Clean energy startups boosted in Aust market

Ten renewable energy startups have been selected by climate tech accelerator EnergyLab to work closely with Australian and NZ energy companies to help decarbonise the grid.

The initiative is part of EnergyLab’s industry-led Scaleup Program, now in its fifth consecutive year. Scaleup liaises with energy companies such as Endeavour Energy and Ausgrid to identify their key strategic needs, then carries out a global search to find leading startups offering relevant solutions.

In 2024, five startups from Australia, four from Europe and one from the US will participate, with technologies encompassing grid digitisation, advanced analytics, social licence and community engagement, commercial and industrial decarbonisation, distributed energy resource management and on-demand satellite imaging.

In addition to providing an opportunity to collaborate with innovative energy companies in Australia and New Zealand, the Scaleup program introduces startups to Australian climate tech investors and relevant government organisations, as well as experts from EnergyLab’s 400-strong mentor network.

“The Scaleup Program helps to connect startups working on breakthrough energy technologies from anywhere in the world with Aussie energy companies and supports them to explore pilots and partnership opportunities,” said EnergyLab CEO Megan Fisher.

“This not only helps startups to unlock their next wave of commercial opportunities, but also helps industry partners explore emerging tech to decarbonise the grid.”

Australian startup Techko at the Endeavour Energy pitch event.

Some of the startups involved are Safegrid from Finland (a simplified, scalable fault-monitoring solution for electric transmission and distribution grids); Techko from Australia (flexible, device-agnostic energy management solutions for distributed energy resources); VizAR, Australia (a mixed reality infrastructure visualisation platform designed to transform community consultation and stakeholder engagement practices); and Germany’s Accure Battery Intelligence (utilising cloud computing and advanced analytics to maximise battery safety, performance and lifetime.) There is also SNAPI, from Australia: an AI-powered IoT digital meter reader.

David Barshevski, Techko’s Managing Director and Co-Founder, said the initiative would help Techko accelerate its growth, expand into overseas markets and build strategic partnerships. “We strongly believe the support and network offered by EnergyLab will be key to achieving these goals and taking Techko to new heights,” he said.

Endeavour Energy’s Chief Customer and Strategy Officer Leanne Pickering was also enthusiastic about the project. “We’re supercharging the transition to a brighter energy future in partnership with Australia’s largest climate tech accelerator and innovation network, EnergyLab,” she said.

“This is our fourth year partnering with EnergyLab for the Scaleup Program to identify innovative late-stage startups to help us deliver new systems and technology for smarter, cleaner energy, today.”

The Energy Scaleup Program will run over the next three months and culminate in a virtual public showcase to be held in the week commencing 7 October. Expressions of interest from startups for the 2025 cohort are now open at the Scaleup website.

Top image caption: Australian startup SNAPI at the Endeavour Energy pitch event.