Hamburg, Germany · Startup 1KOMMA5° (named for the 1.5°C climate target) is one of Europe’s fastest-scaling energy transition companies, reaching unicorn status in roughly 21 months. Based in Hamburg, the firm tackles the “last mile” of decarbonization by combining a roll-up acquisition strategy with a software-defined energy platform. Instead of only selling solar panels, 1KOMMA5° acquires local installer businesses across Europe and digitizes them to deliver end-to-end home electrification — solar, batteries, heat pumps, and EV chargers — with consistent quality and financing. The company’s differentiator is Heartbeat, a proprietary energy management system that turns these assets into a virtual power plant. Heartbeat orchestrates when batteries charge or discharge based on real-time spot prices and grid conditions, allowing households to capture savings from dynamic tariffs and to export power during peak demand. In 2025, the system expanded to automated trading of household energy, making “free” electricity periods during windy or sunny hours a tangible consumer benefit. This blending of hardware deployment and energy-software automation allows 1KOMMA5° to capture margin both on installation and on recurring software and energy services. Founder Philipp Schroder (former Tesla country director and Sonnen executive) used his industry network to skip early accelerators, and the company instead embedded itself in the Hamburg Startup City ecosystem. Its acquisition engine is relentless: by buying regional market leaders, it locks in the most scarce resource in the sector — skilled installers — while rapidly expanding geographic reach. By early 2026, 1KOMMA5° had expanded beyond DACH into the Nordics, Spain, and Australia, positioning itself for a cross-continental footprint ahead of a public listing. The company has signaled an IPO-readiness push, backed by record turnover reported for 2024 and an expansion into branded hardware components to increase margin and supply-chain resilience. Its investor base blends strategic and growth capital: Porsche Ventures provided early backing, G2VP brought Silicon Valley cleantech expertise, Eurazeo and eCapital added European growth capital, and Norrsken VC underscored the impact thesis. In 2026, 1KOMMA5° is a case study in how Europe can scale climate tech through operational execution rather than pure technology — a disciplined roll-up with a software heart that turns millions of households into coordinated energy assets.
Venice, Italy · Event The 4th International Summit on Non-Renewable and Renewable Energy (ISNRE2026), held on August 24-25, 2026 in Venice, brings together researchers, industry experts, policymakers and innovators around energy transition, renewable technologies, smart grids, storage and sustainability. The programme spans around 30 scientific sessions with plenary talks, keynotes, technical presentations and networking. Submitted via the site suggestion form.
Riga, Latvia · Startup Aerones is the world-leading provider of robotic wind turbine maintenance and inspection services. Founded in 2015 by Dainis Kruze and Janis Putrams, the company deploys rope-suspended robots guided by AI software to perform blade cleaning, leading-edge erosion repairs, lightning protection checks, and autonomous visual inspections — completing tasks up to four times faster than manual methods. A Y Combinator W18 graduate, Aerones has raised $115 million in total including a $62 million Series B in 2025, serves customers representing over 50% of global wind power capacity, and operates in 30+ countries.
Bratislava, Slovakia · Startup AgeVolt offers a digital ecosystem for EV charging that integrates with building energy management to prevent overloads and blackouts. Its platform optimizes charging schedules, manages access, and supports payments across fleets and commercial properties. The company is building a network model described as a “booking.com for private chargers,” unlocking underused charging infrastructure. By 2026, AgeVolt is a notable Slovak player in smart charging.
Oslo, Norway · Startup Aize is an Oslo-based industrial software company founded in 2020 as a spin-off from the Aker Group, drawing on 30 years of industrial software heritage. Its platform creates digital twins of heavy assets — integrating 2D, 3D and 4D data — for engineering, operations, maintenance and project execution in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Aize has a strategic partnership with Aker BP to provide a single source of truth for offshore assets and is deployed on some of Norway's largest oil and gas developments. The company operates globally with around 197 employees across six continents.
London, United Kingdom · Person Co-founder and CEO of Fuse Energy and an early Revolut executive who served as its chief revenue officer. He started Fuse to build a vertically integrated renewable-energy and battery business.
Sofia, Bulgaria · Startup AMPECO is a Sofia-founded SaaS company providing a white-label, hardware-agnostic electric vehicle charging management platform. Founded in 2019, the platform is used by charge point operators, energy utilities, and e-mobility service providers across 70+ markets. In October 2024 the company raised a €24.7 million Series B round to fund international expansion. AMPECO has offices in the USA, UK, France, Netherlands, and Bulgaria.
Stavanger, Norway · Person Anders Opedal is President and CEO of Equinor, Norway's state-controlled energy company with operations in over 30 countries and one of the world's largest offshore oil and gas producers. He assumed the CEO role in November 2020, overseeing Equinor's strategy to expand into offshore wind, solar, and hydrogen alongside its legacy hydrocarbon business. Equinor is the main partner of the Scale-Ups venue at ONS 2026, supporting energy startups and scale-ups at the Stavanger event.
Reykjavik, Iceland · Event The largest annual international gathering on Arctic affairs, held at Harpa with governments, academia, NGOs, Indigenous representatives and private-sector stakeholders. Strong tracks on climate, clean energy, ocean tech and Arctic innovation.
Reykjavik, Iceland · Startup Atmonia is developing a breakthrough electro-catalytic process for synthesising ammonia directly from air, water and renewable electricity at ambient temperature and pressure — with zero carbon emissions. Its precious-metal-free catalyst technology, protected by multiple patents, could disrupt the conventional Haber-Bosch process that accounts for roughly 2% of global CO2 emissions. Founded in 2016, the company has raised $3M in equity alongside $10M in non-dilutive funding from sources including the Icelandic Research Fund, Technology Development Fund and Horizon Europe. Atmonia collaborates with Fujitsu on AI-accelerated catalyst development and leads the EU-funded VERGE project.
