NextEnergy’s Expanded Statewide Alternative Energy Technology Support Network
and the Michigan 21^st Century Jobs Fund Fact Sheet

What is the 21^st Century Jobs Fund (CJF)?
The state of Michigan created the 21^st Century Jobs Fund to provide grants for supporting companies that are leading the way in Michigan for new jobs in life sciences, alternative energy technology, advanced automotive materials and homeland security/defense.  To date, the program has awarded more than $135 million in funding to projects and ventures in these arenas.  Over ten years, the 21^st CJF is expected to provide $2 billion to these new-era Michigan companies and organizations.

How much has NextEnergy received?
The 21^st CJF has awarded NextEnergy $2.9 million to help grow the organization’s Statewide Alternative Energy Technology Support Network.  This effort enables NextEnergy to significantly expand and enhance its ability to accelerate the commercialization of alternative energy technology companies which positively contribute to our economic competitiveness, energy security and the environment.

How will NextEnergy use its 21^st CJF award?
This funding enables NextEnergy to expand and enhance a number of service offerings that are highly valued in the marketplace.  These include technical, management, financial and consulting services; access to NextEnergy facilities and major university researchers; workshops; supplier network development; and job attraction and retention.

What are NextEnergy’s plans for growing these services?
NextEnergy is now developing enhancement and expansion plans for an array of commercialization services.  For example:

• Currently, technical and management advice and support, now limited to a handful of companies at a time, will be significantly increased to 30+ years.
• Comprehensive finance advice and support, now limited to a handful of companies a year, would be available to 24+ per year under NextEnergy’s future plans.
• The organization’s informal expert-in-residence program would bring aboard additional 3-4 experts dedicated to adding alternative energy expertise and capabilities statewide through seven SmartZones in Southeast, Central, and West Michigan.
• Companies seeking testing currently have access only to NextEnergy’s MicroGrid and Alternative Fuels Platform on a fee-for-service basis.  Now, technology testing will also be feasible at Kettering University and MAREC, in Muskegon, and testing costs will be significantly reduced for entrepreneurs.
• NextEnergy will be developing a comprehensive database of alternative energy facilities, equipment and researchers available at the state’s leading universities.
• NextEnergy will offer a series of alternative energy-specific business building workshops, which will be offered in SmartZone locations throughout the state.
• Two new working groups will be added to current NextEnergy working groups with mission in biofuel specifications, hydraulic hybrid technology and the Detroit Area Clean Cities Coalition.
• NextEnergy will actively broker relations between growing alternative energy companies and manufacturing suppliers.  A formal supplier network development program will be established to help accelerate the wind industry, hybrid development and other technologies. 
• NextEnergy’s brand building, market outreach, and industry education will be expanded to include more electronic communications, trade missions, support of more companies and an expanded, industry-friendly NextEnergy Web site.

While there are many moving parts and some efforts require more design work than others, NextEnergy expects that all of the efforts will be going strong by fall of 2007.

What are NextEnergy’s target outcomes?
With this expanded and enhanced set of alternative energy commercialization services, NextEnergy’s targeted outcomes over the next couple years include:

• At least 25 new alternative energy business attractions and startups
• At least 75 new jobs created by Michigan alternative energy companies
• At least $40 million in new capital raised by Michigan alternative energy companies
• At least 5 new products commercialized by Michigan alternative energy companies

For more information . . .
Please contact Dan Radomski, Interim Project Director at danr@nextenergy.org