Naturgy has been collaborating for a few years in the impulse and growth of projects that generate a structural change in the energy system and contribute to the energy transition, in areas such as efficiency and responsible consumption, renewable gases, sustainable mobility, circular economy or waste management.
The objective of energy with this program is to help and promote entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs to consolidate their positive impact solution in the environment, as a sign of the company’s commitment to innovation and society.
The ‘Connecting Energy’ program offers financial support of 25,000 euros to one of the participating projects to validate its solution thanks to a pilot within the company and, a second prize of 5,000 euros for the startup with better evolution within the program.
In addition, the chosen projects are part of a six -month mentorization program that connects them with the company’s professionals, who provide entrepreneurs from their knowledge and wide and varied experience, orienting them about the needs of the sector and helping them through specific training to develop their company plan, define their growth strategy and give them the impulse they need to achieve their objectives.
The Naturgy platform has incubated more than 40 startups through a team consisting of more than 50 mentors and specialists with experience in all areas of the value chain of the energy sector, allowing them to develop a business plan, create a proof of concept or prototyp their solution.
Jesús Chapado, head of Naturgy innovation, values the program ‘Connecting Energy’ as promoter of sustainable innovation. “Our goal is to develop an ecosystem that allows addressing a collaborative and open innovation, capable of responding quickly to the signals of change in the environment,” says Chapado.
Winning projects
Throughout its four calls, ‘Connecting Energy’ has contributed to accelerating projects of various kinds, from technologies linked to efficiency in operations to sustainable mobility solutions.
In the first edition, the winner was the Clevergy project, with a platform for marketers and installers that allows the improvement of the relationship with customers and centralizes operations. The Evorgy project, with a digital platform oriented to operations and maintenance for installers of the solar sector, was the winner of the second edition. In the third edition, the recognition was for the Startup Calpech, with a project for the development of iron nanoparticles applied in environmental decontamination and energy valuation.
Last year, the winner of the fourth edition was the Startup Sevillana Biomixing, an initiative-born in 2022 as a spin-off of the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Fluid Mechanics of the University of Seville-that is dedicated to the optimization of bioreactors. After being winners, Biomixing works with Naturgy on a pilot plant to test its technology.
The deadline for the presentation of candidacies ends on October 19.