Friends in High Places

Red Herring, the business tech publication, just announced its Finalists for the 2010 Red Herring Global Award. It's a list of top 100 companies, worldwide, evaluated on financial performance, technology innovation, quality of management, execution of strategy, and integration into their respective industries. 

Seven of these companies are from Mass. But it's particularly heartening to see our friends from Viridity Software on the list. You may recall our Forum in Novemeber in which Mike Rowan, CTO and co-founder of Viridity, gave us special insights into data center energy use. 

It may be a coincidence, but last week our friends at Terra Verdae Bioworks were also recognized.  Mass. High Tech called them out as a "company to watch."

Now, our conclusion is either the Sustainability Forum sure offers companies some powerful visibility; or, we just know a lot of movers and shakers.  Let's keep an eye on that trend.  We welcome you to join us.

In Case You Missed It...Viridity Hits the Forum

There was a strong turnout Nov. 10th for our guest speaker Mike Rowan, CTO and co-founder of Viridity Software. The subject was technology and heavy-duty power consumption. Specifically, datacenters.

Datacenters are the engine of business today, driving information and commerce over the Internet. But they’re growing fast and gulping energy with the efficiency of a 1960 stockcar. At the current rate, datacenters will require 30 new power plants by 2015.

Viridity is a hot new VC-backed start-up focused on the datacenter problem. “Efficiency is the 4th alternative form of energy,” Mike pointed out.

But the crux of the problem lies in old-fashioned organizational behavior. Turns out the IT guy wants to go faster and like a NASCAR chief, he’s not concerned with mileage. It’s the Facilities guy whose job it is to keep the power flowing. But he’s not checking the engine.

Rowan and his partners built the technology that shows everyone exactly how much energy their datacenter is using – and how to reduce it without compromising IT performance. The results affect the bottom line. It also promises to make a big dent in national energy waste.

The European Union is focused on the problem. Datacenter efficiency is an important policy initiative. Let’s hope for everyone’s sake that our local friends at Viridity are wildly successful. Thanks for the insight Mike.

Next month look for Betsy Blaisdell, Senior Manager of Environmental Stewardship for The Timberland Company.