VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 8, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc., has been recognized for the 6th straight year as a leader in the clean tech industry for the commercialization of proprietary nutrient recovery technology that recovers nutrients from used water streams to convert them into high value eco-friendly fertilizer. Named in the prestigious 2014 Global Cleantech 100, produced by Cleantech Group, whose mission is to connect corporates to sustainable innovation through the i3 market intelligence platform, expert consulting services, and global events, expert Global Cleantech panelists praised Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies for, "cleverly combining wastewater treatment with the production of a revenue-generating green fertilizer".
The Global Cleantech 100 represents the most innovative and promising ideas in cleantech. Featuring companies that are best positioned to solve tomorrow's clean technology challenges, Global Cleantech 100 is a comprehensive list of private companies with the highest potential to make the most significant market impact.
"It is a thrill to be named to the Global Cleantech 100 list for the 6th consecutive year," said Phillip Abrary, Ostara's president and CEO. "Phosphorus management is one of the most critical resource issues the world faces today. Though essential to all life, and a key macronutrient used to grow the food we need, phosphorus in excess can have negative consequences in our environment causing algae blooms that destroy marine life and wreak havoc on fishery and tourism industries. We are proud to be one of the first companies to address this issue sustainably – both environmentally and economically – by recovering phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater streams and converting it into plant-activated, environmentally friendly fertilizer sold as Crystal Green®."
This list is collated by combining proprietary Cleantech Group research data, with weighted qualitative judgments of hundreds of nominations, and specific inputs from a global 84-person Expert Panel. To qualify for the list, companies must be independent, for-profit, cleantech companies that are not listed on any major stock exchange.
"The Global Cleantech 100 represents the most inspiring array of entrepreneurs across the cleantech space that are at the forefront of innovation," said Sheeraz Haji, Cleantech Group's CEO. "It is a true honor to gather with the global cleantech community every year to recognize and celebrate the achievements of each of the top 100 companies as they continue to solve tomorrow's energy and resource challenges and redefine sustainable innovation."
This year, a record number of nominations were received: 5,995 distinct companies from 60 countries. These companies were weighted and scored to create a short list of 327 companies. Short-listed nominees were reviewed by Cleantech Group's Expert Panel, resulting in a finalized list of 100 companies from 17 countries.
Ostara's nutrient recovery process is part of the solution to both wastewater and nutrient runoff challenges – removing nutrients from where they shouldn't be – in waterways – and recovering them to create a new standard of phosphorus fertilizer. Ostara's innovative cradle-to-cradle solution has the potential to impact global markets at a time when food security, fertilizer runoff and environmental stewardship are issues for communities everywhere.
The 84-member expert panel was drawn equally from leading financial investors and representatives of multi-national corporations and industrials active in technology and innovation scouting across Asia, Europe, and North America. The composition of the expert panel broadly represents the global cleantech community, from pioneers and leaders to veterans and new entrants. The diversity of panelists results in a list of companies that command an expansive base of respect and support from many important players within the global cleantech innovation ecosystem.
"The Global Cleantech 100 each year provides us with invaluable insight into which companies key market players think are most likely to have a significant impact in the next 5-10 years," said Richard Youngman, Cleantech Group's Managing Director, Europe & Asia and creator of the program. "How the composition of the Global Cleantech 100 list changes over time is revealing of key megatrends and hot sub-sectors – and helps us all get a view on the future."
- The complete list of 100 companies was revealed on October 6th at the Global Cleantech 100 Summit & Gala in Washington, D.C. http://events.cleantech.com/global100/.
- For complete information on Ostara's leadership within the cleantech space, access i3 by visiting i3connect.com—Cleantech Group's leading market intelligence platform—and search for Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies.
- The list is accompanied by a full report with commentary and insight on the 2014 Global Cleantech 100—authored by Cleantech Group, powered by data from i3, and sponsored by Chubb. Download the report at: http://www.cleantech.com/indexes/global-cleantech-100/2014-global-cleantech-100/.
- The complete list of Global Cleantech 100 expert panel members is available at http://www.cleantech.com/indexes/global-cleantech-100/2014-panelists/
About Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies
Vancouver-based Ostara helps protect precious water resources by changing the way cities around the world manage nutrients in wastewater streams. The company's Pearl technology recovers phosphorus and nitrogen at municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants and transforms them into a high-value, eco-friendly fertilizer, Crystal Green®. The process greatly reduces nutrient management costs and helps plants meet increasingly stringent discharge limits while improving operating reliability. Crystal Green is marketed through a global network of blenders and distributors to growers in the turf, horticultural and agriculture sectors. Its unique plant-activated mode of action improves crop yields, enhances turf performance and significantly reduces the risk of leaching and runoff, thus protecting local waterways from the nutrient pollution. Ostara operates facilities throughout North America and Europe and recently partnered with the City of Chicago to build what will be the largest municipal nutrient recovery facility in the world when launched in 2015. The company is the recipient of numerous awards including a World Economic Forum 2011 Technology Pioneer, the Global Cleantech 100 and Deloitte's Technology Green 15. For more information please visit www.ostara.com and www.crystalgreen.com.
PRESS CONTACT
Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies
Anthony Boone | 604-367-8062 | aboone@ostara.com
About Cleantech Group
Founded in 2002, Cleantech Group's mission is to accelerate sustainable innovation. Core to this mission is i3, an online platform that connects corporates with innovation, at scale, by allowing them to find, vet, and connect with start-ups — efficiently building an innovation pipeline. In conjunction with i3, we offer premium Advisory Services for corporates in need of expertise designing and executing strategies for sustainable innovation, and managing the pipeline created in i3. The i3 platform comes to life at our global Events, which convene corporates and start-ups, along with other players shaping the future of sustainable innovation.
Cleantech Group is headquartered in San Francisco, and has offices in London and New York.
For more information, visit; www.cleantech.com
PRESS CONTACT:
Cleantech Group
Yvette Shirinian | 415-233-9712 | yvette.shirinian@cleantech.com
A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=28263
