ReportWire

Tag: cleantech

  • The 22 top clean tech and energy startups from Disrupt Startup Battlefield | TechCrunch

    [ad_1]

    Every year, TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield pitch contest draws thousands of applicants. We whittle those applications down to the top 200 contenders, and of them, the top 20 compete on the big stage to become the winner, taking home the Startup Battlefield Cup and a cash prize of $100,000. But the remaining 180 startups all blew us away as well in their respective categories and compete in their own pitch competition.

    Here is the full list of the clean tech and energy Startup Battlefield 200 selectees, along with a note on why they landed in the competition. 

    AraBat 

    What it does: AraBat has developed a recycling technology that recovers critical metals like nickel, cobalt, and others from spent lithium‑ion batteries. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: The company’s process is bio-based, using plant waste like citrus peels rather than toxic chemicals.  

    Aruna Revolution 

    What it does: Aruna Revolution has developed a compostable natural fiber menstrual pad from agricultural by-products. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: Aruna has redesigned the menstrual pad into a product that works well yet still decomposes quickly and avoids plastic and harmful chemicals. 

    CarbonBridge 

    What it does: CarbonBridge builds bioreactors for microbial gas fermentation that transforms waste gases like methane and CO₂ into valuable molecules. 

    Techcrunch event

    San Francisco
    |
    October 13-15, 2026

    Why it’s noteworthy: CarbonBridge says its technology is more efficient than other methods to synthesize molecules. 

    Carbon Negative Solutions 

    What it does: Carbon Negative uses an AI-powered platform to turn industrial wastes and minerals into cement. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: The company says its cement can be used with standard equipment, making it affordable, yet its process transforms this major building material to become carbon negative. 

    COI Energy 

    What it does: COI Energy runs a marketplace where enterprises can buy and sell excess energy capacity, as well as get better, predictive insights into their energy needs. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: By letting enterprise campuses share their reserved energy allotments with each other, the company instantly optimizes grid usage. 

    Coral 

    What it does: Coral offers an AI-powered carbon accounting management platform. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: It automates data collection and reporting of the energy footprint and uses the blockchain to trace, and stay accountable for, carbon credits.  

    Emobi 

    What it does: Emobi offers an AI-powered cloud platform for universal electric vehicle charging. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: The company’s service supports secure automatic charging for EV charging networks, even on legacy hardware. 

    EnyGy Limited 

    What it does: EnyGy has invented a line of higher performance ultracapacitors, an energy storage device that rests somewhere between a conventional capacitor and a battery. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: The company makes its ultracapacitors by melding activated carbon electrodes with a state-of-the-art electrolyte and claims this boosts energy densities up to double the capacity of alternatives, while remaining cost-effective. 

    Ganiga Innovation 

    What it does: Ganiga offers an AI- and robotics-powered garbage bin called Hoooly that recognizes and sorts recyclables.

    Why it’s noteworthy: Ganiga is selling Hoooly to enterprise campuses and industrial sites like airports to boost recycling rates, offering analytics that assist with ESG reporting. 

    Gemini Energy 

    What it does: Gemini has developed a fuel cell technology that can generate power on-site, converting gas into electricity without combustion, it says. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: The company is marketing its clean tech power generator at data centers and says its systems can be deployed in months versus the years needed to upgrade a conventional power grid. 

    Helix Earth 

    What it does: Helix Earth has created products for earth from liquid-gas chemistry designed for spacecraft, including ultra-efficient HVAC and carbon capture systems. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: The company says its processes are far more energy-efficient while being more affordable and can be retrofitted to commercial rooftops.  

    HKG Energy 

    What it does: HKG energy has created a next-generation silicon material for lithium-ion batteries. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: HKG says its tech increases battery performances by 80% yet costs up to 40% less than those using conventional materials. 

    HomeBoost 

    What it does: HomeBoost offers a do-it-yourself energy assessment system that helps homeowners identify leaky windows and find rebate opportunities and other ways to cut their energy bills.

    Why it’s noteworthy: It ships to homeowners custom hardware that, coupled with a smartphone app, scans the home and then home energy experts review and produce the report. 

    HyWatts

    What it does: HyWatts supplies modular systems that generate energy on-site for industrial uses.

    Why it’s noteworthy: It calls its system Power-Plant-in-a-Box, which integrates hydrogen storage and reversible fuel cells for, it says, zero-emission, off-grid electricity at far lower costs than battery storage.

