Recently, InnoEnergy, the European innovation engine for sustainable energy, has awarded two €100,000 cash prizes and named Battrion and instagrid as the winners of its global call for electrical storage start-ups. Notably, the final, held at Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam, saw 10 winning finalists from across the world.
Speaking at the event, Elena Bou, Innovation Director at InnoEnergy, said: “Our mission is to make sure innovative start-ups just like Battrion and instagrid have the support they need to transform their business ideas into commercial reality.”
Furthermore, the 10 winning finalists will gain access to a network of more than 400 partners and including specialist business angels, InnoEnergy’s European VC community and public funding bodies.
“We look forward to working with the winners and the 8 other finalists to turn their ambitious ideas the go-to-market phase, helping ready products for commercialisation while the Boostway programme supports scale-ups to grow their businesses.”
The finalists also gain board-level advice and mentorship and a front-row seat at European energy events including The Business Booster – InnoEnergy’s annual networking event where companies across the energy value chain attend to meet start-ups and innovations under one roof.
Judging the event, InnoEnergy CEO Diego Pavia said:
Supporting its work with the European Battery Alliance (EBA), InnoEnergy focused this inaugural competition on electric storage innovations for applications in transportation, for the grid, distributed and mobile energy storage, or to deliver energy efficiency improvements and emissions reductions. The energy systems revolution has started but it will not happen without storage solutions, which is why we are identifying and supporting start-ups in this field.
Below are the 10 winning startups that were selected to go through to the final round.
#1 Battrion (Switzerland)
Battrion, a Swiss-based start-up, boasts a unique storage solution for lithium-ion batteries aimed to increase the charging speed of high energy density cells. The technology focuses on improving the structure of the battery during the manufacturing process, enabling a faster charging.
#2 instagrid (Germany)
Funding: € 1.0M
instagrid is a German start-up that has developed a portable battery for applications with a high energy density demand. This solution offers a portable power supply that will help professionals in sectors such as construction to work fully electrically, whenever and wherever they want.
#3 BroadBit Batteries (Finland)
Funding: € 750K
Based out of Finland, BroadBit Batteries is developing revolutionary new batteries using novel sodium-based chemistries to power the future green economy. The company is now commercializing the technology for next-generation electric vehicles, portable electronics, starters and grid energy storage.
#4 VoltStorage (Germany)
Funding: € 50.0K
Founded by Felix Kiefl, Jakob Bitner and Michael Peither, VoltStorage is an electric storage device that can store clean solar power during the day to power your home at night. The company aims to make renewable energy available 24/7 for everyone to enable a green, sustainable and fair future. This device not only saves money but protect the environment and help to stabilize the grid.
#5 Powervault (UK)
Funding: € 4.7M
Powervault has developed the UK’s most affordable and easiest to install home energy storage device, which can lower consumer electricity bills and provide emergency power to critical devices. The ‘emergency power socket’ enables customers to use their stored energy during black-outs. Founded by Joe Warren, the patent-pending product uses an integrated battery and control system to store the free electricity generated from solar panels during the day and then release the stored energy in the evening.
#6 Gaia Membranes (Switzerland)
Headquartered in Windisch, Switzerland, the company has developed Amphion, an innovative membrane technology designed to maximise the efficiency of a wide range of energy storage and conversion systems. Notably, the Amphion membranes overcome the limitations of traditional cation and anion exchangers through an amphoteric technology that simultaneously enables high proton conductivity and superior ionic selectivity.
7 Aviloo (Austria)
Founded by Nikolaus Mayerhofer and Wolfgang Berger Aviloo aims to contribute to an emission-free transportation system of the future. The company has developed an independent testing system for batteries in electric vehicles. The company wants to bring an independent battery test to the market, taking out the uncertainty of a purchase of a used electric vehicle.
8 TWAICE (Germany)
Funding: € 1.2M
Founded by Michael Baumann and Stephan Rohr, Twaice is the new analytics platform for Battery Data. The company build virtual battery models and constantly collect data with smart control units. This platform provides all battery data in one place, offer on-demand reports, and predictive diagnostics. This indeed simplifies battery testing, improve lifetime and prevent downtimes.
9 Skoon Energy (The Netherlands)
Based out of Rotterdam, Skoon Energy B.V. aims to accelerate the energy transition by setting up a network of versatile swappable batteries, to share, rent and lease. The company wants to build a trusted community marketplace for businesses to offer, discover, and book energy storage for mobile and/or temporary applications.
10 WATTALPS (France)
WATTALPS’ goal is to offer a range of standard and modular products so as to make their integration into vehicles or charging stations faster, more efficient and more cost effective.
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