News & Events
NEW ETPA CEO SEES ENERGY TRADING AS THE EPICENTRE TO THE ENERGY TRANSITION
Etpa has appointed Michiel Lensink as its new CEO. Michiel’s skillset combines expert knowledge in the cleantech space with the experience of an accomplished CEO. Michiel has operated in a CEO role for over 13 years across three different companies. Each time scaling their operations to 100s of employees and raising millions of Euros in fundraising. Most recently as CEO & co-founder of Frits.com, an online mortgage platform that challenged traditional mortgage brokers. There he championed customer interest by challenging how the banks calculated customer fees. This resulted in new legislation from financial authorities and catapulted the company’s growth. Now at Etpa, Michiel plans an ambitious course for the company. He will steer Etpa towards a strategy that leverages their state-of-the-art technology. Bringing unparalleled processing speeds, improved ease of access to an energy trading platform and lower cash requirements for settlements. Etpa are on track to formally launch their Intraday […]
MINIBEMS MERGES WITH EVINOX
Heat network technology providers Evinox and Minibems are merging and receive growth capital from SET Ventures. This capital injection enables the two companies to cement their leading position in smart heat network technology ensuring enhanced energy efficiency and cost savings for heat network operators and residents. Heat networks, also known as district heating systems, supply heat to one or multiple buildings from a central source, such as a boiler or heat pump. These systems are becoming increasingly popular to decarbonise heat, however, they can be inefficient and costly to operate. Evinox provides a full range of equipment and services to heat network operators. The company has pioneered remotely connected heat interface units (HIU) designed for easy installation, operation and maintenance. Evinox has supplied over 15.000 units for projects across the UK, including prestigious developments such as Battersea Power Station, London City Island and Riverlight. Minibems has developed advanced control technology […]
ENOCEAN ANNOUNCES PLANS TO BRING COMPANY TO THE PUBLIC MARKETS
EnOcean, the pioneer of energy harvesting Internet-of-Things (“IoT”) devices and sensor-to-cloud solutions, and Parabellum Acquisition Corp. (NYSE:PRBM), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (“Parabellum”), announced today that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement that will result in EnOcean becoming a publicly listed company subject to the closing.
ENPHASE ENERGY TO ACQUIRE GREENCOM NETWORKS TO EXPAND ENPHASE’S HOME ENERGY MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES
FREMONT, Calif., Aug. 29, 2022 — Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH), a global energy technology company and the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems, today announced that it has agreed to acquire GreenCom Networks AG.
SET VENTURES PROMOTES LEONIE MEKEL TO DIRECTOR
Amsterdam, 2 August, 2022 – SET Ventures, the Amsterdam-based venture capital firm focused on digital technologies for a carbon-free energy system, announced that Leonie Mekel has been promoted to Director of Finance & Operations. Leonie (38) is responsible for all financial and operational processes at SET and is involved in fundraising and policy outreach. SET is regulated as an alternative asset manager by the Dutch Authority for Financial Markets (AFM). As compliance officer, she ensures adherence to relevant regulatory, tax, and legal obligations and reporting requirements. She is dedicated to contributing to SET’s ambition to create a sustainable and carbon-free energy system. Since joining SET in 2016, Leonie has developed into a seasoned finance and operations expert. Previously, she worked at PwC as a tax advisor, with a specialization in financial markets. With a background in legal and tax and over 10 years of experience in the financial sector she […]
GENERAL FUSION RECEIVES TWO FUNDING AWARDS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
21 July 2022: The U.S. Department of Energy has selected General Fusion for two new funding awards through the Office of Fusion Energy Science’s Innovation Network for Fusion Energy (INFUSE) program. The awards will advance Magnetized Target Fusion technology for use in commercial fusion power plants through collaboration with the Savannah River National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. “General Fusion is pleased to continue its collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy to accelerate our technology development with the complementary advanced capabilities of the U.S. national labs,” said Greg Twinney, CEO, General Fusion. “Through programs such as INFUSE, we are deepening our ties with the Department of Energy to support the goals set out in the White House’s decadal vision for commercial fusion energy and our goal to commercialize our practical approach to fusion energy by the early 2030s.” Modelling tritiumGeneral Fusion and Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), a leading […]
ETPA RAISES €5M BY SET VENTURES AND ABN AMRO
Amsterdam – 12 July – Energy Trading Platform Amsterdam B.V. (ETPA) announced that it has been awarded a license to operate as a pan-European intraday energy exchange. By making energy trading faster and cheaper, ETPA’s intraday trading platform contributes to a flexible energy system that can absorb more energy from renewable sources. With the license, the company can expand its reach and offer services to energy traders across Europe. To support its international growth ambitions, ETPA raised EUR 5 million in growth financing from energy transition expert SET Ventures and sustainable finance leader ABN AMRO Sustainable Impact Fund. NEMO license to enter the European intraday market ETPA provides a short-term trading platform to optimise participants’ electricity production and consumption portfolio and manage congestion in The Netherlands through its connection to GOPACS. ETPA received Nominated Electricity Market Operator (NEMO) status, providing a mandate to run the integrated intraday electricity market across Europe. In line […]
€6.1M FOR FLEXIDAO BY SET, GOOGLE AND MICROSOFT
Barcelona/Amsterdam – 7 July 2022 – FlexiDAO, a leading software provider for 24/7 electricity and carbon tracking, has announced a Series A investment round led by SET Ventures, with investment from Google and the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, and existing investor EIT InnoEnergy. FlexiDAO enables companies and governments to operate on round-the-clock carbon-free energy, by certifying and tracing their electricity and its true carbon content, every hour of every day. The investment will drive rapid scaling of the company’s first-of-its-kind software platform worldwide, focused on the US and Europe. Google and Microsoft are not only investing, but are also customers of FlexiDAO, already using the technology to support their targets of 100% 24/7 carbon-free electricity by 2030. More than one-third1 of the world’s largest publicly traded companies now have net zero targets, and there is increasing pressure on companies for transparent reporting of their emissions to drive decarbonisation. For example, the US […]
TRUNKRS RAISES €15M FROM KORYS, VP CAPITAL AND SET
Nieuwegein/Halle, 9 June 2022 – Trunkrs, specialist in Same Day & Next Day delivery for the e-commerce sector, has successfully raised EUR 15 million in a Series B funding round. This funding round was led by Korys, the Belgian investment company of the Colruyt family. Aside from Korys, the other participants were VP Capital, the Family office of the Van Puijenbroek family and the Amsterdam-based SET Ventures, that has invested in Trunkrs previously. IMPROVED Corporate Finance advised and supported Trunkrs in raising the financing. Trunkrs is a leading parcel delivery partner to premium e-commerce parties in the Netherlands. Many webshops, Mediamarkt’s webshop among others, entrust Trunkrs with the fast and reliable delivery of their parcels. The company expanded its activities to Flanders in 2021. The capital raised will enable Trunkrs to maintain and improve its position as market leader in the Benelux. The company will also use the investment to […]
