Maisberger and Thrive Unlimited Team for Analysis of the Emerging German Cleantech Market

Go-To-Market Research Study to be Published in the first Quarter of 2008

Munich, December 6 2007 – PR agency Maisberger has formed a cooperation with the Californian consulting company Thrive Unlimited to help cleantech companies succeed in the German and American markets through consulting and communications services. A major cornerstone will be an analysis of the German cleantech market, which will be published early in 2008.

Cleantech is currently one of the fastest-growing industry sectors in Germany. In recent years, the term 'cleantech’ has become an umbrella term for branches of industry that deploy methods involving fewer harmful substances and consume fewer resources, in particular in relation to the generation and storage of energy. Yet although Roland Berger Strategy Consultants predict that cleantech will replace the automotive sector as the leading industry in less than 20 years’ time, the success factors and growth conditions of this highly promising market have not been systematically investigated yet.

For this reason, Maisberger and Thrive Unlimited are conducting a comprehensive analysis of the German cleantech market over the next few months. The study, entitled CleanTech Growth Paths, will focus - among other things - on factors influencing market development, what obstacles companies have to face and what success factors are crucial. The study is also intended to provide information on the market maturity and competitiveness of the individual sectors of the German cleantech industry. In a representative telephone survey, decision makers from companies in the solar, wind energy, geothermal energy, hydropower and energy storage industries will be asked about their opinion. The survey will be complemented by in-depth interviews with selected companies and recognized industry experts.

“The cleantech industry is still in its infancy, but growing quickly. With this study, we show companies on this market growth pathways and support them in strategic decisions”, said Dr. Alexander Pschera, Managing Director of Maisberger. “The study will provide our clients with powerful market insights that bridge the two hottest cleantech markets in the world – namely Germany and the USA." Maisberger has been assisting companies in the cleantech sector with their strategic corporate communications for some years already. Maisberger’ reference companies include the fuel cell experts Proton Motor and SFC, the plant manufacturer Applied Materials and companies such as Inge, TechniData and SES 21.

Thrive Unlimited advises both American cleantech companies and organizations who are looking to orientate their processes and strategies towards ecological criteria. The core of the portfolio comprises research, process consulting, and communications strategy advising in the fields of corporate social responsibility, market penetration and ecological sustainability.

“Germany is today one of the leading technology exporters of the global cleantech industry, and together with Japan and the USA is also one of the industry’s three biggest markets", said George Basile, Founder and CEO, Thrive Unlimited. “We are delighted to be working with Maisberger to help companies understand the German cleantech marketplace and succeed in it."

Thrive’s concept is based on the fact that in the 21st century, it is essential for every company to understand how the planet works and what that means for their business – both today and tomorrow. This constitutes the basis for strategy development in the age of Sustainable Commerce, where every company will have to contribute to the solutions for a sustainable future and economic success.