VINCI Energies is looking for startups with innovations along the whole energy value chain around green hydrogen & derivates: infrastructure (planning, servicing, maintenance, protection), green energy generation (photovoltaics, wind, biogas etc.), hydrogen (production, storage, transport, usage) and new use cases and business models. Registrations will be accepted until 7 May 2023 on the official event website, after which VINCI Energies will shortlist 10 to 15 of the most exciting tech companies and invite them to participate in the speed dating event. At the event itself the companies will have the opportunity to present their software and hardware innovations to VINCI Energies’ operational decision-makers and explore potential synergies.

Leading to concrete projects

Past speed dating events have spawned numerous partnerships with startups leading to successful customer projects and use cases. For example, last year’s event resulted in a go-to-market partnership between “Campus 5G” network service provider Axians, a VINCI Energies brand, and connected worker startup Mobilus Labs from the United Kingdom. Their solution provides customers with a fast, efficient and reliable communication network for indoor and outdoor coverage, plus a smart device for comprehensive employee connectivity that is plugged in to a regular smartphone. It offers secure, location-independent voice-over-IP communication, and includes geolocation and digital workforce management services. The collaborative solution was recently showcased to potential customers at this year’s “Cisco Live” conference in Amsterdam.

Two other startups demonstrate VINCI Energies’ ability to forge productive partnerships in the field of renewable energies. Enapter is an innovative energy technology company that manufactures highly efficient electrolysers for the sustainable production of green hydrogen. Green hydrogen will make a significant contribution to the success of the energy transition and switch to renewables, both as a form of energy storage (power-to-X) and as a fuel source. In addition to a joint go-to-market strategy, the Actemium and Omexom brands are supporting Enapter to engineer and operationalise its own production facility in Saerbeck near Münster.

Another startup, Instagrid, has developed portable battery systems for the decarbonisation of
construction sites. They are used to power electrical appliances such as saws, drills and even
welding equipment. These battery systems are considerably lighter, easier to handle and lower in
noise emissions than diesel generators. More importantly, there is no risk of pollutants leaching
into the soil. The VINCI Energies brands also use the system as part of their efforts to reduce their
carbon footprint.

Forward-looking “digital ecosystem” model

At the heart of VINCI Energies’ own digital agenda is the continuous transition to an ecosystemoriented
organisation. It is necessary due to growing challenges facing the economy and society,
which can only be overcome with new forms of cooperation to develop interdisciplinary solutions.
The VINCI Energies digital ecosystem unites various elements such as the Startup Connect
programme with the annual Startup Speed Dating event and “Digitalschmiede”, a digital lab that is
unique in Germany. The Startup Connect programme identifies ambitious technology startups that
are a good fit with VINCI Energies and offers them the opportunity to join the VINCI Energies digital
ecosystem for access to customer projects and new business opportunities. There are various
possible forms of collaboration with VINCI Energies.

• Some startups are directly integrated into existing or planned customer projects as project partners, allowing them to implement their solutions and directly generate new revenue streams.
• Others have the opportunity to directly integrate their solutions and services into VINCI Energies and its brands. Not only do they get access to revenue streams, they can also scale up their solutions within the corporate network.
• Startups use VINCI Energies’ core competences expand their own portfolio and tap into its know-how and complementary resources to build their business.

It’s a win-win situation for both sides. The startups, VINCI Energies – including the Actemium, Axians, Omexom and VINCI Energies Building Solutions brands – and existing and potential customers benefit from new technologies, business expansion and ultimately more revenue.

“VINCI Energies has long been focusing on the two major challenges in this day and age: the digital transformation and the transition to renewables. They are mutually dependent. The success of the energy  transition depends on digital solutions – and the success of the digital transformation will only be possible with the smart management of energy requirements and a switch to green energy,” said Sascha Bäcker, CDO of VINCI Energies for D-A-CH and Eastern Europe. “Many startups have realised this and are applying their own unique mind-sets to the development of innovative solutions that close gaps people had not previously considered. We look forward to all the new and innovative ideas and to making an active contribution to driving the energy transition in partnership with these companies.”

– Sascha Bäcker | CDO at VINCI Energies for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Eastern Europe

 

“Startup Connect is a VINCI Energies programme that ideally meets today’s needs of agile business development,” said Katharina Hickel, Head of Digital Ecosystem at VINCI Energies. “Digital technologies are accelerating the pace of change. To be successful in this kind of a market environment, companies have to collaborate – especially with startups that provide the answers to today’s challenges in the form of new technologies, applications and business models. Everyone benefits: from the startups to us and our customers in various sectors. We have already connected more than 50 startups with our business units through our Startup Connect programme and that has motivated us to continue expanding our activities in this area.”

Startups that are interested in the VINCI Startup Speed Dating – Green Energy for Future event can register on the official event website until 7. May 2023.