Free Electrons, the world’s biggest innovation program in the energy sector had its 2022 Edition come to a close with two winners among the 15 finalist startups. At the Grand Finale event, held in São Paulo, Brazil from October 17th to 20th, the startup Power to Hydrogen, from the USA, became the winner of the 2022 Edition and was awarded the USD $200,000 prize.

During the last 5 months, the 15 finalist startups have been collaborating with the 6 leading energy utilities in developing pilots that impact the renewable energy scenario and building together innovative projects for the future of energy.

Created in 2017, the Free Electrons Program is led by a consortium made of partner companies from around the world, joined together by a common purpose of transforming the energy sector and creating disruptive and innovative solutions, for a cleaner and more efficient energy transition. The Utilities for the 2022 Edition are: American Electric Power (USA), CLP Power (Hong Kong), E.ON (Germany), EDP (Portugal), ESB - Energy for Generations (Ireland), Origin Energy (Australia) - companies that worked alongside innovators and startups to create disruptive solutions for the sector.

Free Electrons 2022 began with a bootcamp, gathering 130 innovators from 17 different countries. After this phase, 60 startups from 9 countries have been selected to join preliminary discussions with the energy utilities, to kickstart connections with the most important challenges of the sector. Then, the finalists have been chosen, with 15 startups proceeding into pilot propositions and 1-on-1 meetings with representatives and experts from interested utilities, aiming towards negotiations and the definition of strategies to leverage the solutions in actual real-world scenarios.

The 15 finalist startups, who already got together in-person for the Free Electrons Master Module last July, in Chicago, and finished the program in the Grand Finale in São Paulo are: Blink Energy (USA), BrainBox AI (Canada), DCSix Technologies (Ireland), DeepVolt (Tunisia), Elexsys (Australia), Ionate Limited (UK), IND Technology (Australia), LEBO Robotics (Japan), NanoLock Security (USA), Rated Power (Spain), Sawatch Labs (USA), Simerse AI (USA), SmartHelio (Switzerland).

The Grand Finale has been the last of 3 modules, in-person events between the energy utilities and selected startups. This module was comprised of 2 moments: the first one, as the last block of work meetings between utilities and startups, through 1-on-1 meetings, to further development pilot solutions, and the Open Day, with more than 100 participants in-person, which allowed for each startup to pitch for the whole Free Electrons community and share the progress of the work they have been developing alongside the utilities.

Lauren Kuntz, from Gaiascope, an USA-based startup, won the Akimoto Award, created in 2017 to honor Shin Akimoto, given every edition to the person who inspires the most and better embodies the Free Electrons values within the community.

In 2023 Free Electrons will keep on powering the future of energy, again uniting the leading energy utilities from around the world and innovative startups and companies to develop disruptive solutions to tackle the sector’s biggest challenges. Along the Program’s six editions, there have been more than 2.300 applications, from 85 different countries, which led to more than 150 pilot projects and over USD $ 80 Million in investments, deployments and deals.