Berlin, Germany, 21st February 2024. The SET100 list for 2024 was published today by the global innovation platform Start-Up Energy Transition (SET). It showcases the 100 best climate tech start-ups that applied for the coveted SET Award – an international award for innovative technologies and business models in the fields of energy transition and climate protection. These companies are already demonstrating tried-and-tested solutions for the successful implementation of the energy transition. The SET Award, which has been presented by the German Energy Agency (dena) in cooperation with the World Energy Council since 2017, is an important milestone in recognising innovations in this field.

Corinna Enders, Chair of the dena Management Board, said: ‘Restructuring our energy systems is still the most effective way to combat the climate crisis. There is a greater need for action here than ever before, which is why innovative energy and climate technology solutions continue to play a central role. The SET100 list is therefore particularly worthwhile: It highlights promising start-ups and their great solutions and helps us keep track of technological trends. The SET100 list of 2024 can accelerate the energy transition and help us create a more flexible and sustainable energy system for the future.’

The SET Award 2024 finalists

The finalists of the SET Award 2024 were selected by an international jury of experts from over 430 applications from 75 countries. The 15 finalists compete in five industry-relevant categories: Clean Energy & Storage, Mobility & Transportation, Industry, Buildings & Construction and Quality Energy Access & SDG-7. The winners will be chosen at the final round of the global competition on 18 March 2024 in Berlin, where they will be able to present their solutions to an international jury of experts. The victors in each category will be announced on 19 March 2024 as part of the SET Tech Festival in Berlin and have the opportunity to pitch in front of an international audience at the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD). The start-ups in the categories are:

Clean Energy & Storage category

Cling Systems, Sweden, www.clingsystems.com
Cling is developing a digital infrastructure and a global service network to accelerate the circular economy. Its Circular Asset Management System (CAM system) provides solutions for the entire value chain, including trade, traceability and transport

South 8 Technologies, United States, www.south8.com
South 8 Technologies markets LiGas®, a patented liquid gas electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries that solves the ‘fire and ice’ problem in conventional liquid electrolytes. This solution is of great importance for cell manufacturers, end users of electric vehicles and energy storage providers.

H2SITE, Spain, www.h2site.eu
H2SITE focuses on hydrogen transportation solutions and has exclusive technologies for membrane reactors and separators. The company has built the first membrane production plant in Bilbao, Spain, and sells its products with a multi-year membrane supply contract that guarantees the purity and quantity of the hydrogen.

Mobility & Transportation category

Deftpower, Netherlands, www.deftpower.com
Deftpower is developing an advanced technology platform that coordinates electric drivers, their cars, charging points and the grid together in one sustainable ecosystem. The platform provides complete transparency and control over pricing and flexibility, putting the driver at the centre of all charging decisions.

Roam, Kenya, www.roam-electric.com
Roam electrifies motorbikes and buses, focussing on the East African market. The start-up is striving for a future in which all Africans have access to a sustainable, non-fragmented public transport system.

OtailO Returns, Israel, www.otailo.com
OtailO is revolutionising returns processing in retail through the use of AI and the circular economy. Their real-time calculations optimise returns while reducing CO2 emissions and protecting retailers’ margins.

Industry category

Magnotherm, Germany, www.magnotherm.com
Magnotherm technology is based on solid magnetocaloric materials, magnets and water, and has the potential to revolutionise cooling worldwide. It increases efficiency by up to 40 per cent and completely eliminates refrigerant gases, thereby avoiding direct greenhouse gas emissions.

pH7 Technologies, Canada, www.ph7technologies.ca
pH7 utilises a closed-loop process to recover critical metals from materials destined for landfill. This process significantly reduces the amount of wastewater produced, prevents the release of hazardous chemicals and enables the recovery of metals such as nickel, copper, platinum and iridium.

UP Catalyst, Estonia, https://upcatalyst.com/

UP Catalyst is a clean tech start-up focused on converting CO2 into carbon nanomaterials and graphite for a vast range of applications from electric car batteries to concrete and biomedicine. They effectively remove CO2 from the atmosphere and turn it into a commercially viable product instead of storing it.

Buildings & Construction category

QEA Tech, Canada, www.qeatech.com
QEA Tech carries out efficient energy audits for building portfolios in order to achieve decarbonisation targets. Drones, thermography and AI-based software are used to calculate energy losses and greenhouse gas emissions in order to forecast the profitability of refurbishment projects.

SolCold, Israel, www.solcold.co
SolCold is developing a sustainable, self-cooling coating that utilises sunlight to reduce the interior temperature of buildings or vehicles without consuming electricity.

Keey Aerogel, France, www.keey-aerogel.com
Keey Aerogel specialises in the conversion of construction waste such as cement, bricks and asbestos into high-quality insulating silica aerogels, thereby promoting the recycling of siliceous construction waste.

Quality Energy Access & SDG-7 category

VIDA, Germany, www.vida.place
VIDA is a map-based geodata software that contributes to achieving the SDGs, in particular SDG 7. It enables users to channel investments, assess sites and monitor impacts in order to implement solar energy solutions.

Agrisiti (Maatalous Nasah Int), Nigeria, www.agrisiti.com
Agrisiti is an agritech start-up that builds sustainable, energy-efficient hardware systems for food production. The devices are powered by solar energy to support the sustainable cultivation of food and process waste in biogas plants.

Takachar, India, www.takachar.com
Takachar converts crop and forest residues into biofuels, high-carbon fertilisers and high-value chemicals. Their portable systems can be attached to tractors or donkey carts without the need for external power or chemicals.

About Start-Up Energy Transition (SET)

SET is a global innovation platform founded by the German Energy Agency (dena) in 2016 with the support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The initiative continuously identifies key start-ups in the fields of energy transition and climate protection and connects them with companies, investors and other start-ups. The SET platform essentially consists of three pillars: the SET Award, the SET Tech Festival and the SET Newsroom. With now more than 3,500 applications from start-ups from over 100 countries and with over 40 global partners, SET pools international start-up expertise and continues to grow successfully as an innovation network in the energy sector. For further information about the SET initiative, visit www.startup-energy-transition.com