Regen Wins CEA's i-Stage Competition

By TWICE Staff -- TWICE, 10/20/2009

Phoenix - The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) today announced that Regen, the light-powered personal and home electronics company, took the top prize for its ReNu personal solar power generation and storage system at the second annual i-Stage competition.

The competition, a technology event featuring 11 finalists showing consumer technology products that will soon come to market, was held Monday during CEA's 2009 Industry Forum.

Regen will receive $40,000, a turn-key exhibit at the 2010 International CES, and the option of a booth at CES Unveiled in New York or Las Vegas. Regen was also chosen by the audience as the Fan Favorite and took home an additional $2,500.

Core to the ReNu system is the ReNu panel, a freestanding power module containing solar cells, a rechargeable battery and an intelligent user interface. The panel can be hung or placed in direct light to capture energy. When replenished by sunlight, a user can drop a ReNu panel into one of a series of Regen extensions to utilize the energy they have created. ReNu extensions include a phone charging system, personal audio, and task lighting. The ReNu panel can also charge an iPhone, iPod or USB device directly.

EnTourage Systems placed second in the competition with its eDGe product and was awarded $7,500, as well as the option of a booth at CES Unveiled in New York or Las Vegas. The enTourage Edge is said to be the world's first dualbook, combining the functions of an e-reader, netbook, notepad and audio/video recorder and player in one. The device allows a user to read e-books, surf the Internet, take digital notes, send emails and instant messages, watch movies and listen to music anywhere, at any time.

The 11 i-Stage finalists, listed by company and product name, included:

Cubicvue, for its CubicVue 3D Filter

EnTourage Systems, The Edge

Immerz Inc., KOR-FX

Meld Technology, WholeHomeHD

Regen, ReNu

Tenrehte Technologies, PICOwatt

Thinkeco, the modlet

Thinkoptics, iWavit

Valencell, Healthset

Zagg, Zaggbox

zero1.tv Gmbh, VooMote

These early-stage products, not yet available in stores, were judged by technology experts, including Natali Del Conte of CNET TV and the "CBS Early Show"; Blake Krikorian, co-founder of Sling Media; Ross Levinsohn, Managing Partner of Fuse Capital; and Jeff Pulver, founder of Pulver.com and co-founder of Vonage.