pittsburgh who moved here for the experience and some that have grown up together in the greater-Pittsburgh region, and everything in between.

• BlenderHouse creates social applications for Facebook and other platforms that offer friends a forum to exchange trusted recommendations and feedback during key life decisions. www.blenderhouse.com
• Chogger is developing software tools that enable users to easily create comic strips, a fun and exciting form of expression.  Chogger’s tools will help build and showcase comic strips and will integrate with websites containing content that can be easily made into personalized comics, such as photo sharing sites. www.chogger.com
• Crono is developing intelligent software to automate and simplify communications, schedule appointments, and book services.  www.mycrono.com
• GameHuddle is creating a social network for gamers to help bring together players with similar interests.  Users are able to review games, blog, create micro sites for clans/guilds, and engage others as part of a social community. www.gamehuddle.com
• Skill-Life is developing a web-based video game teaching financial literacy to middle and high school-aged children.  Players create avatars and take on different real-life personas with specific occupations, homes, friends, and access to capital.  Each persona has its own set of games that improve the players’ math and literacy capabilities. www.centscity.com
• Sonya Labs is creating a comprehensive web-based legal research destination. www.sonyalabs.com

“We are really excited by the products and teams in this first group of AlphaLab companies,” says Rich Lunak, president & CEO of Innovation Works.  “Most of these entrepreneurs just had a concept for a product and the AlphaLab opportunity motivated them to form a company and get on the path toward rapid commercialization.  They’re really flourishing in the collaborative environment where they can leverage one another’s technical skills and they’re applying the expert advice provided by the Innovation Works team and numerous outside advisors to hone their business plans.  By the time we showcase the companies to investors toward the end of the program, we expect each one will have made significant progress toward their commercial launch. ”

“Without AlphaLab, we’d probably be three guys in a garage,” says Chogger founder Jeremy Herrman.  “Now we’ve incorporated, we’re fleshing out a business plan and are developing our product.  Maybe we would have done that ourselves, but AlphaLab is making our company real right now.”

The next application cycle for the fall/winter AlphaLab program will begin in August and close October 15, 2008.  Up to six new companies will be selected from those applications.  More information is available online at www.alphalab.org

Innovation Works is the largest, most active seed stage investor in Southwestern Pennsylvania.  Part of the statewide Ben Franklin Technology Partner network, Innovation Works invests in and provides expert business assistance to the region’s most promising early-stage technology companies.  Since the inception of the non-profit organization’s seed fund in 1999, Innovation Works has invested in 110 companies.  These portfolio companies currently employ more than 1,200 people and have attracted nearly $500 million in additional capital.

Pittsburgh, PA – October 30, 2008 –  "Deputy Secretary Rebecca Bagley said recognition of the Ben Franklin Technology Partners by the International Economic Development Council, and the tribute to Innovation Works by the State Science and Technology Institute, are a result of their work to bring high-tech businesses to Pennsylvania and improve access to investment capital."

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Pittsburgh, PA – September 15, 2008 –  AlphaLab, Innovation Works’ 20-week program to accelerate the growth of software, entertainment technology and Internet-related companies, is taking applications until October 15, 2008 for the winter/spring cycle of funding and assistance which will begin January 5, 2009.  The on-line application can be found at www.alphalab.org. 

A program of Innovation Works, one of the nation’s most active seed-stage investors, AlphaLab provides $25,000 in funding, free office space, and expert business advice through an intensive 20-week program in Pittsburgh.  AlphaLab helps companies rapidly develop their technology, gain user feedback from early product releases, develop go-to-market strategies, build ties to potential investors, and move towards successful commercial launch.  The range of entrepreneurs who should apply varies from those who have already developed a prototype or early iteration to those still fleshing out a product concept and everything in between.

The application deadline for the winter/spring program is October 15, 2008.  A committee made up of Innovation Works’ business experts, outside investors and other advisors will review the applications and ask a subset of entrepreneurs to meet in-person.   The review committee will then select up to six companies to participate in the next AlphaLab cycle based on the concept’s uniqueness, the technology’s market potential and the teams’ ability to develop and launch a winning product/service.  Companies will be notified of their selection in November.