By Liz Enbysk  

SGN Managing Editor  

With the New Year fast approaching, it's time for savvy readers to help us spotlight

up-and-coming smart grid companies that we'll want to pay special attention to in the  

To nominate a company for the SGN 13 send an email to nominations@smartgridnews.com. Be sure to include the name of the company and a brief paragraph explaining why you think it has the potential to be a 2013 smart grid superstar. That last part is important – it's not about the quantity of nominations we receive for each company. It's the quality of your recommendation that determines whether a company makes it through the first-round screening by SGN editors. If you nominate more than one company, please send separate emails for each.

And please think about the whole package when you nominate companies. For instance, they may have great technology or stellar leadership, but do they also have the financial wherewithal and a solid marketing plan and/or strategic partnerships? Finally, please base your nominations on future potential – what they will do in 2013 – not on past glories.

 We'll take your nominations via email only through midnight on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Once they are in, our team will review them and do a preliminary screening. We'll post summaries of the companies that made the cut, and then you'll have an opportunity to vote on the 13 Companies to Watch in 2013.

And what about our 2012 winners?

More than 7,000 votes were cast to determine the winners in our 2012 Companies to Watch competition. As you'll see if you click to page 2, there were good reasons why many of them made the list. Two of our winners formed a partnership; one was acquired by an industry giant, others released new products, got financing, new CEOs, new directions – you name it. It's been an interesting year for most of them.