JULIA PADBERG IS PROMOTED TO PARTNER AT SET VENTURES
SET Ventures, the Amsterdam-based venture capital firm focused on digital technology for a carbon-free energy system, announced that Julia Padberg has been promoted to Partner. Julia (35) is returning from maternity leave this month in this new position. She has been with SET for 6 years, spearheading SET investments across Europe in domains such as energy system digitalisation and electrification of mobility. Julia serves as a Non-Executive Director at portfolio companies Flexidao, Trunkrs, and Sensorfact, and as an observer on the board of depsys. She was also an observer at Energyworx, Greencom Networks, and Greenflux (sold to DKV Mobility). Before joining SET, Julia was active in M&A and investment advisory in the cleantech and energy sector, amongst others at merchant bank Kempen & Co. “Julia has been instrumental in strengthening SET’s European network and reputation, as well as expanding the investment portfolio. Her expertise in key sectors of the energy […]
HYDROGRID RAISES INVESTMENT FROM SET AND CNB CAPITAL
As power prices surge across Europe, HYDROGRID, a leading Austrian tech company providing software for optimal real-time planning & dispatch of hydropower plants, has completed an investment round led by SET Ventures with the participation from existing investor CNB Capital. The recent surges in power market prices across Europe once again drive the need for intelligent, renewable power generation and storage to lessen the dependency on fossil fuels. With an installed capacity of 1,330 GW and an annual generation of 4,370 TWh globally, hydropower is the largest source of renewable energy there is, accounting for more than 60% of all renewable generation. Moreover, a unique feature of hydropower (pump) storage plants is that they have the capacity to store and release energy as required by the grid, and in this way can act as a ‘Green Battery’, significantly dampening the reliance on fossil fuel generation. By allowing long-term storage of […]
INSTAGRID RAISES €29M SERIES B
Ludwigsburg, 09.02.2022 – instagrid, a leader in high-performance mobile battery systems in the professional sector, announced today its Series B financing of approximately $33 million (€29 million). The round is being led by Energy Impact Partners (EIP), a U.S.-based venture capital firm investing in businesses building a sustainable future. As a result, instagrid’s total funding rises to more than $45 million (€40 million). Instagrid is using the new funds to drive its international expansion in Europe and the US. In addition, the battery platform will expand to include digital services and connectivity, enabling smart, customized energy solutions in the future. As the most compact and lightweight system on the market, instagrid’s high-performance battery makes it possible to use electricity from renewable sources in any location. Instagrid’s technology replaces environmentally harmful combustion engines, such as those predominantly used today for portable power for construction, events or off-grid areas. Every year 50 […]
SENSORFACT RAISED €13M INVESTMENT ROUND FROM SET VENTURES, FORWARD.ONE AND KORYS
Investment companies SET Ventures, FORWARD.one and Korys are investing in the Utrecht-based climate scale-up Sensorfact. Sensorfact helps companies in the manufacturing industry to save up to 15% on energy bills with intelligent energy management and energy-saving advice. In an earlier investment round in 2021, Sensorfact managed to raise 3.7 million euros from, among others, FORWARD.one and Korys, the investment company set up by the Belgian business family Colruyt. Now SET Ventures also joins forces with the Utrecht-based scale-up. SET Ventures is known for its focus on the energy transition. Sensorfact, founded in 2016, developed an Intelligent Energy Management System (IEMS). With this plug-and-play hardware and software, industrial SMEs can easily access and monitor their energy consumption in detail, reduce it with targeted actions and integrate it into increasingly strict energy reports. Sensorfact has more than 600 customers in more than 25 countries in Europe: mainly in the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium […]
EV PIONEER EASELINK RAISES €8.3M ROUND LED BY SET
Easelink, the Austrian high-tech pioneer in the field of automated EV charging has announced an €8.3m Series A funding round led by SET Ventures with participation of EnBW New Ventures, Smartworks, and existing investor Hermann Hauser. Easelink provides a fully automated charging experience and eliminates the need to plug in an electric vehicle by hand. Its Matrix Charging system comprises an underbody vehicle unit and a charge pad installed on the parking space. The technology is compatible with most major electric vehicle platforms and will be rolled out in a retrofit version as well as a factory-installed option for new cars. As the most cost-effective and energy-efficient solution available, this opens up automated charging not only for premium vehicles but also in the volume segment. The funds will be used to keep growing the product team, expand collaborations within the automotive and infrastructure industries and continue the path towards a […]
GENERAL FUSION ACHIEVES CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY MILESTONE
Successful performance of plasma compression prototype confirms path to commercialization 10 January 2022: General Fusion announced today it has successfully achieved several aggressive performance goals of a prototype system for its Fusion Demonstration Plant (FDP). The company’s plasma compression prototype, located at its Vancouver, Canada laboratory, is being used to demonstrate a critical element of its proprietary Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF) technology. This important milestone marks another significant step toward General Fusion’s goal of creating practical and commercially viable fusion power. Commissioned in early 2021, the prototype machine drives a forceful, but precisely shaped, symmetric collapse of a large liquid vortex cavity in tens of milliseconds. The forces involved in the full-scale FDP compression system will be immense, pushing the limits of material science, fluid dynamics, and mechanical design. Achieving this milestone with the prototype significantly reduces engineering and technical risks for General Fusion’s FDP. It will use a collapsing liquid metal […]
TRUNKRS: DELIVERY SERVICES FASTER, GREENER, FRIENDLIER
“The thing about ecommerce is that, even if you live in a small village, the internet offers everything at your fingertips. It’s awesome,” says Jan Wijn, CEO of Trunkrs, a logistics company based in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands, that is out to improve the delivery services that make that accessibility so awesome. “We had two main ideas,” Jan explains. “We wanted to be consumer-centric and we wanted to be sustainable.” From his long experience working in logistics, Jan argues that logistics companies are typically not sensitive enough to the needs of their clients and there’s a lot of customer frustration with inflexible deliveries. Instead, Trunkrs offers a service that is more customer-friendly and flexible: “We designed our IT system ourselves with the end-consumer in mind, making it as convenient as possible. We built it all in such a way that the consumer is in control. For example, you can change delivery […]
GENERAL FUSION ESTABLISHES U.S. HQ IN TENNESSEE
General Fusion creating up to 50 U.S. jobs to quicken its pace of fusion commercialization VANCOUVER, Canada (10 November 2021): Today, General Fusion announced its new United States base of operations in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as the company advances plans for a first-of-a-kind commercial pilot plant. A global leader in fusion energy technology development, the company is rapidly expanding its collaboration with national laboratories, universities, and the U.S. government. This expansion will create up to 50 highly technical jobs to advance the company’s commercialization of fusion energy – a carbon-free power source necessary to meet the growing global energy demand while fighting climate change. General Fusion is the first private fusion company to establish an office in Tennessee. The office is strategically located near the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) – the largest multi-purpose science and energy laboratory in the United States and home to the U.S. ITER program. Here, […]
