Let's Hear It For Asia And Cleantech: Two Investment Stereotypes For The Price Of One

Purely coincidentally amongst the recent mini-wave of Asian coverage on this blog comes an invitation to a free half-day conference for professional investors, entrepreneurs and journalists (if there is one word designed to attract the attention of journalists almost as quickly as ‘alcohol’, it is ‘free’).

From 8.30am on Friday May 6 at the London Stock Exchange (far too early for most self-disrespecting journalists, unfortunately) there is a veritable  scrum devoted to Asian Cleantech, with speakers including: Asian Development Bank; Aloe Private Equity (Asia-focused venture capital investor; Polygenta (India-based company which produces polyester yarn from waste PET bottles); SinoGreen Venture Capital (launching a Greater China cleantech fund) and Low Carbon Investors (launching an Asian cleantech fund)

Further speakers are to be announced, we are told. Click here for more information.

We are further told that  this event will be complemented by a report 'Investor Perspectives on Asian Cleantech' which will feature insights from leading sector specialists.

The ADB speaks on the East-West cleantech dynamic: "Asia (particularly China) has in many ways outstripped the rest of the world in terms of policies favourable to the clean energy industry. The US and Europe are still emerging from the financial crisis, and have mixed feelings about climate change and the role of clean energy in that context. Countries like China have really latched onto clean energy as a means of creating energy security, improving the environment, and creating jobs. [They] are quickly beginning to dominate the market in terms of production of clean energy components, and the global balance of economic benefits deriving from that innovation and production is shifting.

"[But] Indigenous technology development [in Asia] is still quite young ... there are few regions with the capacity at the moment for true innovation. The model of venture capital ... focuses more on the deployment and commercialisation of technologies that have been proven in other parts of the world. We see the greatest opportunity for returns in the part of the asset class that avoids technology development and incubation risk, but takes commercialisation risk."

The full ADB interview and more will be published in the report. It will be available at www.london-eif.com prior to the event and will be distributed on the day.

To register, use the contact details below. Only registered guests may attend this event.

Kat Fremlin

+44 (0)20 7631 2648

[email protected]

www.london-eif.com

www.carboninternational.com