Leaders in Energy Technology Innovation to Hold Summit on Heels of President's Call to Break Oil Addiction Through Technology

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 1, 2006--

U.S. Representative Capps Also Joins Groundbreaking Summit to Focus on Bringing New Energy Technologies to Market, Hosted by UC Santa Barbara's Technology Management Program

Just as President George W. Bush is calling for advances in energy technology to pull America out of its dependence on foreign oil, UC Santa Barbara's Technology Management Program is preparing to convene its Concept to Commerce: Emerging Energy Technologies Summit on February 10 and 11. The two-day symposium will assemble renowned scholars, business leaders, financiers, engineers, and policy makers to discuss the development and creation of profitable and practical energy technology solutions that meet the market's evolving energy demands.

"We expect this summit to generate significant innovation and creativity in bringing new technologies to market, including those the President touched on in his State of the Union address last night such as solar, wind, clean coal and ethanol, as well as other efficiency and conservation technologies," said Gary Hansen, Associate Dean of the Technology Management Program. "Anyone interested in how to bring emerging energy technologies profitably to market in new, unique ways should plan on attending."

U.S. Congresswoman Lois Capps (D - Calif.) was also added this week as a Summit speaker, joining a growing list of business leaders, policy makers, scientists, and investors who are experts in the field of energy technologies. A member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Capps brings experience and insight into the public policy side of fostering and implementing technological innovation.

Other featured speakers and participants will include:

-- Daniel Weiss, General Partner, The Angeleno Group - a leading private equity firm focused on high growth investments in the energy technology sector.

-- Frank Alix, Chairman and CEO Powerspan Corp - a pioneering clean coal technology company.

-- Howard Berke, CEO, Konarka Technologies - one of today's hottest solar start-ups according to Fortune.

-- Walter Kohn, Professor Emeritus and Nobel Laureate, UC Santa Barbara - recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

-- Ted Sargent, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto - one of the 2005 Scientific American 50 and "one of the world's top young innovators" according to MIT's Technology Review Magazine.

-- Terry Tamminen, Special Assistant for Energy & Environmental Technologies to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger - a leader in crafting policy that balances conservation with economic benefit.

Attendees will also participate in lectures and discussion panels that focus on the interdependency of political, market, and technical influences in bringing these concepts to market as well as the latest research and development for new energy technologies.

"We have tremendous visionary and intellectual resources at UC Santa Barbara," said Chancellor Henry Yang. "This is an exciting opportunity to bring together our outstanding talent and world leaders in emerging energy technologies to discuss cutting-edge and innovative solutions to global energy issues."

Summit sponsors include Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, The County of Santa Barbara, Pacific Coast Business Times, Business First National Bank, DAVIES, The Angeleno Group, Silicon Valley Bank, PG&E, and the San Diego Regional Energy Office.

The Technology Management Program within the College of Engineering at UC Santa Barbara is a pioneering, interdisciplinary academic program that seeks to close the gap between the sciences and management. The Program offers graduate and undergraduate classes in areas such as general management skills, new venture creation and finance, product development, marketing, and analysis of new business opportunities.

For a complete list of speakers and to register, please visit http://www.c2c.ucsb.edu or call Conference Director Leslie Edwards at 805.893.3944. Registration deadline is February 6, 2006.