OPTISWISS AND LUXEXCEL ANNOUNCE COOPERATION
Basel, Switzerland and Eindhoven, The Netherlands – September 8th, 2021 – Optiswiss, the leading Swiss lens manufacturer with distribution throughout Europe, has partnered with Luxexcel to bring commercial 3D printed lenses to market for use in regular eyewear and smart glasses. Under the partnership, Luxexcel will provide its breakthrough 3D printing lens technology, and Optiswiss will 3D print prescription lenses for the smart eyewear market. Optiswiss will also implement the newly released Luxexcel VisionPlatform™ 7 at its industrial facility in Basel, Switzerland. This shared strategy will accelerate the delivery of “Swiss-made” prescription lenses that are ideal for smart eyewear devices. As one of Europe’s largest ophthalmic laboratories, Optiswiss will use VisionPlatform 7 to provide a production facility for customers, to manufacture prescription lenses and accelerate the launch of their smart eyewear devices. The platform 3D prints a variety of prescription smart lens solutions for Augmented Reality smartglasses and switchable sunglasses in a […]
EIF ROLLS OUT A €100M COVID-19 INNOVFIN SUPPORT FUND
EIF announces first investments via a €100 million RE-FIT Facility to provide equity funding for companies impacted by COVID-19 in Europe and Horizon 2020 Participating Countries The first investment under the Recovery Equity Facility for Innovative Technology Companies (RE-FIT Facility) – part of the InnovFin Equity programme will support the More VC III Fund EIF has also signed an agreement with SET Fund II in the Netherlands and is expecting to announce 4 additional RE-FIT facility investments before the end of the year The European Commission is partnering with the European Investment Fund, to announce the first two investments from the €100 million COVID-19 equity financing RE-FIT facility for tech companies across Europe and Horizon 2020 Participating Countries. The investment into the MoreVC III RE-FIT Fund will target seed and series A tech companies in the Deeptech/ICT agriculture, renewable energy, shipping, industrial automation, cybersecurity and AI sectors. EIF’s USD 18m (€15 million equivalent) investment […]
ENERGYWORX ANNOUNCES €5.1M INVESTMENT LED BY ENECO
SaaS-based energy data management platform supports utility companies with the energy transition; investment will be used to scale platform and accelerate international growth HOUSTON, UNITED STATES and HOUTEN, THE NETHERLANDS – July 8, 2021 – Energyworx, a market leader in cloud-based Energy Data Management (EDM) solutions, today announced a strategic investment of €5.1M euros ($6M USD) by Eneco Ventures, the investment arm of Netherlands-based energy innovator, Eneco. Based in the United States and the Netherlands, Energyworx enables leading U.S. and European energy companies to unlock valuable insights in their massive granular supply, demand and contextual energy data sets. Eneco was joined in the latest round of funding by current existing Energyworx investors, SET Ventures, ENGIE New Ventures and EDP Ventures — all leading investors in smart energy solutions. Energyworx will leverage the new funds to scale its platform and accelerate international expansion. “This investment round provides the fuel for Energyworx […]
HARDWARE IS NOT ENOUGH TO ENABLE THE ENERGY SYSTEM TRANSITION
Observations from a VC investor focused on the European energy sector By Julia Padberg, Principal, SET Ventures “The biggest challenge of the energy system transition lies in the orchestration, integration, and management of enormous volumes of decentralized and volatile energy sources, like solar.” Whether solar PV will be the world’s largest source of electricity in 2030 is no longer a question. With tariffs dropping as low as USD 1.04c/kWh in Saudi Arabia (April 2021), solar has become the cheapest source of electricity in history and is therefore expected to be the dominant electricity generator globally from 2026 onwards (IEA, World Energy Outlook 2020). However, it is a misconception that all these thousands of TWh of photovoltaic power will simply be installed due to Moore’s Law of ‘exponential technological progress’ in manufacturing, resulting in better and cheaper hardware. In fact, the biggest challenge of the energy system transition lies in the […]
GENERAL FUSION TO BUILD ITS FIRST DEMONSTRATION PLANT
New partnership between General Fusion and UKAEA is a landmark collaboration in the development of fusion, a technology for the world’s low-carbon future VANCOUVER, Canada and LONDON, United Kingdom (17th June 2021 BST): The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and General Fusion have announced an agreement under which General Fusion will build and operate its Fusion Demonstration Plant (FDP) at UKAEA’s Culham Campus. General Fusion will enter into a long-term lease with UKAEA following construction of a new facility at Culham to host the FDP. The FDP will demonstrate General Fusion’s proprietary Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF) technology, paving the way for the company’s subsequent commercial pilot plant. General Fusion will benefit from the cluster of fusion supply chain activities in the UK, centered on UKAEA’s globally recognized expertise and presence in the field. Amanda Solloway, Science Minister for UK Government said: “This new plant by General Fusion is a huge boost […]
DKV ACQUIRES SET VENTURES PORTFOLIO COMPANY GREENFLUX
RATINGEN, GERMANY – June 10th, 2021 – European mobility service provider DKV acquires GreenFlux, the leading European software platform provider for electric vehicle (EV) charging. This represents a further step in DKV’s efforts to support fleet drivers and their organisations as they switch to lower-carbon transport and provides strong synergies with DKV’s existing mobility support applications. This acquisition marks DKV’s further expansion into the fast-growing e-mobility charging market and will provide critical competencies, helping DKV to further scale their overall EV charging offer across Europe. “I am very proud that we have expanded our EV capabilities to this extent and thus provide more services to our customers’ e-fleets throughout Europe”, says Marco van Kalleveen, CEO at DKV Mobility. “This dynamic growth shows that electromobility is developing at a rapid pace throughout Europe. In this context, we want to drive the transition towards a more sustainable future of mobility”. Explaining why […]
INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTOPH OSTERMANN, ENTREPRENEUR IN RESIDENCE
“Doing nothing wrong, does not mean you are doing the right things” We are excited to welcome Christoph Ostermann to the SET Ventures team as our Entrepreneur in Residence. Through a fireside chat with René Savelsberg, Managing Partner at SET, we would like to further introduce Christoph to you and share his views. René Savelsberg: “Christoph, with your entrepreneurial background as a founder of, among others, sonnen, and now active also as a private investor, what do you think are the key differences between the entrepreneur-view vs a VC-investor opinion, and what can we learn from each other?” Christoph Ostermann: “I think that investors and entrepreneurs have different perspectives on the way we look at certain aspects of an early stage company. As an entrepreneur I instinctively have a pretty operational view. I always look at the company from the perspective of where are the weaknesses, and how can we […]
TENNET AND GREENCOM TO UNLOCK FLEXIBILITY POTENTIAL OF HOUSEHOLDS
