Comments on: See Ya: Algae Startup GreenFuel Shuts Down

By: Solazyme's amazing algae | Marc Gunther

Solazyme's amazing algae | Marc Gunther — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:35:08 +0000

[...] Keep in mind that algae’s a risky, crowded business. Sapphire Energy, a prominent competitor, got a $50 million DOE grant and a $54 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in January to expand its commercial-scale pond operation in New Mexico. Meanwhile, GreenFuel, another algae startup which raised venture money and signed a commercial production deal, shut down last year. [...]

By: VC Joins FCC, Will Focus on the Smart Grid

VC Joins FCC, Will Focus on the Smart Grid — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:11:25 +0000

[...] an unusual combination: a venture capitalist that was formerly a VP at since-shuttered algae fuel startup GreenFuel has joined the Federal Communications Commission, where he will focus on the smart grid. According [...]

By: Hello Again, from Earth2Tech

Hello Again, from Earth2Tech — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:40:49 +0000

[...] seen a wealth of bankruptcies across several sectors (including dozens of ethanol firms, risk-taking algae players like GreenFuel, and very early stage technologies like the kinetic energy technology one from M2E [...]

By: Henal

Henal — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:26:54 +0000

Seems that this closure has perhaps not been the surprise event after all. Poor management is one thing but some of the above comments basically state that the products on offer did not perform. Not much chance for any business in any economy if that is going to be the case?

By: Algae Fuel Startup Solix Ups Funds to Start Production, Eyes Asia

Algae Fuel Startup Solix Ups Funds to Start Production, Eyes Asia — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:02:00 +0000

[...] isn’t the only startup taking the demise of a well-funded algae fuel company — GreenFuel Technologies — in [...]

By: Algenol, Dow Chemical Team Up on Algae Fuel Plant

Algenol, Dow Chemical Team Up on Algae Fuel Plant — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:01:28 +0000

[...] Written by Katie Fehrenbacher No Comments Posted June 29th, 2009 at 5:00 am in Automotive The demise of a well-funded algae fuel company earlier this year doesn’t seem to be deterring startups, as well as oil and plastics companies, from working on [...]

By: Valuations Down for Later-Stage Cleantech Startups

Valuations Down for Later-Stage Cleantech Startups — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:01:49 +0000

[...] far, we have seen some — but not many — venture capital-backed startups shut down in the recession. Brian [...]

By: Uncertain Times for M2E Power: Up for Sale, Looking to Vehicles

Uncertain Times for M2E Power: Up for Sale, Looking to Vehicles — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:39:12 +0000

[...] at the University of Queensland, who predicted the demise of algae fuel company GreenFuel (which went out of business earlier this year) also wrote a detailed report about M2E Power. In the report, Dimitrov says that M2E Power’s [...]

By: Krassen Dimitrov

Krassen Dimitrov — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:07:28 +0000

For the record, I am not average joe from May 14th. I just now saw this story.

By: Algae-based Biofuels Moving Ever So Slowly to Market

Algae-based Biofuels Moving Ever So Slowly to Market — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:35:05 +0000

[...] Of course, biofuel startups have been known to make aggressive claims about their growth trajectories, only to fall short once the realities of competitive fuel markets took hold. GreenFuel Technologies, a Cambridge, Mass.-based algal-derived fuel maker, had daring production estimates before it started struggling to raise funding. It went on to cut nearly half its staff and then finally closed down last month. [...]

By: Algae Fuel Funding: Solazyme Hits $76M, Still Not Commercial

Algae Fuel Funding: Solazyme Hits $76M, Still Not Commercial — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:17:45 +0000

[...] by Katie Fehrenbacher No Comments Posted June 8th, 2009 at 10:17 am in Biofuels Despite the slow demise of algae fuel company GreenFuel, investors are still pumping money into algae-based fuels. The latest recipient is Solazyme, which [...]

By: SECRET IS OUT

SECRET IS OUT — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:41:57 +0000

Holly Flesh, Wayne Hopkins, Simon Upfill-Brown and Bob Metcalf have a secret to sale "Algae that grows 30% faster" and a bunch of old equipment in a warehouse that is useless. Don't buy the HYPE.

By: Google’s Under-the-Radar Algae Play Seeks Fresh Funds

Google’s Under-the-Radar Algae Play Seeks Fresh Funds — Tue, 19 May 2009 23:40:37 +0000

[...] commercial-scale production if the demonstration proves successful. Algae startup GreenFuel, which finally shut down last week after cutting almost half its staff in January, said last year that it would use up to [...]

By: BIG EGOS

BIG EGOS — Sun, 17 May 2009 05:08:58 +0000

Eight new Executive offices, five new managers offices and a huge new lab stuck in an old warehouse is mismanagement. The Board and Managers built themselves new buildings instead of growing algae or focusing on a product. Modeling business and spreadsheets doesn't grow algae. The top scientists left because of this inept management and no respect. Face facts Bob - it isn't Smat not to call it as it is. Thanks for the $70 million dollar memory.

By: Flex52

Flex52 — Sat, 16 May 2009 02:11:53 +0000

its true that greenfuel was mismanaged but that was only half the problem. the other half is that this technology DOESNT WORK AS ADVERTISED-its just way too expensive a method of making biodiesel. other companies are not going to take advantage of the opening because they are doing more or less the same thing. sapphire is just another greenfuel, the only difference is it got started later so it will finish later.

By: Grouptivity

Grouptivity — Fri, 15 May 2009 04:52:02 +0000

I saw this on TV the other day & the breakdown of it seemed like it could have been such a great asset to the economy & ecology. I think this can still work. But it's gotta be better organized with a multi-year business plan. There's got to be even more research that needs to be done for this to be made on a much larger scale. The mini-successes of this technique could be perfected. But that's where we get into that BIG $$$$ issue again. sigh We are so close to helping ourselves out of the major fossi fuel reliance we've been tapping for so long.