CHICO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 06/15/12 -- Event producers announced today the 40 Finalists who have been selected to compete in Innovative North State's inaugural Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge to be held on Thursday, June 21st at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, CA. The statewide (and beyond) competition involves a compelling six-minute presentation format by the finalists in which they must provide a case as to why their product will change the world, an industry, the environment or people's lives in some meaningful way.

"We are pleased with the tremendous response we received from companies from all over non-metropolitan California, and beyond who wanted to compete within this unique format that is very different from a traditional business plan competition," stated Jon Gregory, co-producer of the Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge and a Managing Director at innovate North State. "The Sierra Nevada Big Room will be buzzing with energy and innovation next Thursday as many of the companies will be publicly launching their new products. This goes to show that the Silicon Valley, LA and San Diego do not have exclusive license on California's innovation as we have companies representing Folsom, Chico, Nevada City, Redondo Beach, West Sacramento, Grass Valley, Paradise, Carson City NV, Susanville, Davis, Penn Valley, Santa Rosa, Sebastapol, Fresno, Rocklin, Monterey, Dunsmuir, Sacramento, Auburn, Rohnert Park, Auburn AL, Seattle WA and even tiny little Biggs, California!"

Businesses will compete in five categories: Clean Tech & Environmental, Health Care & Medical, Sustainable Agriculture & Food, Web & IT, and Manufacturing/High Tech/Consumer Products.

The Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge innovative product showcase format, compelling keynote speakers and extensive networking opportunities promises to make the event intriguing for the general public who are interested in learning about new innovation, and making key connections with the companies and judges. Individuals interested in attending the Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge should register online at www.innovate-northstate.com and go to the Innovation Challenge page. Cost is $175 for the full-day conference and reception, and $75 for the Awards Dinner in the evening as a separate ticket. For more information, call 530-892-1707.

Participants will have direct access to industry experts, funders and media who will be in attendance. They will also have the opportunity to hear from entrepreneurs like Pamala Temple, founder of A Place For Mom -- the largest elder care service in the nation, Christian Friedland, founder of Build.com -- the nation's largest online-only home improvement retailer, and Ken Grossman from Sierra Nevada Brewery -- the 6th largest USA brewery and powerhouse leader in green technology implementation, will also share their secrets of success.

Panels of over 40 Judges, comprised of investors, media representatives, CEOs, academia and federal labs, and industry professionals from around the nation, will also include Pam Marrone, CEO and founder of Marrone Bio Innovations, Daniel Moznett, Producer of the award winning syndicated TV show "Bringing It Home" and Daniella Malfitano, host of the new public television show "Delicious Discoveries" slated to begin this Fall on KIXE TV. Master of Ceremonies for the event will be TV personality and journalist Doug McConnell, best known for KRON television's "Bay Area Backroads" series and who has been recognized with regional Emmys, humanitarian and environmental awards.

For further information visit www.innovate-northstate.com/innovation-challenge .

KEY NOTE SPEAKERS

Pamala Temple, founder of A Place For Mom, which became the largest elder care service in the United States and purchased by private equity giant Warburg Pincus.

Ken Grossman from Sierra Nevada Brewery, the nation's 6th largest brewery and powerhouse leader in green technology implementation.

Christian Friedland, founder of Build.com, the nation's largest online only home improvement retailer started in 2000 as a college project at Chico State University.

Victor Hwang venture capitalist, entrepreneur and author of the groundbreaking book "The Rainforest: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley" that proposes a radical new theory to explain the nature of innovation ecosystems: human networks that generate extraordinary creativity and output, which they call Rainforests.

Press Inquiries: press@bt-media.net | tel: 530-554-2279, 530-898-9009

For ulterior info and/or requests of high or low res portraits and images of Jury Panel members or Finalists, send press inquiries to press@bt-media.net

                     Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge
                                The Finalists

CleanTech & Environmental
Glide Cruisers                   Folsom CA
Signa Chemistry                  Davis CA
Polder                           Chico CA
Green Home Realty Pro            Grass Valley CA
Exhergy                          Napa CA
GreenTraks                       Yuba City CA
New Age Hygienic Systems         Redondo Beach CA
Safepath Products                Chico CA
Sierra Energy                    W. Sacramento CA

Health Care & Medical
Clinical Integrated Systems Inc  Grass Valley CA
EaseCushion                      Paradise CA
NCP Inc.                         Susanville CA
Chico Medical Solutions          Chico CA
Nuritas                          Davis CA
Trevair                          Carson City NV
Forward Solutions                Chico CA

Manufacturing/High Tech and Consumer Goods
Back at Ya                       Paradise CA
ExpressionEase                   Penn Valley CA
Cup Holder to Keep Cold          Paradise CA
EGGASUS                          North Bay CA
USTC                             Chico CA
SPAARIO                          Santa Rosa CA

Sustainable Ag/Food
AquaCents                        Fresno CA
Gilmore Foods                    Rocklin CA
Gluten-free microbrewery         Chico CA
AAG Biotics, LLC                 Chico CA
Bayliss Botanicals               Biggs CA

Web & IT
DoesNot                          Sebastapol CA
FireWhat                         Dunsmuir CA
FlixChip                         Chico CA
HomeZada                         El Dorado Hills CA
iDoTechnology                    Santa Rosa CA
Isnapsocial                      Sacramento CA
JobEscrow                        Monterey CA
MAP Edu LLC                      Auburn AL
Property Pal                     Chico CA
SargesList                       Seattle WA
ITWorks/IntelliWeather           Chico CA
SmartPay                         Reno NV
NonProfitEasy                    Rohnert Park CA




             Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge
                         The Judges

Alex Kurosawa          Start-UP 101 Ventures
Allison Carlson        Garten Rothkopf, LLC
Andy Donner            Physic Ventures
Andy Hargadan          UC Davis
Arif Lakhani           Silver Lake Ventures
Bob Bozeman            Eastlake Ventures
Brian Frenzel          Band of Angels
Bruce Balfour          Sandia National Labs
Daniel Moznett         Bringing it Home
Dave Gonsiorski        Flextronics
Dave Sanders           Sacramento Angels
David Nicholson        USDA ATIP Program
Denise Gitsham         Sapphire Energy
Eric Tao               CSU Monterey Bay
Gerd Goette            Siemens Venture Capital
Gil Alvarado           Sierra Health Foundation
Gour Choudhury         Cal Poly
Jacob Jorgensen        Velocity Venture Capital
Jason Caulkins         Dataram
Jeff Lobosky           North State Neurosurgical Associates
Jennifer Fox           CSU, Chico College of Ag
Jim Schraith           DFJ Frontier
Joel Gragg             Huntington Capital
Kim McNicholas         Forbes and Pando Daily
Leslie Horton          etime solutions
Lon Hatamiya           Hatamiya Group
Mark Anderson          Sacramento Business Journal
Mark Perutz            DBL Investors
Pam Marrone            Marrone Bio Innovations
Peter Gardner          Wavepoint Ventures
Peter Craddock         Shoreline Ventures
Richard Anderson       TGH Aviation
Rick Bess              PreBeta
Rob White              iGate
Robert Eyler           Sonoma State University
Ron Tackett            USDA Rural Development
Steve Mills            DCA Capital
Daniella Malfitano     Professional Chef and TV Host
Randy Hutchison        FindnSave
Doug Kilponent         FindnSave
Peter Strauss          CSU Chico
Christine Mac Shane    Artist and Media Personality
Israel Dominguez       Cuesta College