Packet Power Wins Minnesota Cup “Clean & Green” Award

Orlando, FL (Gawkwire.com) Packet Power is the winner of the “Clean & Green” Division of the 2009 Minnesota Cup, a statewide competition that seeks out aspiring entrepreneurs and their breakthrough business ideas.

This year’s Minnesota Cup contest—the fifth annual—featured six divisions in which more than 1,000 participants competed. Winners of each division will receive $20,000 in seed capital—except the student division, which awards $5,000. New to this year’s competition was the Clean & Green Division, an award designed to advance breakthrough ideas in sustainable solutions and applications.
 
“The development of green businesses and jobs represents one of the biggest changes in our economy since the Industrial Revolution, and the Minnesota Cup can help advance this developing industry,” states Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty on the Minnesota Cup’s website.

Minneapolis-based Packet Power develops power consumption software and hardware that provides the simplest way for data centers to capture real-time, detailed electrical power usage information at any combination of individual device or rack level. Packet Power’s innovative smart power cables install quickly without disruption to a facility’s power distribution infrastructure. The information they capture is transmitted wirelessly for analysis and then accessed via reports or the Internet.
“In a state recognized for both its green initiatives as well as its technology this is quite an honor,” said Paul Bieganski, Packet Power founder and president.  “We’re proud to be recognized for the contribution our technology is making in helping businesses save energy – and, in turn, save money.”

The division winners and finalists, along with their business ideas, will be featured in a Minnesota Cup supplement in the December issue of Twin Cities Business.
Winners in other categories included:

• High Tech: Alvenda Commerce Advertising, which created a commerce-enabled advertising network that allows customers to shop with a retailer anywhere on the Web, and not just on a single e-commerce site. Alevenda also was chosen from among the six division winners as the Grand Prize Winner and received an additional $20,000.

• BioSciences: Pursuit Vascular, Inc., which is developing a unique disposable device that’s estimated to reduce hemodialysis catheter-related infections by more than 75 percent.

• General: Drazil Juice, which taps into the $4 billion juice market with its Drazil Juice Teazers product, which blends 100 percent fruit juice with caffeine-free herbal tea—a natural source of antioxidants.

• Social entrepreneur: Rural Renewable Energy Alliance, which saves low-income families money and reduces carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions by educating people about solar power, localizing energy production, and creating green jobs in an impoverished community in northern Minnesota.

• Student: Man Cave, which provides men with “manly” products ranging from grilling tools and spices to premium meats and marinades. Individuals can host ManCave “meatings” at which men learn different grilling techniques and get the opportunity to buy ManCave products, which are delivered to the purchaser’s front door and have a lifetime guarantee.