    Kaio Labs 

    What it does: Kaio Labs develops CO2 conversion technologies to transform waste carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals like carbon monoxide, formic acid, and ethylene. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: Kaio uses an AI-powered workflow to automate discovery, with the goal being to extract these chemicals in a cost-competitive way. 

    MacroCycle Technologies 

    What it does: MacroCycle has invented a patented polyester textiles recycling technology.

    Why it’s noteworthy: The company promises to make recycled plastic as inexpensive as virgin material through tech that separates the desirable synthetic fibers from waste textiles. 

    Namu Robotics Corporation 

    What it does: Namu Robotics provides tree-planting robots geared toward re-forestry projects.

    Why it’s noteworthy: The world doesn’t have the resources to replant trees fast enough between the labor involved and the terrain, so Namu’s tech promises to automate the process. 

    Naware 

    What it does: Naware offers an AI-powered robotic weed killer that attaches to lawn-mowing equipment to kill weeds as the lawn is mowed.

    Why it’s noteworthy: Not only does it auto-detect weeds, but it also uses hot steam to kill them, rather than toxic herbicides.  

    Segura 

    What it does: Segura offers a proprietary method to test water quality that delivers nearly instant results without the need to hire testing experts.

    Why it’s noteworthy: Segura has invented a test strip that is reminiscent of those used for diabetes monitoring and is as easy to use. 

    ShellVive 

    What it does: ShellVive has created a method to filter water by repurposing oyster shells. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: ShellVive solutions take an abundant agricultural waste product, discarded oyster shells, and turns them into an affordable, eco-friendly water filtration material. 

    Whisper Energy 

    What it does: Whisper Energy is developing an AI-native sensor to improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings.

    Why it’s noteworthy: The company is targeting small to midsized buildings with its easy-to-install sensors and system as an affordable alternative to large-scale energy automation solutions.

    Xatoms 

    What it does: Xatoms has created a photocatalyst — a light-activated chemical — that can remove bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and heavy metals from polluted water. 

    Why it’s noteworthy: The company is using AI and quantum chemistry to find new water-treatment chemicals.

    [ad_2]

    Julie Bort

    Source link

  • Construction Startup Competition 2025 Selects Winners Revolutionizing the Industry

    [ad_1]

    The organizers of the competition, venture capital and construction companies Cemex Ventures, Caterpillar, Dysruptek by Haskell, Ferrovial, Hilti, Leonard by VINCI, NOVA by Saint-Gobain, Trimble and Zacua Ventures have selected thirteen winning solutions that are driving innovation in the construction sector.

    Of the thirteen winning startups, eight have been selected to attend the Pitch Day at Trimble Dimensions User Conference in Las Vegas on November 11, 2025. The other five have been invited to Recotech in Helsinki.


    MADRID, October 22, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Today, the organizing partners of the Construction Startup Competition 2025, Cemex Ventures, Caterpillar, Dysruptek by Haskell, Ferrovial, Hilti, Leonard by VINCI, NOVA by Saint-Gobain, Trimble, and Zacua Ventures, announced the most promising startup solutions from this year’s competition, ready to drive innovation across the construction sector. Now in its ninth edition, the annual competition received a 563 applications from over 54 countries, marking the second-highest participation in its history. This milestone further solidifies the competition’s position as a leading global platform for scouting and supporting the most disruptive startup talent in construction.

    The submitted solutions were categorized into four key focus areas, each addressing key challenges in the construction value chain: Green Construction ( e.g: project carbon footrpint), Enhanced Productivity (e.g: jobsite management), Construction Supply Chain (e.g: materials delivery), and Future of Construction (e.g: new construction processes).

    The most promising startup solutions from each were named Construction Startup Competition 2025’s champions. These are: Ailytics [Singapore], AItenders [France], Alithic [US], All3 [UK], BuildCheck AI, Inc. [US], Birdsview [Norway], Enlaye [US], IRIDESENSE [France], Gravis Robotics [Switzerland], Hyperion Robotics [Finland], Kapture [Australia], Navlive [UK] and Taiyō.AI [US].

    The eight winning startups attending the Pitch Day at Trimble Dimensions will present their solutions to a panel of executive representatives, industry investors, and potential business partners. The three startups delivering the most compelling pitches will receive cash prizes and be recognized as the gold, silver, and bronze medalists.

    The five startups invited to the Recotech conference will also showcase the Competition hosts and an exclusive audience and will compete for the top spot in our brand-new European Pitch Day. The company with the strongest value proposition and presentation will receive a cash prize and be recognized as the European Pitch Day Champion.