Dunkirk, France · Person Co-founder and CEO of Verkor, the low-carbon battery-gigafactory company building cells for electric vehicles in northern France, backed by Renault, EQT and Macquarie.
Bergen, Norway · Event Western Norway's annual technology conference in Bergen with a strong ocean-tech and energy-tech focus reflecting the region's maritime and energy industry base. Features startup pitches, hackathons, and corporate-innovation tracks. 1,000+ attendees. Tickets from NOK 500.
Nantes, France · Event Specialized bioeconomy and bioenergy event covering biomass, waste-to-energy, and carbon capture. Price: free for verified professionals or about EUR 50-100. Includes startup pitches and B2B matchmaking for industrial pilots.
Lisbon, Portugal · Startup Residential solar company offering panels, batteries, EV chargers and backup systems via a no-upfront-cost subscription model, aiming to cut household electricity bills by up to 50%.
Riga, Latvia · Venture Capital Buildit is a Riga-based hardware and IoT accelerator-VC hybrid founded in 2014, operating as the first accelerator in the Baltics and Nordics focused on physical-device startups. It runs cohort programmes and provides pre-seed funding up to €250k for Latvia-incorporated startups, with seed follow-on up to €1.5M for Baltic and Nordic companies. The firm has made over 120 investments and manages the Buildit Latvia Pre-Seed Fund (2022 vintage). Portfolio companies span energy, health tech, smart living, and robotics, including Aerones.
Reykjavik, Iceland · Startup Carbfix dissolves captured CO2 in water and injects it into basalt rock formations, where it permanently mineralises into solid carbonate stone in under two years. Founded in 2007 as a joint research initiative by Reykjavik Energy, the University of Iceland, CNRS France, and Columbia University's Earth Institute, the company operates at the Hellisheiði geothermal power plant. In 2023 it secured a $117M EU grant and became the first company to receive an EU permit for onshore carbon capture & storage, with capacity for ~106,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. It was a WIPO Global Awards 2025 finalist and partners with Climeworks on the Mammoth DAC plant.
Reykjavik, Iceland · Startup Carbon Recycling International (CRI) designs, licenses and sells its proprietary Emissions-to-Liquids (ETL) process technology for producing green methanol from captured CO2 emissions and green hydrogen. Founded in 2006 and operating at industrial scale since 2012, CRI is globally recognised as a leader in CO2-to-methanol technology. The company raised $30M led by Equinor Ventures and counts Geely, Methanex and Eyrir Invest among its major shareholders. CRI's technology has been deployed in commercial projects in China, including one of the world's most efficient CO2-to-methanol plants built in partnership with Jiangsu Sailboat.
Paris, France · Venture Capital Cathay Innovation is a Paris-headquartered global multi-stage venture capital firm founded in 2015, affiliated with Cathay Capital, with offices in San Francisco, Berlin, Madrid, Shanghai, and Singapore. The firm closed its third fund at $1 billion in 2025 — the largest AI-dedicated fund out of the European Union — bringing total assets under management to over €2.5 billion. Cathay invests in vertical AI, digital health, fintech, mobility, and energy across Europe, North America, and Asia, connecting startups with a corporate network of 20+ Fortune 500 partners. The portfolio of over 120 companies includes Glovo, Ledger, Owkin, Alma, and Descartes Underwriting, with eight unicorns, six IPOs, and 18 acquisitions.
Gothenburg, Sweden · Venture Studio Established 2015 (building on earlier university incubation). Venture builder and fund for tech startups from Chalmers University using an Encubation model; provides pre-seed funding, business coaches, and lab access. Notable spin-offs include Minesto and KomboSat. Scope: Regional (West Sweden).
Munich, Germany · Person Christian Bruch is President and CEO of Siemens Energy, a global technology company focused on the energy transition with revenues exceeding €35 billion and approximately 100,000 employees across 90 countries. He assumed the CEO role in 2020, guiding the company through its spin-off from Siemens AG and subsequent restructuring efforts including challenges within the Siemens Gamesa wind turbine business. At ONS 2026, he chairs the Strategic Conference Committee, shaping the programme agenda for one of the world's largest energy forums in Stavanger.
Gothenburg, Sweden · Event The 20th-edition annual conference connecting the Nordic and Baltic cleantech ecosystem, with startup pitch competitions, workshops, and one-on-one investor pitching. Explicitly founder- and investor-focused.
Dublin, Ireland · Event Ireland's leading data centre conference and exhibition at the RDS Dublin. Combines 100+ exhibitors with multi-stream conference tracks covering colocation, AI, power, cooling and sustainability for 2,000+ infrastructure professionals.
Barcelona, Spain · Startup AI-powered asset performance management ('virtual engineer') platform for wind, solar, hydro and battery storage assets. Global HQ in Barcelona. Raised about EUR 6.3M in 2024.
Nicosia, Cyprus · Person Founder and leader of the Hyperion Group, with a background spanning energy trading and entrepreneurship. He is an announced speaker at the INSPIRE 2026 Entrepreneurial Festival in Cyprus.
Essen, Germany · Event Europe's defining energy industry fair with Smart Energy and innovation sectors. Price: about EUR 75 day ticket or EUR 225 for 3-day pass. Great for renewable energy, smart metering, and grid intelligence startups.
Essen, Germany · Accelerator E.ON:agile is the corporate accelerator and innovation unit of E.ON, one of Europe's largest energy utilities, based in Essen. It runs a structured programme for early-stage energy and cleantech startups, offering funding, mentoring and access to E.ON's business units and customer base to pilot and scale new energy solutions.
