1.6 The Power of the Network: Building Connections throughout Europe

1.6 THE POWER OF THE NETWORK: BUILDING CONNECTIONS THROUGHOUT EUROPE Our strength comes from our Europe-wide network of partners. They are our experts, our service providers, the early adopters of innovative solutions and the employers of our graduates.

The EIT InnoEnergy network includes our 24 shareholders, as well as 500+ associate and project partners. All of them support our entrepreneurs and innovators with their experience and expertise. In return, they gain unrivaled opportunities to invest in new ideas and create commercial opportunities for new solutions. Together our partners represent the best of Europe’s industry, research and higher education – and all are key players within the energy sector.

Repsol, a global multi-energy company, has agreed on a partnership with EIT InnoEnergy through its strategic investment fund. The collaboration will fast-track the adoption of innovative technologies and business models into Repsol, to reinforce its commitment to the energy transition.

Through the alliance, Repsol will gain access to EIT InnoEnergy’s innovation ecosystem of 480+ supported businesses and 500+ project partners across Europe. This includes organisations in various fields of sustainable energy including renewables, smart cities, mobility, circular economy, energy efficiency and storage. This will provide Repsol with opportunities to invest in new ideas and create commercial opportunities for new solutions. EIT InnoEnergy’s network represents the very best of Europe’s energy industry, research experts and higher education institutions.

Through this the partnership, Repsol will reinforce its Corporate Venturing Model, which has an allocation of €85 million for the 2016-2020 period. The Corporate Venturing Model is Repsol’s open innovation strategy geared to complement the company’s internal capabilities in R&D.

Mikel Lasa, Iberia CEO at EIT InnoEnergy, commented: “Transitioning to a sustainable energy sector is one of the biggest challenges facing Europe today, and no company can do it alone. Our role is to provide the right ecosystem to forward-thinking companies, so they can meet the right people, connect with the right partners and harness the right skills, to accelerate their company’s position. The energy transition is a marathon, not a sprint, and we’re the coach right beside companies of all shapes and sizes – advising and guiding them to have the biggest impact.”

Jaime Martín, Technology and Corporate Venturing Corporate Director, Repsol

Our ethos mirrors that of EIT InnoEnergy’s; from reducing emissions to focusing on the human side of the energy transition, which is why this partnership made complete sense. As part of our updated strategic plan for 2020, one of our pillars is about the development of new businesses linked to the energy transition. By forming this alliance with EIT InnoEnergy, we can work towards that goal through its innovation ecosystem to reduce our carbon footprint and build new capabilities.

The largest Ukrainian power generation and distribution company, DTEK, and EIT InnoEnergy have signed a Gold Membership agreement, along with innovation scouting in Krakow. The agreement has been signed by Emanuele Volpe, chief innovation officer at DTEK and Jakub Miler, CEO of EIT InnoEnergy Central Europe.

As a Gold Partner, DTEK has already been part of the ‘PowerUp!’ competition and Emanuele Volpe was among the judges of PowerUp’s grand final, selecting the best start-ups in the field of energy in Central and Eastern Europe in Krakow on 21 May.

Elements of the co-operation include: • innovation scouting in the European energy landscape, • initiatives of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and EIT InnoEnergy – European

Battery Alliance, • co-operation with over 500 international partners from industry and the academic community, business and public sector, during The Business Booster conference and exhibition of innovations.

Jakub Miler, the CEO of EIT InnoEnergy Central Europe, said: “EIT InnoEnergy’s job is to shorten the transition time to a sustainable energy system in Europe. We are glad to welcome Ukraine’s flagship energy company to our platform. We will work together to find the best solutions and share the best practices from all over Europe, so we both get closer to our goals.”

DTEK is Ukraine’s largest energy group, with assets in coal mining, electricity generation and distribution, alternative energy and gas production. The synergy of coal producing and electricity generating companies, advanced technologies, professional management and high social standards help DTEK maintain its leading positions in the fuel and energy market of Ukraine.