    Over the last eight years, Construction Startup Competition has been a launching opportunity for more than 4,100 startups to network, gain industry recognition, validate their solutions through pilots and deployment projects, and secure funding, all with the mission of accelerating innovation and startup construction in the construction sector.

    As the industry undergoes technological revolution, the competition hosts continue to encourage startups to “Build the new construction rules“. Contech and Cleantech startups looking to meet with investors, pilot their solutions, and make a significant impact in the built environment are invited to join the competition partners and winners at Trimble Dimensions User Conference.

    Source: Cemex Ventures

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Deal Dive: Making the clean energy transition, well, cleaner

    Deal Dive: Making the clean energy transition, well, cleaner

    [ad_1]

    People in many parts of the world are trying to lower their impact on the climate. From companies to countries, a lot of groups have goals to reduce their environmental impact. With innovation in areas like electric vehicles, wastewater treatment and battery recycling, among many others, those goals seem easier to attain than ever before.

    But could it really be that easy?

    While much of this progress sets countries and organizations up for a cleaner future in the long run, the actual transition to cleaner tech isn’t very, well, clean. Many of these cleaner options require batteries, which are composed of rare metals that have to be mined and smelted in carbon-heavy processes. There also isn’t a great solution yet to recycle said batteries en masse.

    Many startups have piled into clean tech in recent years, and while they’re doing the good work of bringing new technologies and cleaner processes to the table, few are fixing the clean tech industry’s carbon-heavy supply chain issues. But Nth Cycle is trying to help.

    Nth Cycle has built technology that lets its customers refine and recycle rare metals on-site. This cuts out the cost and environmental impact of shipping these metals overseas to be refined or recycled, especially since about 85% of rare metal processing currently happens in China, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Nth Cycle also doesn’t use carbon-heavy smelting to process the materials.

    The company’s co-founder and CEO, Megan O’Connor, feels speeding up this process and making it cheaper is critical for the transition to clean energy. With the current overseas supply chain, there is no way countries like the U.S. will hit their climate goals in time. The rare metals needed to do so are ample enough, but they aren’t going to be put into use quickly enough. Nth Cycle hopes its ability to cut out a very timely part of the supply chain will help.

    [ad_2]

    Rebecca Szkutak

    Source link

  • This Is the Solution You Need to Both Cut Costs and Go Green | Entrepreneur

    This Is the Solution You Need to Both Cut Costs and Go Green | Entrepreneur

    [ad_1]

    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Representing more than 99% of all businesses across the country and employing some 60 million people, the success of small and medium-sized business (SMBs) is intrinsically linked to the economy’s well-being. But times are tough for SMBs: margins are narrowing, interest rates are rising, supply chain shortages and inflation remain rampant and to top it all off, stakeholder demands for sustainability have never been greater. Today’s pressures demand new solutions; with clean technologies, SMBs have the chance to not only address and overcome these challenges but also turn them into a competitive advantage.

    While the word “cleantech” often conjures up sprawling images of utility-scale solar arrays and offshore wind farms, this is a fairly superficial depiction of the industry — a stereotype, so to speak. In reality, many small-scale cleantech solutions are quickly becoming a regular part of consumers’ everyday lives and increasingly playing an outsized role in reducing businesses’ operating costs. For many — like locally owned and operated retail business owners — these expenses underscore a majority of their ongoing resource challenges and present a massive economic opportunity to advance cleantech adoption.

    Related: What You Can Learn From the Rise of Sustainability-Focused Entrepreneurship

    Slashing energy bills

    Rising and seldom-predictable energy costs have long been a thorn in SMB owners’ sides. Retail spaces, especially restaurants, for example, can’t turn off — or even turn down — their appliances, cooling equipment or lighting to scale back on operational costs, making them particularly susceptible to volatile energy prices.

    Fortunately, cleantech business models, such as Energy Efficiency as a Service (EEaaS) are enabling new solutions to this problem, allowing businesses to access cost-and emission-saving equipment upgrades through long-term contracts. And within just a few years, these investments pay for themselves through cumulative energy savings. From new HVAC architectures to optimized lighting, temperature and refrigeration controls, IoT sensors and heat pumps, everyday cleantech solutions are proven to drive down operating costs, freeing up time and capital that owners can deploy elsewhere.