Berlin, Germany · Event Climate-tech and green economy matchmaking event at Flussbad Campus (Reethaus), focused on AI-accelerated decarbonization across energy, sustainable buildings, green mobility, and deep tech. Startup Pitch tickets are typically around EUR 600 + VAT and include a guaranteed short on-stage founder pitch in front of active climate investors.
Lisbon, Portugal · Accelerator EDP Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of EDP — Energias de Portugal, one of Europe's largest energy utilities. Established in 2008 and headquartered in Lisbon, with investment teams in Madrid and São Paulo, it manages €150M and makes five to eight investments a year, writing €1–10M cheques from Seed through Series B with follow-on capacity.
Its mandate is tightly aligned with EDP's decarbonisation strategy, targeting renewable energy, grid infrastructure, distributed energy resources, green hydrogen, storage and flexibility, electric mobility and energy-use decarbonisation, plus AI and digital. The fund has backed 40+ active companies across Europe and the Americas, including Portuguese AI unicorn Feedzai, battery-recycling firm Green Li-ion and grid-data platform Energyworx (acquired by Gridspertise in 2025); four portfolio companies featured in the 2024 Global Cleantech 100. By end-2023 EDP Ventures had deployed a cumulative €70M and generated over €115M in contract value for EDP group companies.
Trondheim, Norway · Startup Eelume is a Trondheim-based deep-tech company spun off from NTNU and SINTEF that develops snake-like autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for subsea inspection, maintenance and repair. Its flexible, modular robots can be permanently stationed at seabed docking facilities at depths up to 500 metres, performing tasks without surface support vessels. In July 2025 the company launched its M-Series AUVs for deep-sea operations, and in September 2025 Equinor acquired the Eelume S vehicle following successful field demonstrations. Eelume also formed a strategic partnership with Maritime Robotics in October 2025 to advance ocean exploration.
Reykjavik, Iceland · Event The Nordic Energy Informatics Academy Conference, held at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik, explores the intersection of energy systems and informatics. Sessions span smart grids, district heating, electric mobility, industrial efficiency and sustainable buildings, with a dedicated Nordic track on the region's energy transition, bringing together academic researchers and industry innovators.
Eindhoven, Netherlands · Accelerator Established 2010. EU-backed accelerator and investor driving sustainable energy transition with funding, IP support, and industry partnerships; 248 investments and 8 exits, including early backing of Northvolt. Scope: International (EU).
Houten, Netherlands · Startup Cloud-native time series platform for energy data management and smart grid analytics, automating ingestion, processing and visualization for DSOs and utilities like E-REDES. Acquired by Gridspertise in 2025.
Berlin, Germany · Startup Enpal is a Berlin-based cleantech company founded in 2017 that sells and rents residential solar panels, batteries, EV chargers and heat pumps on a subscription model, bundling hardware, installation and financing into a fixed monthly fee. It became Germany's first cleantech unicorn in 2021 and operates a virtual power plant that aggregates its installed base. Revenue surpassed one billion euros in 2025.
Barcelona, Spain · Person Co-founder and CEO of Wallbox, the Barcelona EV-charging company that listed on the NYSE. A former Tesla charging engineer, he co-founded Wallbox in 2015 to build smart home and public charging hardware and software.
Nuremberg, Germany · Event Windows, doors, and facades trade fair with an Architecture & Technology forum. Price: about EUR 30-50. Good for smart glass and energy-efficiency hardware startups.
Stockholm, Sweden · Startup Flower is a Stockholm-based energytech company founded in 2020 by John Diklev; its name is a contraction of flexible power. Flower develops hardware-agnostic AI and machine-learning software for forecasting, optimisation, and trading of flexible energy assets, including large-scale battery energy storage systems, solar and wind farms, hydro, EV charge points, and data centres, operating them as a virtual power plant to provide grid balancing, frequency regulation, congestion management, and day-ahead trading. Alongside its optimisation platform, Flower develops and operates grid-scale battery storage projects in Sweden. The company raised a Series A round led by Northzone in 2024.
Lisbon, Portugal · Person Managing Director at EDP Ventures, where he leads energy-transition and cleantech investments for the corporate VC arm of EDP across Europe and the Americas, working closely with portfolio companies to deploy their technology within EDP's operations.
Reykjavik, Iceland · Venture Capital Frumtak Ventures is Iceland's oldest active venture capital firm, founded in 2008 with a mandate to back local innovation with global potential. The firm takes a concentrated, high-conviction approach from seed through later growth stages, partnering closely with founders across AI, healthcare, logistics, energy, climate, and ocean-tech. Its fourth fund, closed in July 2024 at $87 million and oversubscribed, is primarily backed by Icelandic pension funds. The portfolio of 34 companies includes notable companies such as Controlant (pharma cold-chain) and Sidekick Health (digital therapeutics).
London, United Kingdom · Startup Full-stack renewable energy supplier founded in 2022 by former Revolut executives, supplying 300,000+ UK households while building a 1 GW wind and solar generation pipeline. Secured a €25M Series B extension, bringing total funding to €214M.
Amsterdam, Netherlands · Event Senior-level utility summit focused on net-zero transition. Price: about EUR 1800-2500. Great for grid tech, smart metering, and energy analytics startups.
Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia · Event Central European geopolitics-meets-technology summit in Bratislava organized by GLOBSEC, covering cybersecurity, digital sovereignty, energy transition, and CEE innovation policy. Draws diplomats, defense-tech founders, and security-policy researchers. By invitation and application.
Lisbon, Portugal · Accelerator Launched 2017. Corporate venture program connecting startups with the Jose de Mello Group in healthcare, energy, and infrastructure. Support: pilot agreements, corporate guidance, and potential customer contracts. Scope: National.
