AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwire - March 2, 2011) - AstroWatt, a developer of thin crystalline solar cell technology that enables the production of lower cost solar cells, today announced the expansion of the company's Board and leadership team. Jeannine Sargent joins as Executive Chairman.
"Jeannine's appointment is another step toward confirming the viability and potential of AstroWatt's technology," said Dharmesh Jawarani, co-founder and President of AstroWatt.
"We are pleased to have Jeannine join the Board and bring her experience and track record of moving disruptive technologies to full-scale commercialization," said Forest Baskett, General Partner at NEA.
"The ability to attract Jeannine to AstroWatt is a validation of the market-changing opportunity we all see in this technology," said Clark Jernigan, Venture Partner, Austin Ventures.
"Jeannine's industry expertise and insights regarding new applications for emerging technologies are an asset to the company," commented Leo Matthew, co-founder and CTO.
In her role, Ms. Sargent is responsible for providing strategic direction and corporate development oversight to the Company.
Ms. Sargent brings more than 20 years of International experience in several established and emerging technology markets including Solar Energy, Integrated Circuits Design and Manufacturing, Embedded Systems Software, and Capital Equipment for Semiconductor, LED, LCD, MEMS, HDD, and Nano-Biotech manufacturing.
"AstroWatt has one of most innovative and potentially disruptive crystalline silicon technologies in the industry. In today's world, which requires aggressive cost reductions in solar cell production to achieve grid parity without subsidies, the cost of silicon becomes an increased percentage of the total cost to produce. AstroWatt's approach will enable a step-function reduction in these costs," said Sargent. "I am excited to join the team and have the opportunity to contribute to the next stage of growth for AstroWatt."
Recently, Ms. Sargent was the founding CEO of Oerlikon Solar, a leading provider of end-to-end Thin Film Photovoltaic Solar solutions based in Switzerland; and is currently a Director of SiOnyx, an innovator in shallow junction photonics for the Image Sensor and Solar industries, and a Venture Advisor at Crosslink Capital Ltd. Earlier in her career Ms. Sargent held various Executive and Management positions at Veeco Instruments, Voyan Technology, Gasonics, Tencor Instruments and Digital Equipment Corporation. Ms Sargent earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Magna Cum Laude, from Northeastern University. Ms. Sargent is a member of the Industrial Advisory Board of Northeastern University's College of Engineering and the Bio-Nano Centre based in London, England, a joint venture of Imperial College London and University College London.
About AstroWatt
Founded in 2006, AstroWatt is a developer of a thin crystalline solar cell technology that enables substantially lower cost solar cells. AstroWatt closed a $5MM Series A2 in December 2010 led by Austin Ventures and NEA. The company is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
Contact Information:
Press Contact:
Kim Hughes
Austin Ventures
512.657.7222