Red Herring names 5 cleantech companies as among the "100 Hottest Private Companies in North America"

Red Herring came out with their list of the "100 Hottest Private Companies in North America" this week, and several are venture-backed cleantech companies that we've previously talked about.

I'm not sure what exactly are the metrics to define how "hot" a company is. But it's still another great sign that cleantech continues to gain attention among venture investors and pundits. As the editors of the magazine wrote:

"The Red Herring 100 is a leading indicator for the next wave of promising companies. Our list provides a barometric reading of the market, revealing the industry sectors where technology is exciting, where money is being invested, and where the possibility of long-term growth is strong."

Here are the leading cleantech companies that I spotted on the list:

• AgIon
• Dust Networks
• Comverge
• Konarka Technologies
• Nanosolar

I'm sure we could all nominate other well-deserving companies as well, but kudos to these companies for the recognition they're getting by being included on this list.