New York, United States · Person Helima Croft is Managing Director and Global Head of Commodity Strategy at RBC Capital Markets, where she leads analysis of global energy markets, geopolitical risk, and commodity pricing for one of the world's leading investment banks. A former CIA energy analyst, she is widely regarded as one of the most cited experts on oil market dynamics and energy geopolitics, regularly advising governments and major financial institutions. She is a confirmed speaker at the ONS 2026 Strategic Conference in Stavanger.
Eindhoven, Netherlands · Venture Studio Deep-tech venture builder at High Tech Campus Eindhoven (est. 2015). Runs a 9-month venture-building program turning advanced tech from CERN, ESA, and others into startups; exits include Accerion. Support: co-founding teams, seed funding, R&D ecosystem access. Scope: International.
Tartu, Estonia · Event Organisator Hydrogen Valley Estonia, coordinated by the Estonian Association of Hydrogen Technologies, brings together industry, research institutions and the public sector to develop the country's hydrogen economy. It organises Tartu Hydrogen Days, an international conference accelerating clean hydrogen technologies across Estonia, the Baltics and the Nordics.
Oslo, Norway · Startup Hystar is an Oslo-based green hydrogen company founded in 2020 as a spin-off from SINTEF. The company manufactures PEM (proton exchange membrane) electrolysers with membranes 90% thinner than conventional alternatives, significantly cutting electricity consumption and the levelised cost of green hydrogen. Hystar raised $36 million in a Series C round in May 2025 co-led by Nysnø Climate Investments and Orlen VC, building on a $26 million Series B in 2023. The company also secured €26 million from the EU Innovation Fund in late 2024 to support construction of a 1.5 GW automated gigafactory in Høvik, Norway, targeting 4.5 GW capacity by 2031.
Reykjavik, Iceland · Event City-wide innovation festival across Reykjavik with 1,500+ attendees, 100+ speakers, and a strong climate focus spanning energy transition, ocean tech, foodtech, and geothermal. Main passes typically EUR 300-600 with free satellite events. Includes climate-pitch formats like Ok, Bye, ideal for impact founders seeking Nordic investors and pilot sites.
Reykjavik, Iceland · Event City-wide innovation festival returning to Reykjavik for its next edition, bringing together founders, investors, creatives and policymakers from across the Nordics and beyond. The week spans climate and energy transition, ocean tech, foodtech and deep tech, pairing a main-stage program with dozens of satellite events, startup pitch formats and investor matchmaking. Ideal for impact founders seeking Nordic investors, pilot sites and partners.
Reykjavik, Iceland · Event The Iceland Geothermal Conference (IGC) is a leading international event on geothermal energy, held at the Harpa Conference and Concert Centre in Reykjavik. The 6th edition, under the theme 'Geothermal for a Changing World', guides participants through the full geothermal value chain across four tracks: financing and policy, project development, next-generation technologies such as EGS, and community and societal impact.
Bratislava, Slovakia · Startup InoBat builds custom-designed batteries for demanding applications such as aviation, premium EVs, and performance mobility. Unlike standard gigafactory players, InoBat focuses on tailored R&D, pilot production, and high-value customers that require specialized chemistry and form factors. By 2026, the company is a strategic player in the EU battery value chain with backing from partners like Rio Tinto and Gotion High-Tech, positioning Slovakia as a serious contributor to Europe’s energy storage ecosystem.
Hasselt, Belgium · Person Koen Vandewal is a professor at Hasselt University researching organic semiconductors, photovoltaics and optoelectronic devices, with a focus on charge-transfer states and solar energy conversion. He is a keynote speaker at NANOTEXNOLOGY 2026 in Thessaloniki.
Lisbon, Portugal · Person General Partner at EDP Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Portuguese energy group EDP. He leads investments in renewable energy, grid, storage and energy-transition technologies, aligning startup innovation with EDP's decarbonisation strategy.
Athens, Greece · Venture Capital Marathon Venture Capital was founded in 2017 by George Tziralis and Panos Papadopoulos (co-founder of BugSense, acquired by Splunk) in Athens to back ambitious Greek and diaspora founders building global technology companies. Fund I reached €32M and Fund II expanded to €70M; Fund III closed at €75M in May 2025 (with €20M from EIF), bringing total AUM to approximately €175M. The fund leads seed rounds of €500K–€1M in sectors including cybersecurity, AI, defense tech, robotics, and energy. Notable portfolio companies include Hack The Box (cybersecurity training, $55M Series B led by Carlyle) and Augmenta (precision agriculture robotics, acquired by CNH Industrial for $110M).
Munich, Germany · Startup Fusion energy company founded in 2019 in Munich developing laser-based inertial fusion using nanostructured proton-boron fuel targets, backed by over $400M with partners including Siemens Energy.
Turin, Italy · Startup newcleo develops Generation IV lead-cooled fast reactors (LFRs) fuelled by recycled nuclear waste, targeting a closed-fuel-cycle that dramatically reduces long-term radioactive waste. Founded in 2021 by Stefano Buono — previously founder of NASDAQ-listed nuclear medicine company Advanced Accelerator Applications, acquired by Novartis for $3.9 billion — newcleo has raised over $755 million to date, including $85 million in early 2026. The company is building PRECURSOR, a 10 MW non-nuclear lead-cooled test system at ENEA's Brasimone Research Center in Italy, with a full demonstration reactor planned for France by 2032 and €28 million invested in Turin research facilities.
