Semifinalists for the $250,000 2011 Cleantech Open competition include two companies that have worked closely with Oregon BEST and its shared-user research labs.

• Indow Windows tapped Oregon BEST's Green Building Research Lab at Portland State University, and landed an Oregon BEST Commercialization Grant to speed commercialization of its innovative window inserts, which offer double-pane energy efficiency at a fraction of the cost of window replacements.

• Innovative Invironments is a University of Oregon spin-off that specializes in green building solutions. The Eugene, Ore. company is a collaboration between the High Performance Environments (HiPE) Lab, part of which is a signature research facility of Oregon BEST, and recent UO MBA graduates of the Sustainable Business and Processes Program. The company plans to commercialize a UO-developed solar awning as a SolarStream™ 3-in-1 green building product.

The Cleantech Open, a five-year-old business plan competition that aims to find, nurture and fund the next generation of cleantech companies, will work with the semifinalist startups throughout the course of the year through business clinics led by volunteers. The Cleantech Open finals take place in November.

Last year Puralytics, a Beaverton water purification technology company, won the national competition. The national winner nets a $250,000 investment from the Cleantech Open organization.

The semifinalists from the Pacific Northwest are:

• Clarian Power, a Seattle startup developing plug-in solar power units.
• Conscious Commuter, a Portland startup working on sustainable transportation for urban settings, specifically a very cool-looking fold-up e-bike.
• E-tech, a Wilsonville company working on tools for construction with an energy focus.
• GreenPrint, a Portland company that makes software to reduce printing paper waste in offices.
• Green Simian, a Seattle company with a solar technology for mobile devices.
• Grid Mobility, a smart grid play based in Kirkland, Wash.
• HM3 Energy, a Gresham company, partially funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, working on a biomass fuel to replace coal.
• IDEAbuilder, a green building technology company currently based in San Francisco, but grouped with the Pacific Northwest finalists.
• Indow Windows, the Portland startup making window inserts for home energy efficiency.
• Innovative Invironments, a company in Eugene developing solar awnings and energy-efficient lighting.
• MotoVolta, a Kent, Wash., startup looking to join the ranks of the electric motorcycle industry.
• MountainLogic, an energy efficiency technology company with offices in Portland and Seattle.
• SkyMill Energy, a Friday Harbor, Wash., company working on high-altitude wind power.
• Three Dimensional Timberlands LLC, a company near Gold Beach, Ore., focused on managing forest land and develop biomass plants.
• Versalence, a startup in Camas, Wash., developing turbines for hydropower applications.
• Vorsana, a Portland-based company focused on combating air pollution and water pollution.
• WISErg Corp., a Redmond, Wash.-based venture that turns food waste into fertilizer and renewable energy.