Northwest Energy Angels Now Element 8

SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwired - Jan 23, 2014) - The Northwest Energy Angels (NWEA), an organization of angel investors focused on clean technology and sustainability, today launched its new brand identity, the result of a nearly year long strategic review, analysis and design process. Effective today, the organization will be known as Element 8. The organization unveiled the new identity at its annual Cleantech Leadership Forum.

"Strategically, we rebranded the organization to better reflect both who we are and where we're going," said Alison Shaw, co-chair of the group's Outreach committee. "Simply put, we continue to see deal flow from, and make investments in, companies that are far outside the Northwest and outside of pure energy technologies. The new identity removes reference to place and technology, and better positions us as a group that fuels young companies and accelerates the transition to a cleaner future and better world."

The dynamic behind the rebrand was evident in the more than $3.8 million Element 8 members invested in a total of 13 companies in 2013.

"These are exactly the types of companies, people and ideas we want to keep attracting, and with our new brand and messaging, we hope even more companies around the country will look at us as the premier resource for early stage clean technology funding," said Lars Johansson, co-chair of Element 8.

The new name is just part of a comprehensive brand refresh that includes a fully overhauled website, new imagery and powerful messaging. Nothing changes about the organization's mission, processes or benefits it offers members and portfolio companies.

Using the eighth element -- oxygen -- as metaphor, the new name reflects key attributes of the benefits the group provides to its funded companies, as well as the broader ecosystem. Oxygen symbolizes a number of things --

• Life: Just as oxygen provides the essential elements of life, Element 8 provides vital capital;
• Change: Oxygen is a prevailing agent in changing states (photosynthesis, fire, etc.), and a change is a key part of the Element 8 vision;
• Fuel: Oxygen is a fuel, a catalyst -- just as Element 8 is for its portfolio companies;
• Aspiration: Oxygen represents the wide-open sky -- abundant opportunity and possibility -- a vision we see for investing in clean technologies.
  
  

Element 8 is made of up of close to 70 accredited angel investors from across the Pacific Northwest, themselves successful executives and entrepreneurs, who provide investment capital, contacts and strategic advice to help early-stage companies achieve market success. Since its founding in 2006, Element 8 members have invested close to $14 million in 43 companies. 

Element 8 provides its members (which range from seasoned investors to new angels with a desire to learn), access to quality deal flow and the tools for successful investing through a powerful business network, cooperative due diligence and relevant, timely education. Members of Element 8 balance the pursuit of profitable investments with the pursuit of a higher purpose -- accelerating the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable planet.

About Element 8
Founded in 2006 as Northwest Energy Angels and renamed Element 8 in 2014, the organization was the first angel investment group in North America to focus exclusively on cleantech, and continues to be a leading funder of early stage companies across the country. Element 8 angel members are committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through clean technologies. We partner with outstanding entrepreneurs to build successful companies, and leverage our collective expertise to accelerate the transition to a cleaner future and better world. To date, members have invested close to $14 million in 43 companies in California, Colorado, Maryland, Montana, New York, Oregon, Washington (state), Washington, D.C. and British Columbia, Canada. More information is available at: www.element8angels.com