Stockholm, Sweden · Startup Northvolt is one of the most consequential climate-tech companies ever built in Europe because it attempted to establish a continental battery manufacturing base for the electric era. The company became a flagship industrial project by combining battery-cell production, recycling ambitions, and strategic partnerships with European automotive and industrial players. That vision mattered well beyond Sweden: Northvolt symbolized Europe's effort to reduce dependence on external battery supply chains and to anchor advanced manufacturing capacity closer to regional customers. Its story is also a reminder that deep industrial startups operate under very different constraints than software companies. Battery manufacturing requires enormous capex, long build cycles, complex procurement, and tight execution across energy, materials, logistics, and customer contracts. Even with that complexity and its later financial distress, Northvolt remains central to understanding Europe's climate and industrial-tech ecosystem because it reset expectations for how ambitious startup-backed manufacturing on the continent could be. In directory terms, Northvolt broadens the picture beyond software and marketplaces by representing the hardware-heavy, infrastructure-scale side of innovation that shapes the future of transport, energy resilience, and industrial policy across Europe.
Amersfoort, Netherlands · Startup Extends the life of lithium-ion batteries through repair, remanufacturing, diagnostics and maintenance using original parts. Founded 2019; operates hubs in the Netherlands and France with capacity for 120,000+ batteries per year.
Stavanger, Norway · Event A major global energy forum at Stavanger Forum with 70,000+ visitors and 1,100+ exhibitors, including an ONS Scale-Ups programme connecting energy scale-ups with the industry. Relevant for energy-tech founders.
Stavanger, Norway · Event Organisator The ONS Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Stavanger, Norway, that has organized the biennial ONS global energy forum since 1974, originally focused on offshore North Sea oil and gas. It has evolved into a convener of global discussions on geopolitics, energy security, and the energy transition, attracting over 70,000 visitors from approximately 100 countries every two years across 9 conference venues and 8 exhibition halls. The Foundation partners with institutions including the Munich Security Conference, CERAWeek, and Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, and operates under the patronage of His Majesty King Harald V of Norway.
Paris, France · Person Patrick Pouyanné is Chairman of the Board and CEO of TotalEnergies, one of the world's five largest integrated energy companies with operations in over 130 countries and revenues exceeding €200 billion annually. He has led TotalEnergies since 2014, steering its transition toward a multi-energy strategy encompassing LNG, solar, wind, and electricity alongside oil and gas. He is a confirmed speaker at the ONS 2026 Strategic Conference in Stavanger, Norway.
Stavanger, Norway · Person Chief Digital Officer at Aker BP, the Norwegian exploration and production energy company, where she leads digital transformation and data-driven operations across the oil and gas value chain. With a background in digital industry and technology leadership, she is a confirmed speaker at the Techpoint Conference 2026 in Kristiansand.
Madrid, Spain · Event Organisator Plataforma enerTIC.org is a Spanish association promoting energy efficiency and digitalisation across industry, utilities and the public sector. It organises the Smart Energy Congress, a leading forum on energy transition, smart technology and decarbonisation that brings together utilities, cleantech companies and AI and IoT vendors.
Limassol, Cyprus · Accelerator Plug and Play Cyprus is the first Cyprus location of Plug and Play, the Silicon Valley-based global innovation platform, launched in Limassol in April 2026. The programme is co-funded by the Republic of Cyprus through the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy and the Research and Innovation Foundation. It plans to run six cycles of incubation and acceleration targeting fintech, regtech, gaming, and shipping and energy, aiming to support around 60 startups and create approximately 500 jobs. Corporate partners include ASBIS, Tototheo, Mastercard, and ECOMMBX.
Rotterdam, Netherlands · Accelerator Founded 2015. World's first port and maritime industry accelerator based in Rotterdam (now also Antwerp and Singapore). Three-month program with 100+ mentors and a Shakedown demo day; alumni include We4Sea and CargoLedger. Scope: International.
Munich, Germany · Startup Proxima Fusion is a deep-tech fusion energy company spun out from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in 2023. It is developing quasi-isodynamic stellarator systems designed for stable, commercial fusion power generation and is targeting a demonstrator pathway toward net-energy performance in the next decade.
Vilnius, Lithuania · Startup PVcase is a Lithuanian solar PV software company providing an end-to-end solar project development platform that covers site selection, PV system design and energy yield optimisation for utility-scale, commercial rooftop and data-center projects. Its software automates terrain-based solar engineering to reduce design errors and project risk. Headquartered in Vilnius with additional offices in Spain, the UK and the US, the company serves solar developers and engineering firms internationally, and acquired solar site-selection software company Anderson Optimization in 2023.
Copenhagen, Denmark · Person Rasmus Errboe is CEO and Group President of Ørsted, the world's largest offshore wind developer headquartered in Fredericia, Denmark, with operations in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas. He became CEO in February 2025, succeeding Mads Nipper, having previously served as Deputy CEO, Chief Commercial Officer, and Interim CFO since joining Ørsted in 2012. He was responsible for Ørsted's 2016 IPO and the 2017 divestment of its oil and gas business, and is a member of the Confederation of Danish Industries' Main Board.
Guildford, United Kingdom · Person Ravi Silva is the Director of the Advanced Technology Institute at the University of Surrey, an expert in nanotechnology, carbon-based electronics, photovoltaics and energy materials. He is a keynote speaker at NANOTEXNOLOGY 2026 in Thessaloniki.
Augsburg, Germany · Startup Reonic is a German climate tech company that builds planning and workflow software for renewable energy installers, helping them work more efficiently. Its AI-powered platform covers the full customer journey for installations of solar PV systems, heat pumps, energy storage and EV charging, integrating CRM, system design, proposal generation and a mobile field app. The company was founded in Augsburg, Bavaria, and has expanded with additional offices. In September 2024 Reonic raised 13 million euro in Series A funding led by Northzone, with participation from Point Nine and Puzzle Ventures.
Paris, France · Startup Gives second life to used lithium-ion EV and industrial batteries, remanufacturing them into affordable residential solar energy storage systems that let households self-consume up to 90% of their solar production.