    Determining what investments are needed might sound cumbersome, but experienced and trustworthy cleantech partners make it easy. After assessing a space’s energy footprint, EEaaS companies can quickly identify a site’s most pressing upgrade needs, facilitate immediate action and deliver measurable outcomes.

    Driving public and private favor

    Understanding macro forces that are actively reforming the U.S. economy is also key to staying profitable, as it enables business owners to align their core offerings with consumer wants and needs, minimizing commercial friction for a more pleasant experience. In recent years, sustainability, once an afterthought, now plays an often outsized role in consumer choices. Inundated with impactful reminders of climate change, including extreme weather events, rising sea temperatures and declining biodiversity, consumers want to know that the businesses they’re frequenting are aware of their environmental impact and actively looking to reduce it.

    In addition to sizable cost savings, replacing inefficient technologies with cleaner alternatives offers SMBs opportunities to leverage reputational benefits and boost customer satisfaction. From improved indoor air quality and temperature stability to quicker, more reliable service operations and sensory-friendly lighting, the opportunities of sharing one’s sustainability journey are unparalleled. Customers quickly take notice and are inclined to come back.

    And for franchisees, incorporating cleantech into your operations can help drive positive corporate relationships. Showcasing environmental proactivity and improved customer contentment is bound to impress, especially when paired with long-term overhead savings, which cleantech fruitfully delivers.

    Related: The Evergreen Action Path to Reaching 100% Clean Energy

    Getting ahead of the curve

    While the prospect of mandatory environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting remains distant for some, this attitude runs contrary to existing policy and regulatory signals and will lead to detrimental long-term outcomes. The SEC initially proposed ESG reporting guidelines in 2022 and though it faced delays following regulatory disagreements, it’s widely expected to be finalized in 2023. Recognizing the economic imperative of ESG adaptation, other jurisdictions have also moved quickly to embrace mandatory ESG reporting. The European Union strengthened its existing regulations earlier this year, for example, whereas China, Canada and others are widely expected to roll out their own ESG frameworks by 2023 and 2024, respectively.

    Businesses that are part of a chain, franchise or other corporate structure will inevitably feel pressure from their parent companies to reduce greenhouse gasses in the coming years. Even those that are fully independent will bear some impact as consumers continue to make clear the importance of strong ESG practices. However, getting ahead of the pack by adopting cleantech can preemptively neutralize these pressures, ensuring compliance with corporate ESG policies while positioning oneself as a community leader on the environmental front — an increasingly powerful sales hook.

    Now more than ever, SMBs need real, tangible solutions to rising operating costs and evolving consumer demands. Solutions must be flexible, affordable and long-lasting; cleantech, despite its niche-sounding nature, has broad applications that can help small and medium business owners stay competitive and impress stakeholders with next-generation quality and efficiency. EEaaS companies — as key enablers of the green economy — offer SMBs streamlined access to clean technologies and their many benefits.

    [ad_2]

    Al Subbloie

    Source link

  • Announcing the Student Energy Solutions Movement – $150 Million Youth-Led United Nations Energy Compact

    Announcing the Student Energy Solutions Movement – $150 Million Youth-Led United Nations Energy Compact

    [ad_1]

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Jun 25, 2021


    NEW YORK, June 25, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Today, Student Energy, New Energy Nexus, and the Government of Denmark announced the launch of the Student Energy Solutions Movement to world leaders and governments at the United Nations High-level dialogue on Energy, Ministerial Thematic Forums. This new, youth-led, global Energy Compact bridges the gap between motivation and action by directly funding and actively supporting the deployment of 10,000 youth-led clean energy projects by 2030.

    As one of the first governments to champion the initiative, the Government of Denmark announced their commitment as the first confirmed funder of the Student Energy Solutions Movement:

    “Tackling climate change is the biggest challenge of our time and it will not be easy, but seeing the motivation, innovation, creativity, and drive that young people around the world today are showing gives me hope that we will achieve our goals. The kind of ambition demonstrated by Student Energy to support 10,000 youth-led clean energy projects by 2030 is precisely what we need in order to accelerate the energy transition and achieve SDG7. Denmark is proud to be a funding partner of this initiative,” says Asser Rasmussen Berling, Head of Department at the Centre for Global Climate Action at The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities, Denmark.

    Announcing the Solutions Movement Energy Compact

    Student Energy’s Solutions Movement Energy Compact aims to resource and deploy 10,000 youth-led clean energy projects by 2030, creating structural change by putting real financial resources in the hands of the world’s most passionate youth. Funding required to meet this objective is $10 million by December 2021, and $150 million by 2030. The Compact will scale tangible action by young people 18-30 years old through a unique combination of project funding and education, training, and mentorship within Student Energy’s programs ecosystem. 

