EDP selects eight startups to accelerate the future of electric grids at Energy Starter in Lisbon
The open day of EDP's programme will bring space for debates on the role of artificial intelligence as an innovation tool and the impacts of geopolitics on the global ecosystem
Energy Starter, EDP's open innovation programme to accelerate the adoption of technologies that drive the energy transition, has selected eight innovative startups to participate in the programme's Future Grids bootcamp on May 26 and 27, followed by an open day on May 28 in Lisbon, where the concrete results of the programme and its initiatives will be presented.
The programme will feature an Open Day, which will be open to the global energy and innovation ecosystem, providing a unique opportunity for interested parties to learn more about the results and impact of EDP's innovation programmes and initiatives and discover disruptive technologies and projects that can contribute to a faster and more efficient energy transition. It will also be a privileged space to establish contacts and interact with leaders and visionaries in the sector who share a passion for a greener and more sustainable future.
The Open Day will feature speakers such as Rodrigo Adão da Fonseca, founder of Futura, António Nogueira Leite, chairman of Mapfre Portugal and Sociedade Ponto Verde, and Pedro Ginjeira, secretary-general of Business Roundtable Portugal. The event will also include Vera Pinto Pereira, executive administrator of EDP and responsible for the group's innovation area, Diana Costa, from EDP's global digital acceleration area, and António Coutinho, CEO of EDP Innovation. In addition, Cleantech for Iberia, will be present and will delve into key trends in the energy transition and share valuable insights and data on the sector. Unicorn Factory will also be present, highlighting Lisbon’s role in the global innovation landscape and its strategic position within the tech ecosystem. The event can be attended in person at the Time Out Market in Lisbon or remotely, after registration through this link.
This is the first module of the 9th edition of the programme, dedicated to solutions for the electric grids of the future, which aims to unite EDP decision-makers with startups and scaleups (expanding companies), providing a powerful platform to create long-term project collaborations. To select the best startups, EDP organised an online pitching event and follow-up meetings, which allowed feedback to be gathered from various business units and innovation teams across the different geographies of the EDP group. The startups selected for this module were Camlin (United Kingdom), Earthgrid (United States), Fox IoT (Brazil), Phoenix Boring (United States), Repath (Germany), Sensewaves (France), Toumetis (United States), and Voltquant (United Kingdom).
During the two-day bootcamp, the participating startups will have the opportunity to work with EDP managers and representatives from various business areas and innovation teams, with the aim of accelerating the co-development of pilot projects and commercial agreements. Additionally, they will be able to access potential financial support and benefit from the experience and network of EDP Ventures, EDP's venture capital company.
After the bootcamp, the selected startups can begin a collaboration journey with EDP teams to refine, validate, and implement the proposed pilot projects. These will be fully funded by EDP and will involve access to its data and assets, along with continuous monitoring to ensure that the solutions are adapted to EDP's needs. The goal is to accelerate these innovative initiatives towards commercial viability, paving the way for long-term partnerships that contribute to driving the energy transition.
Considering all innovation projects with startups, in addition to the Energy Starter programme, EDP has achieved remarkable results: more than 150 pilot projects, 40 commercial implementations, 30 venture capital investments, and a total of around 140 million euros generated in business.
Learn more about the 8 selected startups:
- Camlin (United Kingdom): online monitoring to anticipate critical failures in strategic assets, such as power transformers.
- Earthgrid (United States): plasma tunnelling technology for the construction of underground energy infrastructures.
- Fox IoT (Brazil): AI platform for detecting illegal electrical connections through satellite images.
- Phoenix Boring (United States): multi-tool technology for underground construction of power lines without the need for trenches.
- Repath (Germany): climate risk analysis at the asset level and targeted adaptation pathways for a more resilient electric grid.
- Sensewaves (France): platform that provides a fully accurate model of the electric grid, offering visibility on energy flows and congestion.
- Toumetis (United States): actionable preventive alerts on asset failures before interruptions occur, through network data analysis.
- Voltquant (United Kingdom): AI virtual assistant for the energy sector, improving the productivity of planning teams.
SAVE THE DATE| Open Day Energy Starter
Co-innovation of the energy transition
When: May 28
Where: Time Out Market, Lisbon or live broadcast on YouTube
Complete agenda and how to participate: access here
More information: https://theenergystarter.com/open-day-2025/website - Energy Starter