Tech Leadership Panelists' Biographies

Barry Cinnamon CEO Akeena Solar

Barry Cinnamon, is a widely recognized expert and long-time advocate of solar power. He began his career in solar energy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). During the late 1970s and early 1980s, he designed and installed active solar, passive solar and ground coupled heat pump systems. He served as CEO of Software Publishing Corporation, and founded Allegro New Media. Mr. Cinnamon earned a BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and an MBA degree in Marketing from Wharton. He is a NABCEP Certified Solar Installer, a licensed California C-46 Solar Contractor, an active member of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and a member of the Board of Directors of the national Solar Energy Industries Association and California Solar Energy Industry Association.

Michael Pak CEO Nanoexa

Michael is the Founder and CEO of Nanoexa. Michael has 15+ years business development, marketing, engineering, and general management in nanotechnology, clean energy, alternative energy, telecommunications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics industries as well as two years with a leading Silicon Valley nanotechnology start-up focused on delivering advanced nano-catalysts to gasoline and diesel engines. He was a co-founder and CEO of Nanostellar, Inc. and successfully built and led the team through start-up and early stage funding and initial product development and release of beta nano-catalysts to initial automobile and chemical customers.

Previously Michael was the Founder and CEO at Xpeed Networks, which was acquired by Nayna Networks in March 2003. Xpeed focused on the broadband access market with DSL and Passive Optical Network Switch solutions. Under his leadership, Xpeed successfully penetrated the Japanese, Korean and US markets and post acquisition has subsequently continued to penetrate global markers or carriers including Hanaro Telecom, Northpoint, Bellsouth, Lucent, eAccess and NTT. At Xpeed, Michael built & led the team from startup to $28 million revenue and NASDAQ-IPO filing - in just 16 months.

His previous business experience includes Director of Business Development at 3DO, where he brought the company to profitability in record time. At 3DO, he was the tireless leader of international business development and technology licensing after holding several prior positions. Previously he was with Cagent Technologies, a company that was acquired by WebTV/Microsoft. He has been invited to speak at numerous Nanotech and Cleantech conferences.

Geoff Sharples Director Electra

Geoff specializes in transitioning renewable energy companies from prototype to full scale project deployment and production.

Most recently Geoff was a key member of the team that brought Clipper Windpower from a prototype start up to a fully fledged manufacturing company delivering over 300 MW of turbines annually to the North American market. At Clipper Geoff led transactions in turbine and project sales as well as supply chain.

At Easenergy, the US corporate venture arm of Électricité de France Geoff lead business development and investments in high tech energy venture backed start ups.

Prior to joining EasEnergy, Geoff developed and project-financed independent power plants in Europe and North Africa for PSEG Global. His experience includes structuring and negotiating finance and project agreements and project management. This included the first IPP in Tunisia, a 471 MW combined cycle gas power plant.

In 2003, Geoff founded a financial advisory consultancy, SeventhGen Financial providing strategic, operations and sales services to solar energy companies focused on the commercial market.

Geoff holds an MBA degree from Cornell University in finance and marketing and a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.