Amsterdam, Netherlands · Accelerator Spring 2026 application windows for Rockstart domain programs (including energy, agrifood, and emerging tech) with initial investment and follow-on funding pathways. Programs are opening through March 2026 with track-specific deadlines.
Amsterdam, Netherlands · Accelerator Amsterdam-founded accelerator and seed investor with domain-specific programs in energy, agrifood, and emerging tech. Spring 2026 application windows are opening in March with track-specific deadlines. Model combines acceleration, initial capital, and potential follow-on funding for scaling teams.
Paris, France · Event France's leading govtech and public-sector trade show under the theme 'Boldness is local', drawing roughly 65,000 visitors and 1,380 exhibitors at Porte de Versailles across digital, energy, mobility, safety and urban-development solutions for local authorities.
Bratislava, Slovakia · Startup Seak Energy develops smart infrastructure systems that control street lighting and EV chargers over existing power lines, avoiding costly new cabling. This retrofitting approach allows cities to digitize “dumb” infrastructure quickly and affordably. By 2026, Seak Energy is expanding across municipalities seeking low-cost modernization of public assets.
Amsterdam, Netherlands · Accelerator SET Ventures is an Amsterdam-based venture capital firm that invests in digital technologies for a carbon-free energy system, spanning smart grids, energy storage, electrification, energy efficiency and grid intelligence. Investing across Europe, it backs early-growth companies whose software and data platforms accelerate the energy transition.
Barcelona, Spain · Accelerator Founded 2013. Impact accelerator and investment fund for social enterprises in health, cleantech, and energy. Runs acceleration programs and an impact fund; has accelerated 50+ startups. Support: mentoring, CSR partners, impact investment up to EUR 400K. Scope: National.
Munich, Germany · Accelerator The Siemens Technology Accelerator (STA) is a unique corporate accelerator program run by Siemens AG since 2001, aimed at spinning out non-core technologies from Siemens’ R&D into independent startups. Based in Munich, STA essentially identifies promising internal innovations (often developed at Siemens Corporate Technology labs) that don’t fit Siemens’ core business, and forms new ventures around them. STA provides seed funding, co-founding management, and access to Siemens’ infrastructure to these ventures, effectively acting as a venture builder. Over its history, the Siemens Technology Accelerator has spun out more than 12 companies across sectors like energy, industrial automation, healthcare, and materials. Notable spin-offs include MetisMotion (advanced actuators), Magazino (warehouse robotics – which STA helped early on), and Epiqo (a digital twin software). One high-profile case is Rethink Robotics GmbH: in 2020, STA helped relaunch assets of Rethink Robotics (the US cobot pioneer) in a joint venture, integrating it with Siemens technology. The typical STA project starts with identifying a tech with market potential. STA then recruits external entrepreneurs or Siemens intrapreneurs to lead the startup, develops a business plan, secures intellectual property rights (license or assign IP from Siemens to the newco), and provides initial funding (often low millions of euros). Siemens often remains a minority shareholder and provides pilot customers or manufacturing help. The time from project inception to an independent company launch is around 18–24 months. STA’s model addresses a common big-corporate problem: great inventions that don’t make it to market. By essentially incubating startups from within, Siemens both creates value from dormant IP and fosters innovation culture. Many STA spin-outs go on to raise venture capital or get acquired. For example, Ionity (an EV charging network) was seeded by Siemens’ STA and later became a major joint venture with automakers. The Siemens Technology Accelerator operates with a small specialized team and has won awards for corporate venturing. It serves as a best-practice example of how large industrial firms can proactively spin off new ventures rather than let R&D sit on a shelf. In essence, STA extends Siemens’ innovation beyond its core by unleashing startups that bring cutting-edge tech (like novel sensors, new materials, etc.) to the broader market.
Madrid, Spain · Event Smart Energy Congress is a leading Spanish forum on energy transition, digitalisation and sustainable technology, organised by Plataforma enerTIC.org at IFEMA Madrid. The 2026 edition brings together utilities, industry, the public sector and AI and IoT vendors for keynotes, an expo and networking around decarbonisation and digital energy.
Leipzig, Germany · Accelerator Founded 2014. Six-month program for entrepreneurial teams with coworking, mentoring, and technology partners; alumni include energy and healthcare startups. Support: mentorship, workspace, partner resources. Scope: Regional (East Germany).
Tallinn, Estonia · Startup Deep-tech firm manufacturing precious-metal-free alkaline electrolyser stacks (0.5-5 MW) and containerised green-hydrogen systems for refineries, steel and ammonia. Opened a Tallinn factory in 2025; backed by Repsol.
Oslo, Norway · Accelerator StartupLab is Norway's largest technology incubator and most active early-stage investor, founded in 2012 at the Oslo Science Park in partnership with the University of Oslo. It operates six industry-specific programs including a dedicated Energy and Climate track, has supported over 450 tech startups, and has invested in more than 130 companies. Notable alumni include reMarkable, Kahoot, No Isolation, and Huddly. At ONS 2026 in Stavanger, StartupLab chairs the Scale-Ups committee, curating the dedicated exhibition and pitching venue in Hall 4 for energy startups and scale-ups at the Seed-to-Series-B stage.
Helsinki, Finland · Startup Steady Energy develops the LDR-50, a simplified small modular reactor (SMR) delivering 50 MW of thermal output for zero-carbon district heating. Founded in 2023 as a spin-off from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the company raised €32 million and in February 2026 poured first concrete for a full-scale non-nuclear pilot plant inside Helsinki's former Salmisaari coal power station. Fortum and Finnish energy utility Helen are strategic partners. Steady Energy is also expanding to Sweden, targeting district heating decarbonisation across the Nordic region.