A pilot project plans to answer questions such as how decentralised energy producers, consumers and storage systems can alleviate bottlenecks in the power grid Virtual platform brings together and manages test customers Integration of decentralised plants via Equigy Crowd Balancing Platform involves citizens directly in the energy transition Bayreuth/Munich, 1st of June, 2021. The transmission system operator TenneT and GreenCom Networks (“GreenCom”) are undertaking a field trial to test ways in which decentralised energy producers, consumers, and storages can be integrated to prevent bottlenecks in the transmission system (congestion management) and to balance out fluctuations in power generation and consumption (balancing power). To this end, GreenCom will consolidate the control of smart devices (such as heat pumps and electric cars) of test customers on the company’s own platform and then offer these capacities on the Equigy Crowd Balancing Platform. From there, the transmission system operator TenneT can call them up […]
GREEN EAGLE RAISES €2.5M FROM SET AND KIBO
Autonomous wind turbine operations to boost renewable energy output MADRID, SPAIN – May 18, 2021 – Green Eagle Solutions, which provides autonomous operations software for wind turbines, today announced it raised a EUR 2.5M Series A investment round from SET Ventures and Kibo Ventures. With the funding, Green Eagle will grow its sales and marketing team, scale up client delivery capabilities and accelerate international expansion. Green Eagle helps owners and operators of wind parks improve efficiency and increase production through its Intelligent Control & Automation platform ARSOS. This product allows remote staff to operate many more turbines per operator, integrates external data to enable the execution of far more complex operations protocols, and uses AI-based algorithms to reduce turbine downtime. The platform also reduces operational expense while maximising availability and renewable energy output. The system is in daily operation at more than 1000 turbines from multiple customers throughout Southern Europe; […]
TILL STENZEL JOINS SET AS VENTURE PARTNER
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – May 4, 2021 – SET Ventures is pleased to announce that Dr. Till Stenzel joins the team as a Venture Partner with a focus on the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). Till has almost 20 years of experience working at the intersection of the energy transition and digital transformation. Till has worked as an investor, entrepreneur, consultant and executive and has developed a deep understanding of the levers for change in the energy sector. Prior to SET Ventures, Till was a Managing Director at DTCP focusing on investments in the digital economy. Other previous engagements include corporate strategy work at E.ON, cleantech investment with Hazel Capital (now Gresham House New Energy), co-founding TuNur, the first large-scale solar projects developer in Tunisia, and policy advisory work for the UK Government and Parliament, as well as with the International Energy Agency (IEA). Till will support SET Ventures’ mission […]
SET INVESTS IN ENERGY FLEXIBILITY LEADER ESFORIN
Essen, Germany – April 20, 2021 – ESFORIN SE, the leading European provider of flexibility solutions for the power sector, today announced it raised a growth equity round led by SET Ventures with participation from sonnen founder Christoph Ostermann and existing shareholders. With the funding, ESFORIN will expand its team, scale up client engagement and delivery capabilities and invest in international expansion to strengthen its market leadership. Balancing supply and demand in an increasingly dynamic energy system powered by renewable generation is a complex challenge. ESFORIN operates an automated system to monetize the flexibility of industrial and generation energy assets for their clients on the intraday markets through algorithmic trading. This enables a far wider range of energy assets to contribute to the stability of the energy system than only the assets that meet the strict technical requirements for the control need of grid operators. ESFORIN was started in 2015 […]
TRUNKRS INTRODUCES SAME AND NEXT DAY DELIVERY IN BELGIUM
Trunkrs bezorgt vanaf vandaag ook in België met same day en next day delivery. Trunkrs is hiermee de eerste verzendspecialist die ook in België same day delivery aanbiedt. Deze internationalisering van het bezorgnetwerk stelt Nederlandse webshops in staat om de levertijd voor Belgische klanten met één tot drie dagen in te korten. Dit biedt Nederlandse e-commerce ondernemers kansen om zich steviger te profileren op de snelgroeiende Belgische e-commercemarkt. Nederlandse webshops zijn ongekend populair bij de zuiderburen. Uit onderzoek van onderzoeksbureau Ipsos blijkt dat 87% van de Belgische consumenten graag shopt bij een Nederlandse webshop. Bart Nieuwenhuis van Lampgigant herkent zich in dit beeld: “België is voor ons zeker een interessante groeimarkt. We merken dat de vraag naar designverlichting groeit en dat snelle levering bij onze zuiderburen cruciaal is. Door samen te werken met Trunkrs kunnen we nu altijd binnen 24 uur leveren in Nederland en België. Dit is zeker […]
PIERRE-PASCAL URBAN JOINS INSTAGRID BOARD AS CHAIRMAN TO SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL GROWTH
Pierre-Pascal Urbon, ex-CEO of SMA Solar Technology AG, has been appointed the new chairman of the battery startup’s advisory board. Urbon will provide support for the expansion of operations abroad. The goal is for instagrid to become an international driving force in off-grid energy storage technology. Ludwigsburg, 17/03/2021 – Battery manufacturer instagrid has welcomed a proven expert of the energy transition and an experienced manager to the company. Pierre-Pascal Urbon (50), former CEO of SMA Solar Technology AG, has taken over as chairman of the advisory board. instagrid plans to draw on his experience and international network to press ahead with further expansion. Urbon was a board member of SMA Solar from 2006 to 2018 and was responsible for its strategic alignment from 2011 onwards as CEO. At the world’s leading manufacturer of photovoltaic and battery inverter technology, Urbon established the international retail and service branches, developed an innovative specialist […]
SMART GRID STARTUPS WANT TO CONQUER THE MARKET TOGETHER
Nine European startups have launched a joint initiative to promote digital solutions for the electricity grid of the future and their benefits. Four companies from Switzerland are involved. Renewable energy and the growth of electrical appliances and vehicles are causing concern for the electricity grids. This brings more complexity for network operators and regulators. At the same time, there is a great deal of uncertainty about the use of new digital solutions. These solutions, which address current and future requirements of the networks, are currently little known by distribution system operators and regulation. Market access as a challenge “In exchange with other smart grid players, we quickly realized that market entry is a major hurdle for most people,” says Oliver Deuschle, CEO of SMIGHT. “Young companies like us are developing innovative, digital solutions along the value chain. By joining forces, we can meet all customer needs and offer tailor-made solutions,” […]
GREENFLUX AMONG EUROPE’S FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES
GreenFlux, the leading provider of electric vehicle charging software solutions, has been named to the FT 1000 2021 ranking of Europe’s fastest growing companies. The FT 1000, compiled annually by the Financial Times and Statista, identifies the European companies in 33 countries that achieved the strongest revenue growth rates. “It’s an honor to be recognized for the rapid growth we’ve achieved and is a testament to our team’s ability to deliver innovative solutions that help customers quickly grow their e-mobility fleets and networks,” said Floris van den Broek, Chief Executive Officer of GreenFlux. “We continued this fast growth momentum through the challenging 2020 economic climate, and expect 2021 will be our strongest year yet.” GreenFlux is the 11th fastest growing company in the Netherlands on the prestigious FT 1000. See the full FT 1000: Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies 2020 list.