Emanuele Volpe, Chief Innovation Officer, DTEK

DTEK provides European rules and values in Ukrainian energy markets. Together with EIT InnoEnergy, we would like to embrace European innovation as well. Innovation is changing the world and we are ready to become part of these changes. We are looking for solutions in gas and coal production, thermal generation, renewable energy, grids, e-mobility, energy efficiency and customer services.

Dutch clean energy conglomerate Koolen Industries has become a shareholder of EIT InnoEnergy, to accelerate the commercialisation of clean energy start-ups. By joining forces they will combine sectoral expertise and broad industry contacts to support technology start-ups that focus on sustainability solutions.

Entrepreneur Kees Koolen, an early investor in Uber and former CEO of booking.com, founded Koolen Industries in early 2019 with the ambition to make clean energy accessible and affordable. Since then, Koolen Industries has invested in a number of projects, such as lithium battery company Super B and smart charging company Floading, to increase the positive impact they can have on the environment.

“Koolen Industries appreciates the value we add to the start-up landscape. By welcoming them as a shareholder, we can achieve synergies,” said Jacob Ruiter, CEO of EIT InnoEnergy Benelux. “Kees Koolen’s entrepreneurial flare and extensive global network will invigorate our offering and take our existing start-up portfolio to the next level. The investment will help us jointly deepen our engagements with sustainability companies, at a time when the climate crisis continues to intensify. This coming together of two powerful forces will help us speed up the transition to a low carbon future”, he added.

EIT InnoEnergy provides funding as well as helping start-ups reduce the involved risk and shorten the time to market. In addition to direct involvement, EIT InnoEnergy runs a flagship competition – Global Call for Start-ups – where the very best innovations within the cleantech space can win a place in one of the support programmes and a cash prize, to support their developments in sustainable energy fields, such as renewable energy, mobility and smart cities.

Kees Koolen, CEO, Koolen Industries

EIT InnoEnergy first caught my attention when I attended their Global Call for Start-ups finals in 2019, and I was impressed. Our paths have also overlapped on start-ups. We’re both investors in Hardt Hyperloop and Elestor, which is a clear indication that we have the same eye for success. The access gained by becoming a shareholder in EIT InnoEnergy will allow us to invest early in crucial innovations and maximise value as the start- -ups we support speed up their journey to commercial success.

French multinational technology and digital transformation consultancy Capgemini has become a shareholder in EIT InnoEnergy. By combining both companies’ expertise, it is possible to accelerate the commercialisation of sustainable energy start-ups to help tackle climate change.

Headquartered in Paris, France, Capgemini operates in more than 40 countries, with 200,000 employees. Driven by the desire to be part of the climate change solution, Capgemini has become increasingly involved with EIT InnoEnergy over the past 18 months. After several successful collaborations including events and project initiatives, the duo has cemented their partnership by making Capgemini an EIT InnoEnergy shareholder.

“Like us, Capgemini sees it as their civic responsibility to help address carbon emissions and support the energy transition. The investment, coupled with their expertise in digital disruption, will help us jointly deepen our contribution to solving this major societal problem, at a time when the climate crisis continues to intensify. Our coming together will help us speed up the transition to a low carbon future”, said Richard Biagioni, CEO of EIT InnoEnergy France.

One initiative that Capgemini and EIT InnoEnergy have already shared success in is that of French start-ups Alpinov X, Sylfen and Nawa Technologies. While EIT InnoEnergy provides round the clock support, each startup has also benefited from the specialist expertise of a Capgemini consultant on a short-term secondment. The secondment allowed each start-up to develop varying aspects of their business including market strategy, operational excellence and customer engagement.

EIT InnoEnergy has also gained support from Capgemini’s Invent business line to structure and support the activities of the EBA250 initiative in building a competitive European battery sector. The support includes identifying business opportunities, implementation of innovative projects along the value chain, and building industry expertise in minerals mining and recycling.

Florent Andrillon, Vice President and Energy Transition Lead, Capgemini

While Capgemini already has its own workstream – Invent for Society – to realise this ambition, we see partnering with EIT InnoEnergy as an unrivalled opportunity to create synergies through their dynamic community of start-ups and partners. We look forward to extending the circle of innovation across Europe through research, projects and talents, hand in hand with EIT InnoEnergy.

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ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2019