The Cleantech Open, the world’s largest business competition created to find, fund, and foster startup clean technology companies, launched its fifth annual competition last week. The 2010 competition aims to create cleantech jobs by connecting clean technology entrepreneurs with expert mentoring and guidance, venture capital and funding experts, private and public innovation centers, and sponsor organizations.

The Cleantech Open’s programs have generated a stream of commercially viable businesses in the first four years of the competition:

• Nearly 200 teams have successfully competed in the program.
• Alumni companies have raised more than $150 million in private capital.
• More than 1,200 new jobs have been created by Cleantech Open
  entrepreneurs.

In the open, early stage startups are invited to enter in six competition categories: renewable energy, transportation, smart power, energy efficiency, green building, and air/water/waste management.

Startups compete first for regional prizes; regional winners will then face off in a national competition, vying for the Grand Prize of $250,000 in cash and services. Startups have until May 22, 2010 to submit entries.

Click here for more information on the 2010 Cleantech Open.