MICROSHADE INTRODUCES NEW SOLAR SHADING SOLUTION
The Danish solar shading manufacturer now launches a new and ground-breaking product which will redefine the perception, use and function of solar shading in buildings. Ever since MicroShade was founded as a spin-off from the Danish Technological Institute, the ambition has been to provide solar shading solutions that were not only highly efficient but would also address the need for simple installation and low maintenance costs, while at the same time allowing users an unobstructed view to the outside – at all times. The ability to deliver on these parameters has placed MicroShade’s solar shading solution in buildings across Northern and Central Europe – and as far away as Australia. While expanding sales and strategic partnerships, the company has continued to innovate, and the result is now presented to the market. The new product, called MicroShade Film®, is a passive micro-structured film, which – when placed inside a glazing unit […]
DEPSYS: IT'S THE DECADE OF THE DSOS
2020 was a lot of things, most of them sombre. However, there is one positive way I believe we in the distribution grid sector can describe the year, as an inflection point. In years to come, we may well look back on 2020 as the year when terms like “energy transition” and “digitalization” finally began to feel less like buzzwords and more like lived reality in our sector. With that in mind, let’s review what we learned and what changed last year; ask ourselves which changes were due to natural progression and which were down to the unique timbre of the year; and what we can hope and expect from 2021 as a result. Steady Progression Through the worst of the pandemic, the lights did not go out, even when workforces were forcibly relocated to kitchen tables and were depleted by staff being sick or self-isolating. For that, distribution system […]
ELMODIS RECEIVES INVESTMENT FROM MEIDENSHA CORPORATION
February 18th, 2021 – Elmodis, the Krakow based company developing state-of-the-art machine condition monitoring and predictive maintenance of electric motors has received the investment from Meidensha Corporation (Meiden). Last two years of cooperation between Elmodis and Meidensha on the Japanese and Asian market resulted in completing an investment and a strategic agreement. The existing Investors, SET Ventures and Innovation Nest, also participated in the current investment round. This funding will be used by Elmodis to further consistently execute its product development and implementation of its solution in various industries globally. The Elmodis solution uses the motor as a sensor in order to determine the condition of the machine. Elmodis’ team successfully implements in Poland, Western Europe, USA and as well in Japan. In addition to this financial contribution a strategic cooperation between Meiden and Elmodiswill lead to increased activities on the Japanese and Asian market. The investment in scale-up Elmodis […]
LUXEXCEL PARTNERS WITH WAVEOPTICS
Luxexcel, an innovative tech company specializing in 3D printed prescription lenses, has recently announced a new partnership with waveguides developers WaveOptics to develop a line of AR smart glasses that are both fashionable and comfortable to wear. By merging the work being done at Luxexcel and WaveOptics, the two companies are promising an AR headset that is more streamlined than existing solutions such as Nreal or Magic Leap. This is a device you could wear as you shop, hang out with friends, or exercise. In an interview with 3DPrintingIndustry.com, Guido Groet, Chief Strategy Officer at Luxexcel said, “About 70% of the adult world population today need vision correction to see their best. Providing consumers with a single device that integrates both their prescription requirements, as well as smart technologies from leaders such as WaveOptics, is a prerequisite in enabling the adoption of smart glasses by the mass consumer market.” Using WaveOptics super thin 1.115mm Katana […]
GREENFLUX NAMES FLORIS VAN DEN BROEK AS CEO
GreenFlux, a leading provider of an EV charging platform and smart charging technology, today announced the appointment of Floris van den Broek as Chief Executive Officer. Floris brings many years of international experience in scaling global software and telecommunications companies. He was previously CEO of software company Redsocks Security, CCO at Software Improvement Group, and held senior executive roles in Philips’ Telecoms division, Level3 Communications (founder and CEO of the Dutch company), and AT&T. Floris holds an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley and a PhD from the Technical University of Delft. “We would like to thank our founders Hans de Boer and Jurjen de Jong for their contribution to building GreenFlux’s reputation as the go-to expertise centre for electric vehicle charging,” said Peter Molengraaf, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of GreenFlux. “We also welcome Floris, who is well-suited to expand the company’s international presence further. His experience in scaling […]
SHOPIFY FOUNDER INVESTS IN GENERAL FUSION THROUGH THISTLEDOWN CAPITAL
VANCOUVER, Canada (22 July 2020): Today, General Fusion announces the close of financing from new investor, Thistledown Capital, a firm established by Shopify founder Tobias Lütke and his wife, Fiona McKean. The investment will support the development of the company’s Fusion Demonstration Plant, which will showcase Magnetized Target Fusion technology at power-plant relevant scale. Thistledown Capital was founded in 2019 to advance technological solutions for decarbonization, aiming to make the biggest impact for future generations by fighting climate change. Based in Ottawa, Canada, Thistledown Capital funds technology breakthroughs that support decarbonization, such as fusion energy. This is the second time the founder of an e-commerce giant has supported General Fusion. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos previously invested in the company through his venture capital fund, Bezos Expeditions. “General Fusion has a strong record of attracting funding support from some of the world’s most influential technology leaders,” said Greg Twinney, CFO, General Fusion. “Fusion is planet-saving technology, […]
MAHER CHEBBO CHAIRS ENERGYWORX ADVISORY BOARD
HOUTEN, THE NETHERLANDS – January 11, 2021 – Energyworx, a market leader in cloud-based Energy Meter Data Management solutions, today announced the appointment of industry veteran Maher Chebbo as Chairman of the Energyworx Customer Advisory Board as a Thought Leadership Committee of industry senior executives aligning Energyworx with market expectations and value generation of utilities. Maher worked at large technology and digital corporates, where he spent over a couple of decades at SAP in several international senior executive positions for the energy & industries division and more recently as an executive officer at General Electric Digital. From 2014 – 2018, Maher served as the president of ESMIG, the European Smart Metering & Smart Energy Industry Group. Cloud Meter Data Management for the Energy Transition.“The vast majority of Utilities have a complex, legacy IT landscape moving to the cloud. Combined with the massive growth in volumes of data, for most utilities, it is […]
GREENCOM ANNOUNCES €12M FUNDING ROUND LED BY SHELL VENTURES
Shell Ventures and Energy & Environment Investment join existing investors (including Centrica and E.ON) to further GreenCom’s mission to become the leading residential energy IoT platform. GreenCom is already connecting many Home Energy Management devices for energy companies such as Centrica, E.ON, ESB, and is rapidly scaling deployment of its platform across Europe. Shell Ventures and EEI bring extensive experience in the distributed energy sector and provide GreenCom a strong gateway to new international markets. MUNICH, GERMANY – December 2, 2020 – GreenCom Networks AG (“GreenCom”) is pleased to announce the conclusion of its latest financing round of €12 million, led by Shell Ventures and supported by Energy & Environment Investment (“EEI”) and existing investors. The investment enables GreenCom to expand its strategy of international growth and to further enhance its pioneering position as the leading residential energy IoT company in Europe. Shell Ventures, Shell’s corporate venture capital arm, and Japanese venture capital […]
SET INVESTS IN SUSTAINABLE DELIVERY SERVICE TRUNKRS
AMSTERDAM & UTRECHT, THE NETHERLANDS – October 27, 2020 – Trunkrs, specialist in Same Day and Next Day delivery, successfully secured € 2.2 million in a new round of funding, led by SET Ventures and with participation from Ponooc. This investment enables the company to take the next steps in making the delivery process more sustainable and expanding internationally. The investment is in addition to the € 3.5 million of funding the company raised with Amsterdams Klimaat & Energiefonds (AKEF) and Ponooc late 2019. Trunkrs is conquering the Dutch market for Same Day and Next Day parcel deliveries at a rapid pace, offering their premium service to online stores as well their end-customers. Not only does the company offer fast and reliable deliveries, it also made it their mission to make parcel delivery sustainable. Julia Padberg, Principal at SET Ventures: “Jan and his team bring together the worlds of e-commerce, logistics, and […]
