The Hottest Biobased and Biofuels Labs & Research Partners 2013

Who are the best among universities, national labs, government research arms, private institutes, public-private collaboratives, and corporate research centers?

We’ll be finding out over the next four weeks — and you’ll be the judge.

In Florida, Biofuels Digest announced the opening of nominations for Hottest Biobased & Biofuels Labs for 2013.

The response to last week’s “Bridges to Commercialization” article in Biobased Digest — which profiled a handful of labs and research partners — would convince anyone that there is not yet broad consensus on who’s good, who’s better, who’s hotter among research outlets. At the same time, we recognized that the topic matters deeply not only to the labs involved, but to their research partners in the commercial world.

Nominations are open now, here.

Why evaluate research partners — why now?

It’s a world where research is integral to advancement — vital to commercialization — yet dollars are stretch tighter than ever as topics blossom faster than resources to explore them. Accordingly, it’s more important than ever to select the right research partners — though often these decisions come down to “strategic fit,” who couldn’t benefit from a little more transparency?

As one reader writes, what is needed is not “a string of press releases from people who want to be doing the work, rather a journalistic assessment of where one goes to actually do the work.”

Who is eligible?

Universities, national labs, government research arms, private institutes, public-private collaboratives, and corporate research centers.

Who will decide?

Who should do the rating and ranking? A group of the Bioenergy Elect, perched in their Ivory Towers, dispensing eternal justice and wisdom? A gaggle of Digesterati, perched in our editorial conning towers in Key Biscayne and elsewhere — calling balls and strikes in your behalf?

We have a better idea.

No one knows better than you. With representatives at more than 25,000 organizations subscribing the Digest — though not everyone will feel qualified to take a view — more than a few have a great store of knowledge we expect to tap in this process. In short, the organizations and their scientists of yesterday and today — and their past, present and future partners and fellow stakeholders.

“As Churchill said it best many years ago: “There’s someone who knows more than anyone, and that’s everyone.”

The process

This week, nominations will open at biofuelsdigest.com and will remain open through Friday, February 22nd. Subscriber voting will open on Monday, February 25 and run through Friday, March 15th. Rankings will be published Monday, March 25 in Biofuels Digest.

One differentiating point this year — we’ll be watching carefully — and weighting your votes — based on how much of the supporting information you access during your evaluation process. Those who review the supporting documentation that is turned up in the nominating process should have more say than those who vote for their buddies in a test of popularity — and the votes should and will be weighted accordingly.

To get started

To nominate your favorite research partner, click here to get started.

The recognition

Labs and research partners that lead the final rankings will be honored at ABLC 2013 in Washington this April 15-17, where more than 500 top-level industry executives will meet to discuss industry trends, public policy, finance, and advances in science as well as for networking and partnering.

The Rankings will be recognized all year long at BiofuelsDigest.com — including Biobased Digest and BioInvest Digest.

In our rankings, we will encourage you look at all aspects of the value chain — feedstock, process technologies, downstream systems including engine technologies. We’ll encourage you to look at collaborative strengths including but not limited onsite technology and capabilities, collaborative spirit, success in attracting key grants. And, to look A-Z at disciplines including engineering, life sciences, and economics.

Especially, we will encourage you to consider demonstrated success in driving commercialization.

But the voters — that’ll be you. The final say — that will, as it should, rest with you.