    Ambitions by 2030:

    • Launch 10,000 youth-led sustainable energy projects or businesses
    • Train 50,000 agile and employable youth workers, with a particular focus on reducing the energy skills gap in developing nations, and for women
    • Deploy $150 million toward upskilling, mentoring, and directly financing early- and mid-stage youth-led clean energy initiatives

    Quotes: 

    Meredith Adler, Executive Director, Student Energy —
    “For decades, youth ambition and motivation have existed to transition our world to a more sustainable and equitable energy system, there just simply hadn’t been the resourcing to bridge that motivation into action. In launching the solutions movement, we’re shifting gears into taking action and deploying the energy and technology solutions we already have at our fingertips. I want to commend the High-level Dialogue on Energy for putting youth front and center, and for moving so quickly to get our global network engaged. It’s refreshing to see other organizations move with the same hustle and pace as the world’s young people!”

    Danny Kennedy, CEO of New Energy Nexus —
    “This is the decade to deploy the solutions we have at hand to address the climate crisis, and many of these solutions need to be youth-led. If these businesses are going to last decades, they are going to need the motivation and energy of young people to really disrupt the markets and overcome the incumbents that they’re going to challenge. We at New Energy Nexus are really excited to partner with Student Energy to develop this movement of guided entrepreneurship.”

    Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) —
    “Every stakeholder has a key role to play as we aim to meet the SDG7 and Paris Agreement targets, including youth, and I am pleased to see the leadership being demonstrated by Student Energy with this Energy Compact commitment. SEforALL’s first ever Youth Summit, held in February 2020, demonstrated our renewed commitment to bringing youth to the fore in this critical year, and it is great to see one of our organizing partners for the Summit come full circle by setting the pace for other young people to follow. This shows that beyond bringing their voices to the table, young people can design and fund the innovations required to achieve our energy and climate goals.”

    Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator —
    “I warmly welcome the launch of the Student Energy Compact. It is a strong symbol of the profound shifts taking place in the development sphere where young people are no longer waiting for others to act. They are taking up the baton, driving forward transformation in critical areas, including when it comes to how our world is powered. With more and more groups joining by the day, the United Nations is building a broad coalition of action to spark a clean energy revolution that will improve the lives of millions of people.”

    About the UNHigh Level Dialogue on Energy:

    The UN Secretary-General will convene a High-level Dialogue on Energy during the 76th UN General Assembly on September 20, 2021 in New York, to accelerate progress towards achieving SDG7 by 2030. It presents a historic opportunity to provide transformational action in the first years of the Decade of Action. Ministerial-level Thematic Forums are bringing together key stakeholders virtually over five days to mobilize actions on the road to the High-level Dialogue on Energy. Ministers from national governments and leaders from business, civil society, and youth organizations showcased solutions on each priority theme and presented their Energy Compacts, outlining voluntary commitments and actions.

    About Student Energy:

    Student Energy is the world’s largest youth-led organization empowering young people to accelerate the sustainable energy transition. Since founding in 2009, Student Energy has worked with thousands of youth from over 120 countries, to build the knowledge, skills, and networks they need to take action on energy. Student Energy operates on a unique youth empowerment model, which means that initiatives are co-created with youth, for youth.

    Student Energy also works with governments, the UN, and other decision makers to facilitate meaningful youth engagement and mobilize resources, coaching, and mentorship to support youth-led work. Student Energy has built coalitions with over 100 diverse partners, such as Indigenous Clean Energy, Sustainable Energy for All, HSBC Global, the Stockholm Environment Institute, DNV, WSP, and national governments like Canada, Denmark, and Sweden. Student Energy has stewarded CAD$10 million+ in funding to date, supported the development of over 280 youth energy projects, held 6 international Student Energy Summits, and attracted over 12.5 million people to its digital energy education platforms.

    Media Contacts:

    Shakti Ramkumar, Director of Communications and Policy
    shakti@studentenergy.org
    +1 (604) 445 4306

    Meredith Adler, Executive Director
    meredith@studentenergy.org
    +1 (604) 354 2930

    Sean Collins, Co-Founder
    scollins@studentenergy.org
    +1 (780) 232 0339

    Source: Student Energy

    [ad_2]

    Source link