Stockholm, Sweden · Startup Stegra (formerly H2 Green Steel) is one of Europe’s most ambitious industrial decarbonization projects, aiming to rebuild steelmaking around renewable energy and green hydrogen. The company is building a fully integrated production campus in Boden, northern Sweden, where abundant hydropower and regional mining supply chains converge. The core innovation is the direct-reduction process: instead of using coal to reduce iron ore, Stegra uses green hydrogen, cutting CO2 emissions by roughly 95% compared with blast-furnace steel. That technical shift is the foundation for a new European supply of low-carbon steel, which is increasingly demanded by automakers, construction firms, and consumer brands. The company rebranded to Stegra in September 2024 to signal that it is more than a steel mill. Its long-term platform vision is to combine renewable power, hydrogen production, and mineral processing into a repeatable template for heavy industry. By 2026, the Boden plant is reported to be more than halfway constructed, with gigascale electrolyzers (supplied by Thyssenkrupp Nucera) being installed and key offtake contracts signed. Customers reportedly include Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Scania, and IKEA, and more than half of initial output has been pre-sold — a strong indicator that the “green premium” market is real. Stegra’s financing structure is as notable as its technology. Rather than relying solely on venture capital, the company blends project-finance debt with growth equity, totaling more than €6.5 billion in commitments. This makes it one of the largest private industrial raises in Europe and a flagship case for climate infrastructure funding. Its origins are tied to Vargas Holding, a Swedish venture-builder that also co-founded Northvolt and Polarium, acting as an institutional co-founder rather than a conventional accelerator. Early support from EIT InnoEnergy helped validate the project at the EU level. Stegra’s investor roster reflects its strategic importance: Altor Equity Partners, GIC, Just Climate, Temasek, and Porsche SE are among its backers. In 2026, Stegra represents the “Northvolt effect” done right: a proof that Europe can re-industrialize around clean energy and keep advanced manufacturing on the continent. If it succeeds, it will be a template for decarbonizing other hard-to-abate sectors, from cement to fertilizers, and a cornerstone of Europe’s green-industry competitiveness.
Gdańsk, Poland · Startup SunRoof is a Polish-Swedish cleantech company building 2-in-1 integrated solar roofs — building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) that replace conventional roofing material entirely with a solar-generating surface for residential and commercial buildings. Founded in 2013 by Lech Kaniuk, Karol Kaniuk, Marek Zmysłowski and Rafał Plutecki, the company runs its main R&D and production hub in Gdańsk under a Swedish holding (SunRoof International), and operates across Poland, Sweden and Germany.
SunRoof has raised roughly €28.5M, including a €15M round led by the Klima Energy Transition Fund (Alantra), with earlier backing from World Fund, Nordic Alpha Partners, Inovo Venture Partners, SMOK Ventures and Alfabeat. It grew past 130 employees and positions its integrated roofs as a lower-carbon, design-led alternative to bolt-on solar panels.
Tallinn, Estonia · Person Taavi Veskimägi is the CEO and Founding Partner of Sentris Capital, a venture capital firm focused on the Nordic and Baltic energy and deep tech investment landscape. He previously served as CEO of Elering, Estonia's national electricity transmission system operator, giving him deep expertise in Nordic energy infrastructure and the energy transition. Veskimägi is a confirmed speaker at NORDEEP 2026.
Tartu, Estonia · Event Tartu Hydrogen Days is a two-day international conference convening hydrogen-technology experts, entrepreneurs, scientists and policymakers to accelerate the hydrogen economy in Estonia, the Baltics and beyond. The 2026 edition, themed 'Future Energy Today', features international and local presentations, panels, workshops, an exhibition area and networking, drawing participants from Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden.
Berlin, Germany · Person State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, working on industrial, digital and energy policy at the federal level. He is an announced speaker at the 2026 AI, Data & Quantum Summit (AIDAQ) in Berlin.
Bergen, Norway · Startup Fully digital smart electricity company whose app optimizes household energy use against dynamic spot pricing and automates EV/heating consumption. Founded 2016 in Norway.
Trondheim, Norway · Event Organisator Trondheim Tech Port is Norway's leading technology cluster organization, positioning Trondheim as the country's technology capital. The non-profit interest organization brings together over 100 member companies, universities, research institutions, and public bodies to drive innovation across four strategic sectors: ocean and maritime technology, healthcare, energy, and digitalization. It hosts major annual events including the Bridging the Gap conference and the Trondheim Tech Festival, and counts NTNU, SINTEF, Equinor, and several investment organizations among its members and partners.
Trondheim, Norway · Event Three-day tech and innovation festival organized by NTNU, SINTEF, and the City of Trondheim, showcasing the research-driven technology cluster of central Norway (robotics, ocean tech, autonomous systems, energy). Features deep-tech exhibitions, investor matchmaking, and startup demos from the Trondheim Tech Port cluster. Tickets NOK 500-2,000.
Uppsala, Sweden · Incubator Uppsala Innovation Centre (UIC) is a leading Swedish incubator and accelerator, consistently ranked among Europe’s top public incubators. Founded in 1999 and located in Uppsala – a city known for its major university and pharma industry cluster – UIC supports startups from idea to growth, with a strong focus on life sciences, medtech, energy, and IT. It is a public-private partnership, co-owned by Uppsala municipality, Uppsala University, SLU (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), and local industry. UIC offers a suite of programs: a pre-incubation phase for concept validation, a core incubation phase (up to 2 years) for business development and raising seed capital, and a accelerator phase for scaling up and internationalization. Uniquely, UIC doesn’t take equity but charges a modest fee – hence it’s seen as a neutral player with the startup’s interest at heart. Startups benefit from individualized coaching by experienced business advisors, free office and lab space, and connections to Uppsala’s rich network of experts (the city hosts big players like GE Healthcare, Pfizer, etc.). Access to lab facilities is a key advantage for biotech startups – UIC arranges subsidized lab rentals through partnerships with SLU and local science parks. Over 20+ years, UIC has nurtured over 1,000 companies. Alumni include OssDsign (innovative cranial implants, now publicly listed) and ScandiNova (pulsed power systems, a world leader in its niche). The incubator’s portfolio has also seen several acquisitions by international firms. UIC is particularly known for helping research-heavy projects with commercialization – many UIC startups are founded by professors or PhDs aiming to solve real-world problems with their inventions. They also run UIC “Business Lab” and “Startup Bootcamps” for very early-stage teams, including student entrepreneurs. UIC’s impact is evident: Uppsala punches above its weight in innovation metrics, and UIC has been recognized by UBI Global as a top-5 global incubator in 2019. By coupling Uppsala’s academic prowess with professional business guidance, Uppsala Innovation Centre continues to turn ideas “from lab to market,” driving regional growth and bringing science-based innovations to society.
