In the best of society
innovenergy is now part of it... in the select club of 245 exciting young Swiss companies in the energy sector. The idea of mutual cooperation as well as support from established companies and research find a good platform in the «Swiss Energy Startup Map», which makes what is happening in the market of young companies visible.
The transformation of the Swiss energy industry is no longer a vision of the future – we are right in the middle of it. The clearly laid out «Swiss Energy Startup Map» shows companies that have been founded in the last 10 years and are breaking new ground with their innovative services, products and business models. The map shows companies divided into the following areas:
<strong>Energy Production & Climate</strong>
These companies either manufacture the technology or use the technology to directly produce or transform energy, such as the production of PV panels or solar energy production. This considers both large and small scale, centralized and decentralized production. Also technologies that decarbonize energy production or use, such as CO2 absorption, reuse or storage can be found here. The focus is mainly on hardware producing companies, however many of those also provide software and services in their offer.
<strong>Energy Supply Services</strong>
These companies provide services and software to manage the production and transformation of energy. This considers both large and small scale, centralized and decentralized production.
<strong>Storage & Grids</strong>
Companies in this category focus on storage of energy (electricity or heat) or management of the electricity grid. Offers range from centralized or decentralized systems, from large (e.g. virtual storage network of heat pumps) to very small scale (e.g. mobile device rechargeable batteries). Grid software and supportive technologies help optimize new grid configurations or integrate renewables through modelled load balancing.
This is where innovenergy is located with its salt battery storage systems and the concept of small private DC grids.
<strong>Energy Management & Use</strong>
These companies provide software or services to facilitate the efficient management and use of energy (both electricity and heat) at the household, regional or industrial scales. This includes supporting well-integrated renewable energy sources, as well as the installation, planning, financing, billing and monitoring of self production-consumption (prosumption) systems. Additionally, this considers efficient end consumers behaviour and smart home technologies.
<strong>Energy Efficient Technologies</strong>
These companies focus on efficient energy technologies for both electricity and heat with a focus mainly at the end of the supply chain. These companies often partner with energy providers or other large companies to access end consumers.
<strong>Building Technologies & Services</strong>
These companies integrate energy (electricity, heat or insulation) solutions directly into buildings. Companies provide both technology-oriented products (e.g. more efficient cooling systems) and software (e.g. integrated heating, cooling, lighting management) solutions or services. This section excludes behavioural aspects of energy use in buildings (see Efficient Management & Use).
<strong>Transport Services</strong>
These companies provide services or software related to transport and mobility (car, bike or airplane), including sharing platforms, fleet management, and low carbon logistics.
<strong>Transport Technologies</strong>
These companies provide technology (hardware) related to transport and mobility (e.g. car, bike or drones), including charging station technology, vehicle production and transport materials.
«The Swiss Environment and Energy Innovation Monitor was developed to meet the need for more visibility of Swiss environment and energy startups and to improve access to collaboration opportunities between startups and established companies and/or research,» the initiative's vision states on its website.
The «Swiss Energy Startup Map» is the result of collaboration between the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the ZHAW School of Management and Law and Swisspower. The implementation team for this project comes from the ZHAW School of Management and Law and eqlosion. The project is funded by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) and additionally supported by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and Innosuisse.