INSTAGRID WINS THE SET AWARD 2020
LUDWIGSBURG, GERMANY – October 23, 2020 – Yesterday, on the World Energy Day, instagrid won the Start Up Energy Transition Award 2020 in the Renewable Energies and Materials category. The start-up from Germany prevailed among 570 applications from all over the world. The judges particularly praised the product as a very progressive and environmentally friendly innovation and furthermore honored the visionary business of the young company. About SET: Start Up Energy Transition (SET) is a global innovation platform supporting innovation in energy transition. SET is implemented with the conviction that a sustainable future is directly linked to innovative business models and political will. The SET Award is presented in five different categories, which cover the entire clean energy spectrum. During the SET week online, instagrid GmbH was presented with the Award in Renewable Energies and Materials -category. With its portable power solution, which provides simple, flexible and emission-free access to mobile electricity for professionals […]
GENERAL FUSION BROADENS GLOBAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT WITH U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AWARD
VANCOUVER, Canada (8 September 2020): General Fusion has been awarded a funding partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fusion Energy Science’s new Innovation Network for Fusion Energy (INFUSE) program, recognizing General Fusion as a global leader on the path to commercializing practical fusion. General Fusion will partner with the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), one of the world’s leading fusion research laboratories, to develop models for Advanced Stability Analysis for Magnetized Target Fusion. This project will apply advanced computational stability analyses to model equilibrium states of plasma, providing insights important to the company’s Fusion Demonstration Plant (FDP) project. “We are thrilled with this opportunity to partner with other top fusion community scientists and benefit from the capabilities that PPPL offers,” said Michael Delage, Chief Technology Officer, General Fusion. “This collaboration will develop new plasma stability modeling and simulation capabilities for Magnetized Target Fusion, and the knowledge gained […]
MINIBEMS RAISES NEW ROUND OF FUNDING, LED BY SET
Amsterdam, The Netherlands – September 3, 2020 – The UK heat network control company Minibems has attracted a new round of funding from its current investors, led by SET Ventures and supported by Ascension Ventures. The investment is match-funded by The Future Fund, the United Kingdom government’s co-investment scheme for innovative and high growth companies. This new round will enable Minibems to strengthen its product development and service offering as it continues to grow in the heat network market across the UK and Europe. As part of the strategy, we are pleased to announce that Simon Gunter is joining the company as Executive Chairman. With heating and cooling consuming half of Europe’s energy, the heat sector is increasingly being challenged to supply heat more efficiently and sustainably. With new legislation and regulation in the pipeline both the UK and Scottish governments, amongst other European countries, have reinforced the commitment to heat […]
VETERAN DIRECTOR APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF GENERAL FUSION
VANCOUVER, CANADA – August 13, 2020 – Today, General Fusion announced the appointment of Klaas de Boer as Chairman of its Board of Directors. This appointment coincides with the arrival of new institutional investors backing the Company’s program to commercialize practical fusion energy. This program includes constructing a Fusion Demonstration Plant, which will showcase General Fusion’s technology in power plant scale conditions. A member of the General Fusion Board for the past 11 years, Mr. de Boer was the clear choice to become the Company’s new Chairman. He has more than 20 years of venture capital experience spanning Europe, North America and the Middle East. He is currently Managing Partner of Entrepreneurs Fund, where he has fostered the growth of a wide array of investments, including participating in the first venture capital financing of General Fusion in 2009. “General Fusion is committed to transforming the world’s energy supply to limitless, clean […]
GENERAL FUSION BRINGS IN MORE LARGE GLOBAL INVESTORS
Additional capital accelerating completion of Fusion Demonstration Plant VANCOUVER, Canada (22 July 2020): General Fusion announced today that it has closed additional financing in support of its Fusion Demonstration Plant (FDP) program. Highlighting this new financing are two more globally recognized institutional investors, led by GIC, together with the deep technology fund IBX, in a significant expansion of institutional support for the Company. The financing, whose terms were undisclosed, comes as the Company accelerates execution of its fusion commercialization program toward power plant scale validation over the next five years. GIC is a sovereign wealth fund established by the Government of Singapore. Their participation in this General Fusion financing round is complemented by funding from another large financial institution based in Asia. Collectively, these new investments solidify the Company’s already strong support from Asia and represent a significant move by the Company to address the growing fusion market opportunity in the region. They […]
ENGIE INVESTS IN ENERGY DATA LEADER ENERGYWORX
ENGIE, through its venture capital arm ENGIE New Ventures, announces its strategic investment in Energyworx, the worldwide market leader in cloud-based in Energy Data Management solutions. PARIS, FRANCE – July 16, 2020 – Based in the United States and the Netherlands, Energyworx enables top US and European energy companies to unlock valuable insights in their massive granular supply, demand and contextual energy data sets. With this investment, ENGIE expands its existing partnership and leads a new round of funding for Energyworx, joined by EDP – a global player in renewable energy – through its venture capital arm EDP Ventures, and SET Ventures – a leading investor in smart energy solutions. DIGITAL PLATFORM FOR THE ENERGY TRANSITIONMassive growth in volumes of data, insufficient quality of data and expanding data silos are emerging obstacles utilities face as the world transitions to decentralized low-carbon energy. Energyworx has achieved strong growth in recent years with its […]
GREENFLUX ANNOUNCES DIVESTITURE OF ITS DUTCH CPO
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS – April 1, 2020 – GreenFlux, a leading provider of EV charging platforms and smart charging technology, today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to sell its Dutch Charge Point Operator and E-Mobility Service Provider division to Joulz. This divestiture allows GreenFlux to fully focus on the continued development of its EV charging platform and the international growth of the company. In 2011 GreenFlux started offering EV charging infrastructure to EV drivers, fleets and building one of the first charging networks in the Netherlands. Today, GreenFlux is an international frontrunner in the EV market, offering software platform solutions to manage charging infrastructures for electric vehicles. The platform enables operators of charging infrastructure to remotely manage charge points, process transactions and utilize smart charging to adjust the charging speeds to the capacity of the electricity grid and local energy generation. Its products and services are offered to leading charge […]
GREENCOM AND HOCHFREQUENZ NEW OFFER FOR SAP USERS
eibp:empower from GreenCom Networks offers efficient creation of dynamiclifestyle-relevant electricity tariffs and the ability to quickly update andrefine existing tariffs Collaboration between GreenCom and Hochfrequenz provides flexible tariffsto expand SAP IS-U billing systems No expensive or risky adaptations of existing ERP systems Built on similar principles to Service Mediation from within the telecommunications sector, GreenCom Networks’s eipb:empower sitting alongside billing solutions for instance SAP, enables the efficient creation of dynamic lifestyle-relevant tariffs and the ability to quickly update and refine existing tariffs. The product is based on complementing existing billing systems, with no expensive and time-consuming adjustments required. New customer-oriented tariffs can therefore be configured by the product or propositions team in a cost-effective and scalable process, with no excessive effort or expense required for implementation. In addition to time- or load-variable pricing, tariffs can also be linked to events; for example, football supporters take advantage of a “football tariff” […]
FUSION STARTUPS REALIZES CLEAN POWER DREAM
