The list is created by combining proprietary CTG research data, with weighted qualitative judgments from hundreds of nominations, and specific inputs from an 86-person expert panel. To qualify for the list, companies must be independent, for-profit clean-tech companies that are not listed on any major stock exchange.

This year, a record number of nominations were received: 12,300 distinct companies from 61 countries. These companies were weighted and scored to create a shortlist of 312 companies. CTG’s panel reviewed short-listed nominees, resulting in a finalized list of 100 companies from 18 countries.

The 86-member expert panel is drawn from leading financial investors and representatives of multi-national corporations and industrials active in technology and innovation scouting across Asia, Europe and North America. The composition of the expert panel broadly represents the global clean-tech community, from pioneers and leaders to veterans and new entrants. The diversity of panelists results in a list of companies that command an expansive base of respect and support from many important players within the global clean-tech innovation ecosystem.

“The ongoing mainstreaming of clean technology solutions and the rise in their strategic importance was evidenced by an unprecedented burst of recent M&A activity,” said Richard Youngman, CEO of CTG. “For the first time, now in its ninth year, four of this year’s Global Cleantech 100 companies were acquired by multi-nationals between the striking of the final list (in September 2017) and its official release today (in January 2018). More will surely follow if this set of companies achieve even half of their anticipated impact.” 

The complete list of 100 companies was revealed on January 22 at the 16^th annual Cleantech Forum San Francisco.