Skyven Technologies, a pioneer of highly efficient solar cogeneration systems, was selected as a finalist for the 18th annual SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards under the Sustainable Tech category for innovation in power generation and storage. Previously called the SXSW Interactive Awards, the rebranded SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards celebrates the best and latest advancements of 2014 across an increasingly diverse ecosystem of platforms, software, apps, and devices. Of hundreds of applications submitted, Skyven Technologies was one of 70 finalist spots given across 14 categories by a panel of judges comprised of industry peers and experts.

The list of 14 categories in this competition, which are entirely new this year, include Health Med & Biotech, Innovation in Connecting People, Innovative 3-DIY, Internet of Things, Music Discovery, New Economy, Privacy & Security, Responsive Design, SciFi No Longer, Student Innovation, Sustainable Tech, Transportation Advancements, Visual Media Experience, and Wearable Tech.

The SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards Ceremony takes place on the evening of Tuesday, March 17, 2015, on the sixth floor of the Hilton Austin Downtown, where the winners from each category will be revealed and honored. The ceremony is presented by PricewaterhouseCoopers and supporting sponsors Cloud.typography and IBM.

“We are honored to be chosen among so many applicants,” said Arun Gupta, founder, and CEO of Skyven.  “We have been working tirelessly to make solar energy affordable and ubiquitous, and it is wonderful to be recognized for our efforts.”

Skyven’s flagship product, the Skyven Cogen System (SCS), uses revolutionary optical technology to combine electricity generation and water heating into a single solar panel.  Designed for commercial and industrial rooftops, the SCS reduces the cost of both solar electricity and solar heating.  In most places around the globe, the heat generated with the SCS costs less than half as much as heat from traditional solar water heaters.

“We are blown away by the bold creativity and innovation embodied by this year’s Innovation Award finalists,” said Mason Stewart, SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards Coordinator. “Considering the quality of this finalist pool, determining the winners will be no small feat.”

For more information about the SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards and to view the complete list of 2015 finalists, visit the following site: http://sxsw.com/interactive/awards/interactive-awards.

About Skyven Technologies

Skyven’s rooftop panels are designed to lower the cost of green energy for commercial and industrial facilities. Its patented solar technology combines electricity generation and water heating into a single panel. The result is twice the energy output and financial return when compared to other leading rooftop solar technologies. The Skyven Cogen System is the first and only zero-emission solution that can compete directly on the cost of heating water with natural gas, while also surpassing the electricity generation of traditional solar panels. For more information, please visithttp://www.skyventechnologies.com.

About SXSW Interactive

The 22nd annual SXSW Interactive Festival returns to Austin from Friday, March 13 through Tuesday, March 17. An incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity, the 2015 event features five days of compelling presentations and panels from the brightest minds in Page 5 emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer. From hands-on training to big-picture analysis of the future, SXSW Interactive has become the place to preview the technology of tomorrow today. Join us in March 2015 for the sessions, the networking, the evening events, the 18th Annual SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards, SXSW Accelerator, the SXSW Gaming Expo, the SXSW Trade Show, SXSW Create, the Digital Creative Job Market, cross-industry conversations with attendees from SXSW Film and SXSW Music, and, most of all, the unforgettable inspirational experiences that only SXSW can deliver. SXSW Interactive 2015 is sponsored by Miller Lite, Esurance, AT&T, IFC, Mazda, Monster Energy, McDonald’s, Philips, Capital One, Pepsi and The Austin Chronicle