Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers (KPCB) announced
three new Greentech and Pandemic Preparedness and Global Health
commitments at the Clinton Global Initiative annual conference. KPCB
has doubled its commitment to Global Greentech Innovations to $200
million, introduced the KPCB Prize for Greentech Policy Innovators to
recognize outstanding policy entrepreneurs, and has backed three
ventures with its Pandemic Preparedness Fund.
KPCB Partner John Doerr said "The largest trend on the planet is
urbanization as the number of people living in megacities triples from
2 billion to 6 billion. There are enormous needs for clean water,
power, and transportation. The partners of KPCB are doubling their
commitment to Global Greentech Innovation (GGI) at the Clinton Global
Initiative with $200 million over the next two years. We're already
backing 11 Greentech ventures with breakthrough technologies in
biofuels, solar cells, fuel cells, storage, energy management and
conservation. And we look for many more. Now 19 KPCB partners are
applying our 35-year track record of start-up success to the biology,
chemistry and physics of 'Greentech'. The power of entrepreneurs can
make a big difference in our prosperity and our planet's precious
environment."
Also at the Clinton Global Initiative annual conference, KPCB
announced the KPCB Prize for Greentech Policy Innovators to recognize
and award $50,000 to outstanding policy entrepreneurs. KPCB Partner
Ray Lane said, "More than prize money, the KPCB Greentech Network
provides support and advocacy for crucial policy innovation." KPCB's
Greentech Network includes over 50 policy experts, scientists,
technology entrepreneurs, and green-savvy F100 business leaders. It
played a key role in supporting the passage of AB32, California's
Global Warming Solutions Act. The KPCB Prize for Greentech Policy
Innovators is in addition to the $100,000 KPCB Prize for Green
Innovation announced in May that will recognize entrepreneurs whose
creativity and dedication result in substantial advancements in green
technology.
Third, KPCB announced that its $200 million Pandemic Preparedness
Fund has backed three ventures to combat global infectious disease,
including Biocryst (BCRX), Novavax (NVAX) and a rapid diagnostic
technology. KPCB Partner Brook Byers said, "The world is woefully
unprepared for global pandemic. In the next year we commit to fund
four more breakthoughs in global pandemic detection, diagnosis,
antivirals, and vaccines. We're working closely with health agencies
and government authorities in the U.S. and Asia. Further, we urge
these innovations be offered for global access - at cost, or for
license in the developing world, and on normal commercial terms to the
developed world."
About Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
Since its founding in 1972, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers has
backed entrepreneurs in 475 ventures, including AOL, Align,
Amazon.com, Citrix, Compaq Computer, Electronic Arts, Genentech,
Genomic Health, Google, Hybritech, IDEC Pharmaceuticals, Intuit,
Juniper Networks, Netscape, Lotus, Nuvasive, Sun Microsystems,
Symantec, Verisign and Xilinx. KPCB portfolio companies employ more
than 250,000 people. More than 150 of the firm's portfolio companies
have gone public. Many other ventures have achieved success through
mergers and acquisitions. KPCB has broadly invested in both life
sciences and information technology since inception in 1972. In the
last six years, KPCB has expanded its focus to include Greentech and
pandemic preparedness.