Clean Energy & Storage remains the powerhouse category of SET Award 2025, comprising 40% of this year’s innovative energy transition start-ups. Driven by growing demand for smarter, flexible energy solutions to handle rising solar and wind power, this sector is buzzing with innovation.
These start-ups currently generate €13.4M in monthly revenue, and it’s expected to surge by nearly ninefold within two years. Employment is also set to explode, from 1,369 today to over 8,700 by 2026. The sector is all about innovation, with 69% of solutions being labelled “very complex” thanks to huge advances in battery technology, hydrogen storage and AI-driven grids. The sector also has incredible financial momentum, with Net Zero Insights data showing $234.85M in total capital invested across 243 deals involving 38 organisations and 265 unique investors. Investment in recent quarters has surged by over 600%, showing that confidence is back. The median deal size shot up from around $890K to $4.34M. Deal size has also grown, going from an average of $2.35M to $5.53M in the last year, which is a 75.95% increase.
Start-ups here are really filling in crucial gaps: modular battery storage makes sure we’ve got energy security, AI platforms make the grid work better, and advances in hydrogen production deal with cost and scalability issues. Solar innovations include recycling and mounting systems, as well as intelligent site selection software, which is great for renewable infrastructure. The company’s strong presence in prestigious accelerator programmes like Free Electrons, Third Derivative and EDP’s Energy Starter also validates the sector’s technological credibility and market potential.
Winner: Cowa Thermal Solutions
Cowa Thermal Solutions won with its groundbreaking thermal energy storage, the Compact Cell. This ultra-compact thermal battery uses Phase Change Materials (PCM), offering five times the heat storage capacity of traditional water tanks in a much smaller unit. It fits easily into tight spaces like closets, dramatically simplifying the transition to heat pumps in urban areas.
The Compact Cell eliminates Legionella risks, is quick to install, and is already penetrating the Swiss market, aiming for wider European adoption. Cowa’s innovation significantly lowers barriers to replacing gas boilers with electric heat pumps, paving the way for more sustainable urban heating.
Botree Recycling Technologies
Botree addresses the growing challenge of EV battery waste with scalable, industrial-grade recycling technology. Its process involves mechanical shredding, hydrometallurgical extraction, and material regeneration, effectively recovering high-purity metals from lithium-ion batteries.
Proven at scale with mobile and stationary units handling up to 100,000 tons per year, Botree achieves higher recovery rates at lower operational costs and a smaller environmental footprint. By keeping valuable metals circulating, Botree significantly reduces reliance on mining and battery waste.
Power to Hydrogen (P2H2)
Power to Hydrogen simplifies green hydrogen production with an innovative electrolyzer that combines Alkaline and Anion Exchange Membrane technologies. This approach cuts electrolyzer stack costs by 65%, eliminates rare metals like platinum, and produces hydrogen at 250 bar directly from the unit, removing the need for additional compressors.
Partnered with industry leaders like NASA, Enel, and Shell, P2H2’s technology makes green hydrogen economically competitive, enabling wider adoption across industries.
More Innovations Energizing the Market
Beyond the winner and finalists, the Clean Energy & Storage category is brimming with visionary startups each addressing a piece of the energy puzzle. It’s exciting to see how diverse their approaches are.
Energy Storage & Management
- Allye and BioEsol develop AI-powered energy storage systems using repurposed EV batteries and modular solutions
- Full&Fast and Emost provide flexible mobile power solutions for EV charging and temporary applications
- AlumaPower creates long-duration aluminum-air battery technology for grid-independent applications
- Electroder offers advanced software for battery cell design and performance optimization
- South 8 Tech develops LiGas® liquefied gas electrolyte technology that improves lithium-ion battery performance, safety, and operating temperature range
- Skoon Energy operates a marketplace for mobile battery systems, enabling temporary clean energy infrastructure for grid congestion relief and seasonal demand
Hydrogen & Alternative Fuels
- Oort Energy and SunGreenH2 develop advanced electrolysis technologies for green hydrogen production
- PowerUP Energy Technologies and Ostermeier H2ydrogen Solutions create fuel cell systems for various applications
- Hywatts combines solar energy with hydrogen-based storage in their Power-Plant-in-a-Box solution
Renewable Energy Innovation
- REplace uses data analytics to identify optimal locations for renewable projects
- MACLEC and X1 Wind pioneer hydrokinetic and floating wind technologies for challenging environments
- Over Easy Solar and Solfium enhance solar adoption through vertical PV modules and marketplace solutions
- ChemiTek Solar develops eco-friendly cleaning solutions that improve solar panel efficiency
Grid & Energy Trading Platforms
- Enline, Arkion, and Sentrisense provide digital monitoring and analytics for energy assets
- RABOT Charge and Ostrom deliver dynamic electricity tariffs with smart energy management
- Podero and Electric Miles create intelligent platforms for flexible device optimization and EV charging
- GridWrap and Enoda enhance grid infrastructure and power flow capabilities
- Enmacc operates a digital trading platform for energy and environmental commodities
- Plentify uses AI to optimize home energy consumption through HotBot and SolarBot, reducing peak load by 80% and cutting household energy costs by up to 24%
Monitoring & Inspection Technologies
- Pix Force utilizes AI and computer vision for automated infrastructure inspection
- Beagle Systems deploys drone-based solutions for monitoring critical assets
- Werover detects wind turbine blade damages early using sound data and AI analysis
Circular Economy & Waste-to-Energy
- SEaB ENERGY and Autarkize transform waste into valuable resources, converting bio-waste into energy
- Solar Materials provides specialized recycling for silicon solar panels through thermo-mechanical processes
- dvlp.energy streamlines renewable project development with comprehensive site assessment tools
Energy storage is diversifying beyond conventional batteries to include repurposed EV batteries, thermal solutions, and novel chemistries for longer duration needs. Digital intelligence is revolutionizing the entire energy value chain, with AI-powered platforms optimizing everything from grid management to predictive maintenance. Monitoring technologies are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with sensors, drones, and computer vision enabling real-time asset health assessment. Renewable integration is focusing on efficiency and adaptability, with innovations in site selection, novel form factors, and grid connection technologies. Circular economy approaches are gaining momentum, with companies developing specialized recycling processes for critical materials while others transform waste streams into valuable energy resources.
