The first prize of this year’s international PowerUp competition for start-ups working on sustainable energy was awarded to HeatVentors from Hungary. At the Grand Final in Budapest the company, together with 11 other start-ups, presented their innovative solution for storing energy before the jury, investors, and media. A special invitation from a Global Partner, MOL Group, to participate in the InnoEnergy Highway® accelerator was extended to Slovenian Mebius.
“The winning team responds to one of the biggest needs of the energy sector: the need for new energy-efficient storage solutions,” said Łukasz Świercz, Business Creation Officer of InnoEnergy for Central Europe and the chairman of the jury.
The winning solution is based on phase change materials which can save 90% on space and 20-40% on energy. The investment is recouped in half a year or two years at the latest, assure the creators, adding that the new technology has a variety of applications for thermal energy storage: from deep freezing technologies to comfort cooling and heating, and renewable energy sources. HeatVentors was awarded EUR 20 000 and a chance to be invited to the prestigious InnoEnergy Highway® accelerator. The participation in the accelerator was awarded to Slovenian Mebius by a special invitation from a Global Partner, MOL Group.
The second prize of EUR 10 000 was awarded to the FLASC team from Malta, who presented an energy storage device that integrates into a floating offshore platform. The third prize of EUR 5 000 was awarded to VIA ALTA from Czech Republic, who developed a technology for the production of biofuel from biodegradable waste.