XcellR8: Jumpstarting Local Start Ups

It can be a tough crowd, but they sure know what they're talking about.

Local entrepreneurs, university faculty, consultants and many more gathered at Nerac in Tolland this Thursday as part of the XcellR8 meetings, which center around the examination of a local start up.

This month, Michael Curtis presented his newest, entrepreneurial idea. He wants to harness the home energy market with a twist on the more traditional wood pellets: bio-coal pellets.

The business, Simplified Energy Solutions, will provide bio-coal, a mixture of pulverized coal, bio-diesel and fibrous waste product, as an affordable alternative to those looking to heat their homes. Coal produces more Btus than wood pellets and could be easily modified to work with existing pellet stoves, he said.

During his presentation, Curtis added that the use of coal briquettes is already "pervasive" in China, and that American companies are currently creating and sellng wood pellets to an eager European market.

The diverse group of business experts in the audience quickly provided feedback for Curtis and the company's CTO, Joel Douglas.

One listener advised them to peruse patents to see if a similar coal "slurry" was already spoken for, while others questioned the demand of the market for such a product.

"There are places that will never have natural gas," Curtis responded. "This market is not going away."

The group's combined, congenial efforts to perfect the business idea reflect the camaraderie of the local business community, Nerac President and CEO Kevin Bouley said. He hosts the montly gatherings at Nerac.

"The community comes together to support each other, to provide a sounding board and the type of insightful and productive criticism that advances the business opportunities that are presented at the meetings," Bouley said.

The XcellR8 meetings keep the energy flowing within the region's business and developmental community, as change is certain to come even in the sleepiest of Connecticut communities.

"It's for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs and all about entrepreneurs," Bouley said of the creative and constructive meetings.

And another start up gets to experience the hot seat when the group gathers again on August 9.

For more information on XcellR8, check out Bouley's summaries of previous meetings in his Technology Corridor Happenings blog. Keep up with the latest on Simplified Energy Solutions on the company's Facebook page.