Clean-tech investing rebounded from earlier this year to become the largest category of venture capital investing in the third quarter, according to a study by the Cleantech Group and Deloitte.
During the three months, $1.59 billion poured into 134 startups with solar ventures capturing the largest share. The investments were sparked by billions of dollars in funding from governments around the world, which eased the concerns of private investors hesitant to go it alone.
Solyndra funding is top deal for the quarter at $198 million
Big deals helped lift the total. Solar company Solyndra took in $198 million and SolFocus closed on $77.6 million. Electric-car company Tesla brought in $82.5 million while competitor Think Global of Norway banked $46 million. Serious Materials, a maker of green building materials, received $60 million.
Cleantech Group estimates green technology companies received 27 percent of venture investing for the quarter, more than biotech firms and information technology. The estimate is likely based on how the investment categories are defined. Healthcare startups as a group usually take in more than $2 billion.
Nevertheless, if the Cleantech Group numbers are accurate they suggest a noticeable up swing of interest in green technology. The quarterly total represents a 10 percent increase form the second quarter and a 42 percent decline from a year ago, before the financial crisis began.
North American companies received 67 percent of the investment money while European and Israeli startups received 29 percent. Chinese companies took in 3 percent. The amount going to solar companies was $451 million and transportation companies got $383 million.
