Getting from A to B is essential – but how we do it makes all the difference. Transportation is one of the most carbon-intensive sectors, which is why the SET Award’s Mobility & Transportation category honors start-ups reimagining movement – sometimes radically.
Looking at the companies in our Mobility & Transportation category this year, Net Zero Insights data reveals impressive investment activity. These start-ups have attracted over $350M to date – with $90M in the last 12 months alone. Despite a 75% drop in deal count, capital invested has jumped 575%, suggesting bigger, more targeted bets on top technologies. Median deal size nearly doubled to $7M, showing investor confidence in the sector.
Representing 16% of this year’s SET100 lineup, our mobility innovators are already generating more than €6.6M in monthly revenue and are projected to multiply that figure by 8.5 times within two years. These companies currently employ more than 790 professionals, with projections indicating this workforce will exceed 1,650 by 2026, as their innovative solutions gain market traction. The portfolio’s intellectual property foundation includes more than 145 existing patents with more than 170 additional applications underway, covering critical areas from battery optimization to intelligent transport networks.
The solutions in this year’s mobility category showcase remarkable diversity – from advanced battery technologies including solid-state and ultra-fast charging solutions to alternative propulsion systems like marine biofuels and wind-assisted technology. From seaglider transportation to solar-powered trucks and hydrogen airships, our SET100 mobility finalists are pioneering multiple approaches to sustainable transport, while specialized platforms for last-mile delivery and fleet management enhance operational efficiency.
Let’s take a tour through the standout start-ups in this category. We’ll meet the winner – Nyobolt – and see how its lightning-fast battery tech takes on the charge anxiety and raw material challenges. We’ll also check in on the two finalists, Basquevolt and Kazam, who are solving different parts of the clean mobility puzzle. Along the way, we’ll drop in on a few other exciting contenders (ever heard of hydrogen airships or high-tech sails for cargo ships?).
Nyobolt
‘Charge your EV in the time it takes to grab a coffee‘ – that’s the future Nyobolt is working toward. Its ultra-fast charging batteries go from 10% to 80% in under five minutes, directly addressing one of e-mobility’s biggest hurdles: charge anxiety.
But Nyobolt doesn’t stop at speed. Their batteries also minimize dependence on critical raw materials like lithium and cobalt, making them more sustainable and easier to scale. Compact, powerful, and longer-lasting, these batteries promise cleaner, more efficient mobility – with fewer trade-offs.
Tackling both charging time and material impact, Nyobolt delivers a double breakthrough – and earned its place as this year’s winner.
Basquevolt
Basquevolt is on the frontier of what many call the ‘holy grail’ of e-mobility: solid-state batteries. By replacing the flammable liquid electrolyte with a solid polymer, their design is safer, more stable, and easier to scale.
But safety is just the beginning. Basquevolt’s tech also offers higher energy density – meaning more range without bigger batteries – and reduced costs that could make these high-performance cells truly affordable. That’s huge for buses, cars, and heavier vehicles still struggling with current battery limits.
By eliminating key trade-offs of today’s EV tech, Basquevolt brings us closer to a mass-market, clean mobility future.
Kazam
In a country as vast as India, EV charging needs more than just hardware – it needs coordination. That’s exactly what Kazam delivers: a smart network connecting EVs, charge points, and the power grid.
Their chargers integrate with real-time energy flows, prioritizing green electricity (like solar) when available, and their fleet software optimizes vehicle use, charging schedules, and routes. That means less downtime and lower emissions.
With over 15,000 stations installed and partners like Mahindra onboard, Kazam is scaling fast. By syncing hardware, software, and grid logic, they’re making India’s electric transition smarter – not just bigger.
From Airships to Cargo Ships: More Start-ups on the Move
This category goes far beyond batteries and chargers – from solar trucks to hydrogen airships, this year’s line-up rethinks mobility on every level.
Charging & Efficiency:
- BaTTeRi enables rapid DC charging via hybrid battery packs.
- Charger.ro transforms wall outlets into smart charging points.
- IM Efficiency’s “SolarOnTop” turns trucks into solar hybrids.
- DeepDrive improves torque and range with dual-rotor motors.
Urban Logistics
- Blitz operates 4,000+ couriers across 28 cities.
- Fin cuts emissions with AI-based route optimization.
- Palki Motors builds affordable, ultra-efficient EVs for Bangladesh.
Hard-to-electrify Sectors
- Bound4blue’s eSAIL cuts fuel use with wind-assisted propulsion.
- REGENT’s electric seagliders beat ferry speeds with lower costs.
- HyLight’s hydrogen airships inspect infrastructure emission-free.
Platforms & Integration
- Volvero links drivers and owners via blockchain-powered car sharing.
Looking across the mobility category, several trends stand out. Battery innovation leads but targets specific limitations rather than general improvements. Alternative propulsion systems gain traction in hard-to-electrify sectors. AI integration moves beyond route optimization to reshape operational models. Last-mile solutions grow more sophisticated, building ecosystems rather than single interventions. Infrastructure models evolve beyond simply building more chargers to cleverly leverage existing resources. There’s no single silver bullet for clean mobility, but together these innovators cover almost every corner, making sure every mode of transport gets a sustainable upgrade.
