Good ideas attract funding and faithful followers — and the clean-tech pioneer Heliatek has a great one. Heliatek was founded by a group of clean-energy enthusiasts 13 years ago to create a breakthrough product: organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar film. Heliatek solar film panels are a study in sustainability. Combining less than one gram of organic material with some heat, pressure and technological wizardry, Heliatek can produce 1m2 of ultra-thin, lightweight, flexible solar film. Heliatek solar film can transform any surface — from glass and concrete to polymer sheets and PVC membranes — into a source of clean energy. The product is a result of years of interdisciplinary research and development by a talented team of physicists and chemists, engineers and entrepreneurs, and Heliatek set the OPV standard with a record solar efficiency of over 13 percent in laboratory conditions. The panels offer near-limitless applications, with better process control and longer lifespan than traditional crystalline technology. The company operates on a “lab-to-fab” format, transferring research insights into production practices and a marketable product. Heliatek is positioning itself as a world leader in the clean energy sector. The technology underpinning all this has enabled it to secure several rounds of venture funding from private and public coffers — and convinced the CFI.co judging panel that Heliatek is the worthy winner of the 2019 award for Best Innovation-Led CleanTech Growth (Germany).