Two years ago, Cesar Nerys started Openworld Energy with the idea of combining new sustainable technology and energy efficiency practices. Today that company has four people, a couple of interns and its own office.
"We went from one desk at Ann Arbor SPARK to now I have capacity for 8-12 people at my new space at Forest Cove," says Cesar Nerys, founder & CEO of
Openworld Energy.
Openworld Energy is commercializing solid state lighting systems for commercial and industrial applications. Nerys explains his technology as a copmbination of energy efficient lighting and communication, letting the systems know when the lights need to be on or off and how bright they need to be. The end result is double-digit savings in energy usage.
"The leading edge of energy efficiency is really wrapped around communications," Nerys says.
Openworld Energy recently received a loan from
Michigan Microloan Fund to help fund its growth. Nerys hopes to leverage that loan, the first outside money used to help grow the start-up, into $2.5 million to $3 million in revenue within the next year. He also hopes to continue expanding the firm's staff as its bottom line grows.
Source: Cesar Nerys, founder & CEO of Openworld Energy
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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