Governments have spent billions of dollars studying the emissions-free energy source. Now, private ventures are building smaller, faster, cheaper reactors. “This is kind of the SpaceX moment for fusion,” says Christofer Mowry, chief executive of General Fusion, a venture based in Vancouver, Canada, referring to how Elon Musk started Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, by commercializing work of the U.S. space program. “Our starting point is on the basis of mature science.” Read full article
REDUCING GRID EXTENSION COSTS THROUGH SMART EV CHARGING
Artikel in Nederlands: Noodzaak voor netverzwaring aanzienlijk verminderd door slim laden elektrische auto’s LARGE-SCALE SMART CHARGING TRIAL COMPLETED AS PART OF THE EUROPEAN INVADE PROJECT Smart charging developed into an important part of smart grids. Grid overloads are prevented by smart charging electric vehicles, people obtain electricity from charging with their own solar panels and capitalising on the fluctuations in the electricity prices has become an opportunity. Within the European INVADE project, GreenFlux has developed an algorithm that serves all of these goals simultaneously. In this project, GreenFlux cooperated with the Dutch organization ElaadNL along with a consortium of 12 European parties. Smart charging of electric cars has been used for quite some time now. Increasing use of wind and sun and an enormous increase in electric charging is causing large-scale fluctuations on the energy network. The increase in sun and wind also causes greater price variations in the energy markets, […]
GREG TWINNEY APPOINTED AS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
VANCOUVER, Canada (18 February 2020): General Fusion announced today the appointment of Greg Twinney as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Mr. Twinney brings to his new role with General Fusion more than 20 years of global experience in financing growth and success in the technology sector. His financial leadership has successfully realized strong stakeholder value creation from companies rapidly scaling up during commercialization, including management of IPOs, mergers, and acquisitions. As CFO, Mr. Twinney will lead General Fusion’s financial operations, together with investor relations, engagement with the global capital markets, and management of fundraising. “Greg has a truly exceptional track record of successful financial leadership with some of the most respected technology companies in the world,” said Chief Executive Officer Christofer Mowry. “His experience and financial talents will further strengthen our world-class management team and help General Fusion deliver practical fusion technology to the global energy industry.” Mr. Twinney comes to General […]
INSTAGRID RAISES €8.5M ROUND LED BY SET
Amsterdam, the Netherlands – February 4, 2020 – instagrid, the portable power company, today announced €8.5 million in Series A funding, led by SET Ventures with participation from High-Tech Gründerfonds, Segnalita Ventures, and a German family office. With the funding, instagrid will expand its team, scale up production and amplify its contribution to the mobile power revolution and energy transition. Stuttgart-based instagrid GmbH has developed the world’s most advanced portable power pack to replace highly polluting petrol and diesel generators. Instagrid products offer simple, flexible and emission-free access to grid-like power for professionals on the move. Founded in January 2018 by Dr. Sebastian Berning and Dr. Andreas Sedlmayr, instagrid specialises in the development of portable battery equipment, offering a mobile power supply for people working in temporary locations. In many industries, professional workers are dependent on a reliable and simple power supply. Instagrid’s robust solution far exceeds the technical specifications and capabilities […]
GREENCOM PART OF THE 100 GLOBAL CLEANTECH LEADER 2020
GreenCom Networks of Munich, Germany, named a 2020 Global Cleantech 100 Company today. 11th edition of list recognises 100 companies world-wide “poised to solve some of our biggest challenges over the next five to ten years.” Cleantech award follows Navigant Research report: GreenCom “leading market player” in energy as a service sector, due to product performance, vendor partnerships and business model. GreenCom Networks, one of the world’s leaders in distributed and digital energy, was today named a 2020 Global Cleantech 100 Company. The 11th edition of Cleantech 100, the respected annual guide to sustainable innovation, features companies best positioned to contribute to a digitised, de-carbonised and resource-efficient industrial future. The list combines Cleantech Group’s data with the findings of a global 80-member expert panel of leading investors and executives. Christian Feisst, CEO of GreenCom Networks, said: “It is a great honour to be a Cleantech 100 company as Cleantech 100 […]
SET VENTURES RAISES 3RD FUND OF €100 MILLION
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS – January 9, 2020 – SET Ventures, the energy transition venture capital firm, successfully completed its fundraising for SET Fund III at €100 million, well above the target size of €75 million. SET will continue to invest in European early growth-stage companies that shape the future energy system through effective balancing of intermittent renewable generation, smart energy distribution and storage, and promoting efficient energy use. Investors in SET Fund III include leading international corporations, renowned family offices, development agencies and forward-looking financial institutions. “We are delighted to welcome all of our new investors, joining the investors that made the start of SET Fund III possible only a year ago”, said René Savelsberg, Managing Partner at SET Ventures. “Reaching the hard cap of €100 million confirms the trust in our entire team and the dedication to make the energy system transition a reality”. SET Ventures backs exceptional smart energy […]
GENERAL FUSION CLOSES $65M OF SERIES E FINANCING
FUNDING ENABLES THE COMPANY’S FUSION DEMONSTRATION PLANT VANCOUVER, CANADA – 16 December, 2019 – General Fusion announced that it has successfully closed USD$65 million of Series E equity financing. The financing was led by Temasek, a global investment company headquartered in Singapore. This USD$65 million of new financing, together with the release of CAD$50 million in additional investment from Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund, enables the Company to formally launch the program to design, construct, and subsequently operate its Fusion Demonstration Plant. This prototype facility is intended to confirm the performance of General Fusion’s magnetized target fusion technology in a power plant relevant environment. Pursuit of this next important step toward commercially viable fusion energy reflects the growing global collaboration between public and private stakeholders in this transformative technology. General Fusion has attracted more than USD$200 million in funding to develop its practical approach to fusion energy. “The world is pivoting toward […]
ENERGYWORX ANNOUNCES €1M FUNDING FROM EDP VENTURES
LISBON, PORTUGAL and HOUTEN, THE NETHERLANDS – November 12, 2019 – Energyworx, a SaaS-based platform for Energy Data Management that helps utility companies navigate and monetise the energy transition, today announced a €1 million Series A extension funding round, led by EDP Ventures, the venture capital arm of EDP. Energyworx will use the new funding to scale development and accelerate international growth within the US and European markets. A global leader in the utilities sector and part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, EDP is the fourth largest global player in renewable energy, ranks among Europe’s major electricity operators, and is one of the largest business groups in Portugal. The investment by EDP Ventures supports a strategic partnership between EDP and Energyworx to accelerate Industry 4.0 adoption within the utility sector. “EDP is one of the most advanced, forward thinking utility companies in the world and a very important customer for Energyworx,” said Marcel […]
SET VENTURES INVESTS IN UK-BASED MINIBEMS TOGETHER WITH ASCENSION VENTURES
This major capital injection prepares minibems for fast growth in the heating network market in the UK and Europe AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS – September 17, 2019 – With heating and cooling consuming half of Europe’s energy, the heat sector is increasingly being challenged to supply heat more efficiently and sustainably. Heat networks will play a major role in decarbonising heating to meet the climate goals. Currently the major challenge for heat networks is to increase their efficiency. Minibems is an IoT and smart heating solution to de-carbonise the heat network market. The innovative approach delivers a comprehensive and unique heat network management service; leveraging real-time online monitoring and controls to provide energy efficiency gains, remote diagnosis and repairs as well as metering and billing services. Minibems customers benefit from low energy bills, reduction in unplanned maintenance costs and an accurate and easy billing payment. “Minibems improves the operation and performance of […]
FLEXIDAO SECURES FUNDING FROM SET VENTURES AND RELOCATES TO AMSTERDAM
