SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NEXT Energy Technologies (NEXT), makers of a proprietary transparent photovoltaic (PV) coating that transforms commercial windows into energy-producing solar panels, today announced the promotion and appointment of Brenton Taylor to chief executive officer (CEO). Taylor brings more than 20 years of proven experience in leadership, scaling manufacturing, and commercialization of advanced technology innovations to NEXT from his time at Inogen, Inc. (NASDAQ INGN). He most recently served as chief operating officer at NEXT. As CEO, Taylor will lead NEXT through its next phase of growth as it works with partners to deliver transparent PV windows to customers around the world.
NEXT’s founding CEO, Daniel Emmett, is stepping into the newly-created position of executive chairman, supporting Taylor’s transition and will continue to provide strategic support with fundraising, investor relations, high-value international markets, and regulatory policy. Emmett led the company to its first installation of pre-production demonstration windows at Patagonia’s headquarters in Ventura, CA, late last year. His continued strategic leadership will help accelerate NEXT’s commercialization and partnership efforts.
“As NEXT continues its steady progression, with eyes focused on commercialization and customer deliveries in a range of substantial markets, I am thrilled to take the helm, build on the tremendous accomplishments of the founding team, and bring our unique, energy-generating windows to market,” said Brenton Taylor, new CEO of NEXT Energy Technologies. “Onsite renewable energy solutions are in high demand, especially as global entities and regulators push for sustainability. NEXT is methodically preparing to fulfill a steady stream of commercial installation projects with streamlined manufacturing processes on a global level.”
Taylor previously co-founded Inogen, Inc., a medical technology manufacturer and provider of advanced respiratory products for use in home care settings, where he served as an officer of the company and Executive VP of Engineering leading research and development, manufacturing engineering, information technology, project management, and intellectual property. Taylor is also a named inventor on over 20 patents and brings critical industry experience in licensing and patent litigation.
“This is a critical juncture for the organization — a shift we have long anticipated," said Daniel Emmett, NEXT’s executive chairman. "We are eager for Brenton to apply his extensive expertise in his new role as I shift my focus to expanding our global opportunities. His experience of leading Inogen through commercialization to a successful IPO and his skill set in organizational growth and leadership are critical as we scale our commercial operations.”
For more information on NEXT Energy Technologies’ solar-harvesting windows and commercialization efforts visit: nextenergytech.com.
About NEXT Energy Technologies, Inc.
NEXT Energy Technologies is a Santa Barbara, California company developing transparent photovoltaic window technology that allows architects and building owners to transform windows and glass facades into producers of low-cost, on-site, renewable energy for buildings. NEXT's technology, which developed out of Nobel Prize winning work at UC Santa Barbara, is enabled by proprietary organic semiconducting materials that are earth-abundant, low-cost, and are coated as an ink in a high-speed, low-cost, and low energy process. For more information, visit www.nextenergytech.com.
