Who we are

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 platform is powered by the German Energy Agency (dena), in cooperation with the World Energy Council.

Start-up founder at the SET jury workshop

Our mission

‘’Strengthening the impact that energy innovators have in reaching climate neutrality’’

Through our activities, we support, promote, and create opportunities for start-ups in the energy sector to scale-up impact and accelerate the global energy transition in order to reverse climate change.

“A fast and global energy transition is key to the response to the rapid climate change.Societies must put emphasis on green innovation in all sectors if they want to achieve their climate goals.”

Andreas Kuhlmann, CEO of the German Energy Agency (dena)

Our work

Since its inception, SET continues to enable connections through dena’s and World Energy Council’s unique position at the crossroads of the private and public sector. At its core, the SET platform is built on three pillars: the SET Award, the SET Tech Festival, and the SET Newsroom.

Our activities make SET an important and well-recognized international platform for innovation in the energy transition.

Icon DENA SET Award

SET Award

An annual international competition for start-ups and young companies innovating for the global energy transition. In the last seven years, the award has received more than 3,100 applications from more than 100 countries.

Discover the #SET22 winners
SET Tech Festival

SET Tech Festival

An annual one-day event bringing together innovators shaping the future of energy: the best start-ups in the field of energy solutions, innovation-driven corporates, investors, and public organisations leading the energy transition.

+300 attendees, +100 global start-ups, +200 matchmaking sessions.

Join the SET Tech Festival on 28 March 2023!
Icon SET Newsroom

SET Newsroom

The SET team produces unique content (articles, videos and events) featuring news from the energy world, the successes and challenges of SET start-ups and other trending topics valuable to our network.

You want to share some good news? Feel free to contact us!

Learn more
  • Icon DENA SET Award

    SET Award

    An annual international competition for start-ups and young companies innovating for the global energy transition. In the last seven years, the award has received more than 3,100 applications from more than 100 countries.

    Discover the #SET22 winners
  • SET Tech Festival

    SET Tech Festival

    An annual one-day event bringing together innovators shaping the future of energy: the best start-ups in the field of energy solutions, innovation-driven corporates, investors, and public organisations leading the energy transition.

    +300 attendees, +100 global start-ups, +200 matchmaking sessions.

    Join the SET Tech Festival on 28 March 2023!
  • Icon SET Newsroom

    SET Newsroom

    The SET team produces unique content (articles, videos and events) featuring news from the energy world, the successes and challenges of SET start-ups and other trending topics valuable to our network.

    You want to share some good news? Feel free to contact us!

    Learn more

Our team

We support innovation.

Our team is composed of passionate experts from a range of backgrounds with a common mission: to support start-ups and innovation in order to reach net-zero emissions as rapidly as possible.

 

Andreas Kuhlmann

CEO, dena

Andreas has been the CEO of dena since July 2015 and is the initiator of “Start Up Energy Transition”. The graduate physicist sees the energy transition as one of the most fascinating change processes of the present day, which despite the challenges, brings immense, meaningful opportunities.

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Tania Baumann

Tania Baumann

COO, World Energy Council

Tania is the Chief Operating Officer of the World Energy Council and leads the World Energy Council’s engagement with the SET platform. She is responsible for the Secretariat’s global operations, including people, legal, and financial performance. Tania oversees the activities and relations with member communities and leads the Council’s events including the triennial World Energy Congress and World Energy Leaders’ Summits.

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Angela Wilkinson

Dr. Angela Wilkinson

Secretary General & CEO, World Energy Council

Angela provides direction and innovative leadership for SET and is the Secretary General & CEO of the World Energy Council. Angela has a PhD in Physics and has become one of the world’s leading global energy futures experts. She has 30 years of experience in leading national, international and global multi-stakeholder transformation initiatives on a wide range of economic, energy, climate and sustainable development related challenges.

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Pia Dorfinger

Pia Dorfinger

Director Start-up Ecosystem, SET (dena)

Pia is responsible for all the SET activities and works with the aim of sustainably expand our SET endeavour. Originally from Austria, she has worked in the renewable energy and climate change sector for over 10 years with stops in France, the UK and the Philippines before coming to Berlin. Her background lies in International Business Administration and International Energy and Environmental Management.

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Rolli Vogel

Rolli Vogel

Team Lead Start-up Ecosystem, SET (dena)

Rolli is an experienced digital innovation scout, business developer and networker, often focussed on the collaboration of established companies with start-ups. Previously, Rolli built up the Best of Mobile Awards for the British Haymarket Media Group, among others, and was responsible for digital and innovation policy issues at The Economic Council (Wirtschaftsrat Deutschland), a leading German business association.

What excites me about working with start-ups in energy transition is to interconnect the energy sector with digital solutions, linking one of the most exciting industries of the future with the fundamental megatrends of this decade. This is a growth story for markets and people – live every day.

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René Böhm

René Böhm

Senior Expert Start-up Ecosystem, SET (dena)

Throughout the years, René has gathered professional expertise in event management. He is responsible for the SET Tech Festival. The dyed-in-the-wool Berliner has his background in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing, Business Informatics and Entrepreneurship.

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Mara Berg on stage at the Future Energy Lab

Mara Berg

Senior Expert Start-up Ecosystem, SET (dena)

Mara has worked in the renewable energy and climate tech sector for over 10 years. She is purpose-driven and passionate about innovative & sustainable solutions that foster the green (energy) transition. As a strategic business and product developer, she has built and launched innovative digital products focusing on renewable energy, sustainable finance and CO2-offset.

Mara has a background in political science and economics, with a focus on international economic communities and energy security. She has lived and studied in the United States and Argentina.

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Tahar Kechrid

Senior Expert Start-up Ecosystem, SET (dena)

Tahar is responsible for our Newsroom and supports the team with the SET Award and Tech Festival. Having worked and lived in Germany, France, Argentina, Tunisia and the US, he aims to engage the most innovative energy start-ups from all corners of the world. Tahar has a background in International Relations with a focus on Sustainability and Security.

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Michael

Michael Müllneritsch

Senior Expert Start-up Ecosystem, SET (dena)

Canelle Mengual

Expert Start-up Ecosystem, SET (dena)

Canelle is leading the SET communication activities and also frequently works on partner relations for other start-up-related projects. Her enthusiasm for sustainability and equality led her to work for different social businesses before joining the energy sector. Canelle studied in France and in the USA and holds a Master’s Degree in Marketing and Strategy.

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Sophie Detsch

Sophie Detsch

Expert Start-up Ecosystem, SET (dena)

Sophie is responsible for the SET Award and supports the team with the SET Tech Festival. The perfect mix of technical and interpersonal skills for this graduate in Environmental Engineering (B.Eng.) and Energy Technology (M.Eng.) who loves to meet inspiring people!

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Tess Höke

Expert Start-up Ecosystem, SET (dena)

“Communication is key” is the motto of Tess, our SET Expert in communications. With her dynamism and positive mindset, she supports the team with social media and partnerships. Tess studied Communication Sciences, worked in different fields and even had her own small business!

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Akanksha Ranjan

Student Assistant, SET (dena)

Akanksha’s passion for a sustainable & equitable future led her to join SET. With a can-do attitude and penchant for writing, she supports our team with communication, social media and editorial work. Akanksha is currently researching literary ecocriticism in an MA program at Freie Universität Berlin.

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Jack Drummond from the SET Team

Jack Drummond

Student Assistant, SET (dena)

Jack is a MA student at Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin specializing in communication and communities. Jack is currently part of the SET communication team.

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