Three Start-ups Awarded At Saint-Gobain NOVA Innovation Competition 2012 Held At The Greenbuild International Conference In San Francisco

November 15, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- After a final "speed dating" round, Saint-Gobain, the world leader in the habitat and construction markets, and the U.S. Green Building Council – Northern California Chapter (USGBC-NCC) announced today the three winners of the NOVA Innovation Competition 2012 held this year at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in San Francisco. The NOVA Innovation Competition rewards start-ups offering the most innovative solutions in the field of habitat, energy and the environment. After being held twice in France and once in Germany, the international Saint-Gobain NOVA Innovation Competition occurred in the USA for the first time. Heliotrope, the winner of the competition was awarded the top cash prize of $50,000 (about €38,000). Based in Oakland, CA, Heliotrope is a developer of energy-efficient electrochromic (EC) glass that switch reversibly between three states: solar transparent, heat blocking, and heat and light blocking (i.e. darkened). PlanGrid, the second-place winner received a cash-prize of $25,000 (about € 19,000). Based in San Francisco, Calif., PlanGrid is a complete collaborative platform for construction information and the fastest PDF viewer in the universe. SmarterShade, the third-place winner was awarded a cash-prize of $10,000 (about €7,700). Based in South Bend, Indiana, SmarterShade is a unique approach to the emerging technology being called "smart windows." A user can control the amount of light and heat entering a home or office through controlling the tint level on their window. The bigger prize for all NOVA Innovation Competition contestants is the opportunity to partner with Saint-Gobain in exploring potential joint development, licensing or other collaboration agreements.

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