Dunkirk, France · Startup Verkor is the industrial champion of the French "Battery Valley" and one of Europe's most important energy manufacturing plays. While many battery startups emphasize chemistry R&D, Verkor's differentiator is execution at scale. Its gigafactory in Dunkirk, which began commissioning in late 2025, is designed to reach 16 GWh of annual capacity—enough to power roughly 300,000 electric vehicles. The facility is among the most advanced battery plants in Europe, built to supply automotive OEMs with locally produced, low-carbon cells.
The year 2026 is Verkor's start-of-production milestone. Its cells are the core of the new Alpine A390 and other Renault Group EV programs, giving the company a high-profile anchor customer and a direct path to volume demand. Verkor positions itself around "low-carbon performance" by combining France's low-emission nuclear grid with a highly digitized Industry 4.0 production system that reduces scrap rates and energy intensity. The company argues that its batteries carry a materially smaller carbon footprint than cells manufactured in coal-heavy regions, which is increasingly important as automakers track embedded emissions across supply chains.
Beyond production, Verkor is investing in future chemistry and process innovation. The Verkor Innovation Centre (VIC) in Grenoble is expanding its work on next-generation chemistries, including sodium-ion cells that reduce reliance on lithium and cobalt. This R&D focus strengthens supply-chain resilience and creates optionality for lower-cost, lower-risk storage solutions as electric mobility scales. Verkor's roadmap also includes tighter integration between materials sourcing, cell design, and recycling, positioning it to meet Europe's stringent regulatory requirements on battery sustainability and traceability.
Verkor is backed by a mix of strategic and infrastructure capital. Macquarie Asset Management and Meridiam provide long-term project finance muscle, Renault Group anchors demand and industrial validation, EQT Ventures provides growth capital, and Sibanye-Stillwater supports raw material security. It was co-founded and supported early by EIT InnoEnergy and has strong operational ties to Schneider Electric, which helped design its digital factory systems. With support from the Macron administration and the European Investment Bank, Verkor has become a poster child for European industrial sovereignty. In 2026, it stands as proof that Europe can manufacture critical clean-tech hardware at global scale—and do it with a lower-carbon footprint.
Helsinki, Finland · Venture Capital Voima Ventures was founded in 2019 in Helsinki by Inka Mero, a serial entrepreneur and investor, and specialises exclusively in science-based deep tech spin-outs from universities and research institutions across the Nordics and Baltics. The firm raised its third fund of €90 million in 2023, bringing total assets above €100 million, and invests €200,000–€3 million at the earliest stages in biotech, quantum, AI, energy, climate, and life sciences. Over 70% of its 51 portfolio companies originate directly from academic labs, including Solar Foods. Voima is one of the few female-founded and female-led VC funds in the Nordics.
Barcelona, Spain · Startup Wallbox designs and manufactures smart EV charging hardware and energy management software, selling chargers in 100+ countries. Co-founded in 2015 by ex-Tesla engineer Enric Asunción and Eduard Castañeda, the company listed on the NYSE in 2021. Its Barcelona factory produces up to 1 million chargers annually. Q1 2026 revenue reached €29.7M with a 37.3% gross margin. A major Iberdrola contract for 10,000 Hypernova ultrafast public chargers is set to double ultrafast public charging in Spain, cementing Wallbox as the European leader in home and commercial EV charging.
Madrid, Spain · Event Europe's flagship wind energy event, drawing 8,000+ attendees from utilities, turbine OEMs, and policymakers. Features an Innovation Park where startups exhibit and pitch. Passes EUR 900-1200. Key for founders in grid integration, offshore wind, blade inspection drones, predictive maintenance, and green hydrogen from wind power.
Dusseldorf, Germany · Event Partner trade fair to Tube in Dusseldorf covering wire, cable, and fibre optic manufacturing with 1,300+ exhibitors and 36,000+ visitors. Day tickets cost about EUR 45-70. Covers smart cabling, energy transmission, and connectivity infrastructure. Relevant for startups in energy tech, telecommunications hardware, and industrial automation.
Prague, Czech Republic · Startup Woltair is a digital marketplace and installation platform for heat pumps and solar systems. It streamlines the complex process of finding qualified contractors, securing subsidies, and completing installations. By 2026, the company is a notable Czech green-tech player pushing heat pump adoption across Central Europe. Its operational advantage is a software-driven workflow layered on top of local installer networks.
Wels, Austria · Event Conference-led event on energy efficiency and renewables with 600+ experts from 60 countries. Price: about EUR 390 for full conference, with student discounts. Strong for policy-focused green tech founders.
Zurich, Switzerland · Startup Develops Solskin, an AI-controlled adaptive facade combining dynamic photovoltaic panels with automated sun shading. Active solar tracking raises PV output by 40%+, while AI-driven shading cuts building air-conditioning energy by 20–80%.