The energy and blockchain startup raises a seven-digit seed round and opens its HQ in Amsterdam AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS – September 10, 2019 – FlexiDAO successfully secured a seven-digit seed round led by their new investor SET Ventures. Existing investor KIC InnoEnergy also participated in the round. With this investment the company aims to accelerate international growth of its blockchain-based energy provenance service and to develop new use cases leveraging on the existing middleware platform. Since its foundation in 2017, FlexiDAO has positioned itself rapidly as one of the commercially leading European blockchain startups in the energy space. The company has shown the viability of moving from proof of concepts to commercial rollouts and is now present in seven countries. FlexiDAO has already partnered with six leading utilities – such as Iberdrola and Acciona – allowing them to offer a corporate social responsibility service to C&I customers. Customers can select preferred […]
SET WINS THE CLEANTECH GROUP'S AWARD 2019
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – May 22, 2019 – During the 15th annual Cleantech Forum Europe event, held in Stockholm, Sweden, SET Ventures won the European Investor of the Year 2019 Award. The Cleantech Group marked standout achievements from companies, investors, and individuals of the last 12 months in the cleantech ecosystem. This year, to reflect the maturity of the cleantech ecosystem, Cleantech Group created a new, Investor of the Year award to recognise “a European investor who, in the prior 12 months, has demonstrated positive outcomes and progress across the major activity set – fundraising, realising positive returns for LPs via exits, and portfolio management (both in progressing the current portfolio and adding quality new companies”. The jury of the award concluded that, although others may have performed strongly on one or two parts of the activity set, SET Ventures was the standout across the full set, demonstrated by the Fund […]
GREENCOM INTEGRATES TO THE INNOGY INNOVATION HUB
Munich’s GreenCom Networks, world-leading energy IoT company, expands its offering around home energy management by integrating shine, a company founded by the innogy Innovation Hub The deal gives GreenCom access to shine’s customer base and energy management services Munich’s GreenCom Networks is acquiring shine, founded by the innogy Innovation Hub. shine made its name by building up energy management services for residential customers. The start-up already utilizes GreenCom’s Energy Information Brokerage Platform and has expanded GreenCom’s services with an array of services including shine energy check, shineSmart, and shineHub. Christian Feißt, CEO of GreenCom Networks, notes: “The acquisition of shine is perfect for us to demonstrate how disruptive energy management services will be offered to retail customers through digital technology. We are already a leading energy IoT platform provider. Now, the deal with shine allows us to truly demonstrate what the retail energy business will look like.” GreenCom will integrate […]
LIMEJUMP ACQUIRED BY SHELL
Shell* has agreed to acquire Limejump Ltd, a UK based energy technology company which is part of the portfolio of SET Fund II. With this deal Limejump’s technology and management team will enable both companies to continue to take steps to support the UK energy system’s transition to a lower carbon future. Upon completion Limejump will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell. “We shared the ambition of Limejump to change the shape of the energy system with new decentralised flexible assets. Erik Nygard and his team are delivering this vision and have found in Shell the ideal partner to expand its market-leading position”, says Craig Douglas, Investment Manager at SET Ventures. “With Shell as the new business owner, we believe that Limejump can further accelerate the energy system transition.” Erik Nygard, CEO of Limejump, said “This is an exciting moment – we are in the middle of a revolution […]
GREENFLUX'S INNOVATIVE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE
Biggest tender in the world for EV charging points on private property for the Dutch government GreenFlux is proud to provide the most innovative charging infrastructure for the Dutch government together with Unica. The order is one of the world’s largest contracts for charging points on site. It includes the construction, management and maintenance of the infrastructure for electric mobility at more than 100 government offices in the Netherlands. The construction is part of the government’s ambition to allow 20% of the vehicle fleet – over 31,000 vehicles – to operate fully electrically by 2020. Specifically, Unica and GreenFlux will realize the construction, management and maintenance of 1,000 charging points, 600 of which will be delivered this year. These charging points are intended for both official cars and private cars of employees and visitors. GreenFlux will provide its advanced cloud based smart charging technology. This prevents high investment costs to increase […]
LUXEXCEL ADVANCES 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY
Eindhoven (the Netherlands), February 19th, 2019 – Luxexcel, the pioneer in 3D printed ophthalmic lenses, announces that its proprietary 3D printing technology has advanced from the pilot phase to printing commercial lenses. Over the past 12 months, 5000 lenses have been printed on several VisionPlatforms™ installed in USA and Europe, enabling the company to bring the technology to a level where commercial lenses are being shipped to customers every day. Fabio Esposito, CEO of Luxexcel: “By achieving this level of maturity we are ready to further grow the incredible potential of this technology and develop unique lenses both in ophthalmic and in smart eyewear. 3D printing is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between traditional lenses and the future of eyewear which resides in smart functionalities.” Luxexcel VisionPlatform™: Commercial lens printing The Luxexcel VisionPlatform™ consists of industrial grade 3D printers, lens-design software and workflow integration tools which enable customers to […]
SET AND CENTRICA INVEST IN GREENCOM
GreenCom Networks provides end-to-end solutions for distributed energy resources management (DERM), enabling energy retailers and energy device OEMs to offer innovative digital energy services to their residential customers. Amsterdam, 19 February 2019 – GreenCom Networks has successfully closed a significant fundraising round led by international energy and service company Centrica. The current shareholders SET Ventures, Munich Venture Partners and Cosmos were also participating in this round. The funding will be used to finance a further international expansion of GreenCom’s Energy Internet of Things (IoT) platform in the European market. As the future energy markets will be heavily based on distributed assets like solar PV, batteries, electrical heating devices or electric vehicles, the number of those devices is expected to grow by a factor of five over the next 15 years. This provides significant opportunities for energy service companies to offer end-to-end services for customers. GreenCom’s Energy IoT platform is the […]
SET VENTURES EXITS ITS PARTICIPATION IN SONNEN
Shell agrees to acquire sonnen, expanding its offering of residential smart energy storage and energy services Amsterdam, 15 February 2019 Shell* has agreed to acquire 100% of sonnen, a leader in smart energy storage systems and innovative energy services for households. This follows an investment by Shell in May 2018 and means that post regulatory approval and completion sonnen will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell. Christoph Ostermann, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of sonnen, said: “Shell New Energies is the perfect partner for helping us grow in a market that is expanding rapidly. With this investment we’re excited to help more households to become energy independent and benefit from new opportunities in the energy market. Shell will help drive the growth of sonnen to a new level and help speed up the transformation of the energy system.” René Savelsberg, Managing Director SET Ventures, says: “At the moment of our […]
SET AND BNP PARIBAS INVEST IN DEPSYS
Technology for the automation of power grids – GridEye makes energy system transformation easy for grid operators Amsterdam, 12 February 2019 – The Swiss technology company DEPsys received EUR 12 million as part of a Series B investment. New investors are SET Ventures and BNP Paribas. This capital increase prepares DEPsys for strong international growth. In 2018, DEPsys doubled the number of customers and is now present in ten markets across two continents. Large-scale rollouts are under way, and recently, DEPsys established its first international subsidiary in Germany. Julia Padberg, Investment Manager at SET Ventures: “We are proud of this first investment from our new SET Fund III. DEPsys’ market leading end-to-end smart grid solution lies at the core of the energy system transition. It enables the rapid global adoption of electric vehicles and solar PV installations, whilst limiting the number of power outages and exuberant grid reinforcement costs.” Michael De […]