Protecting your online presence as a startup founder

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05/19/2025

Sustainability Meets Innovation: Turning Urban Surfaces into Climate Solutions

In this interview, we speak with the founder of Motek Bio Panels – a pioneering GreenTech startup transforming underused urban spaces into living, CO₂-capturing systems. Discover how bio-based materials like mycelium and algae are being used to make cities not only greener but also healthier and more resilient in the face of climate change.

Could you please explain the core innovation of your startup?

We are transforming unused urban surfaces – which are often environmentally harmful – into active contributors in the fight against climate change. Our bio panels, made from waste materials like mycelium and algae, capture CO₂, improve building insulation, and can be reintegrated into the construction industry at the end of their life. In essence, we are bringing nature back into the human ecosystem through a fully circular process that regenerates rather than extracts.

Which specific problem in sustainability do you solve?

We address three major urban challenges: CO₂ emissions, the urban heat island effect, and the lack of green surfaces in dense cities. Our panels actively clean the air, reduce building temperatures, and introduce living organisms into hard, gray environments. Unlike global carbon offsetting solutions, we capture CO₂ locally – in the very streets where people walk and breathe. This means we not only contribute to the global climate fight but also directly improve urban air quality for city dwellers.

What distinguishes your solution from existing technologies?

Most green walls are passive and aesthetic; industrial carbon capture systems are centralized, expensive, and energy-intensive. Our panels offer a distributed, nature-based, low-energy carbon capture system that integrates seamlessly into existing urban infrastructure. They are lightweight, modular, and made from agricultural waste. The panels are regularly replaced and reused as construction materials, enabling a continuous cycle of carbon sequestration. Our service model also simplifies adoption: buildings can subscribe to ongoing “living wall maintenance” with minimal intervention.

What technology is your innovation based on?

Our innovation lives at the intersection of biotechnology and architecture. The panels consist of a mycelium base – grown from agricultural waste – which is biodegradable, fire-resistant, and has excellent insulating properties. The active layer is a gel containing microalgae, which captures CO₂ up to 3–10 times more efficiently than traditional plants. This symbiotic system is inspired by lichens and is constantly refined through research and collaborations with scientists and materials experts.

How do you assess the scalability of your solution?

We believe this concept is highly scalable. The modular panels can be grown locally using abundant natural materials. Mycelium grows fast, algae are everywhere, and we use waste as input. We’re currently launching our first pilot in partnership with the Tel Aviv Municipality to collect performance data and optimize operations. From there, our goal is to roll out production kits, local installation teams, and a subscription-based model that can easily be adapted to different urban settings. We envision entire city streets and neighborhoods breathing with our panels.

What measurable positive impact does your technology have?

Initial lab results show that each square meter of panel can capture up to 1.5 kg of CO₂ per month depending on light and algae strain. That’s roughly equivalent to one mature tree per 10 m² per year. Panels also improve thermal insulation, potentially reducing cooling costs by up to 30%. Using mycelium grown on waste further reduces the project’s carbon footprint, adding another layer of sustainability to our circular model.

Where do you see your startup in the next three to five years?

We envision Motek Bio Panels becoming a mainstream green building solution adopted in leading cities worldwide. Our goal is to cover over 10,000 m² of walls and remove thousands of tons of CO₂ annually. Long-term, we want to redefine what city walls can be: not just static facades, but living, regenerative systems that support the planet and reconnect us with nature.

How do you view the GreenTech competitive landscape?

GreenTech is growing fast – and that’s a great sign. Our real competition isn’t other startups; it’s climate inaction. Our niche lies at the intersection of architecture and biology, a space still emerging. We believe our edge lies in creating healthier environments within the places people actually live – not just in remote forests or industrial capture sites. The challenge lies in proving material performance; the opportunity is in growing demand for decentralized, nature-based urban solutions.

What role do partnerships play in your success?

A huge one. We need strong cooperation with municipalities to navigate regulations and approve real-world implementation. We also collaborate with suppliers of city and agricultural waste, and with green building companies to upcycle our panels after their lifecycle ends. These collaborations enable us to create a closed-loop system, and we’re currently working with the Tel Aviv Municipality to launch our first pilot project.

How are you financing your growth?

We’re currently in a very early pre-seed phase. Development so far has been funded by the founding team, primarily through personal investment and a background in real estate development. We’ve developed key components – like the algae gel and mycelium base – and the next step is mass-producing our first real prototype. We aim to launch our pilot either in Tel Aviv or a European city. A seed round is planned to fund scaling, R&D, and team growth.

How does regulation affect your business?

It’s both a hurdle and a catalyst. On one hand, we need to comply with strict building and safety codes, especially for structural and living materials. On the other, rising green building standards, carbon reporting policies, and sustainability mandates are creating a wave of demand for exactly what we offer. We plan to position our panels as a tool to meet regulatory compliance in urban sustainability.

Why is the GreenTech Festival important for you?

It’s more than a showcase – it’s a meeting point for visionaries, innovators, and decision-makers who genuinely want to build a better world. The visibility, credibility, and connections we gain from events like this are invaluable. We’ve already met partners at similar events who want to explore pilots in new cities. It’s where our story meets the people who can help bring it to life.

What personally motivated you to found a GreenTech startup?

A deep love for both nature and cities. I was tired of watching buildings contribute to environmental damage instead of healing it. I wanted to integrate nature into our daily lives in a functional and poetic way. We are part of nature, and we deserve to live in an environment that reflects that. The technology is here – we just need to build with it.

What experiences have shaped your journey?

Relentless prototyping, learning that failure is feedback, and seeing the power of storytelling. Also, realizing how important it is to act as if your vision is already a reality. My advice to other founders: build a team that loves what they do, stay grounded, and treat every challenge as part of the path. It might seem like a fantasy sometimes, but with enough long-term vision, it’s absolutely possible.

How do you see the future of GreenTech?

Regenerative by default. The cities of the future will have breathing walls, food-producing roofs, and infrastructure that heals. Biomaterials, local production, and ecological restoration will become the new norm. GreenTech will no longer be a niche; it will be embedded in daily life. This is not about idealism – it’s about survival, and it’s already happening.

What makes the GreenTech Festival special?

It’s not just a stage – it’s a mirror of the future we want to create. The festival brings together passionate people from science, industry, and activism with a shared mission. The energy is focused, the conversations are meaningful, and for startups like ours, it’s the perfect place to meet believers, partners, and champions who can help us scale our impact.

If you’re curious to learn more about this startup, you can meet the founders live at the Greentech Festival in Berlin from May 20–22, 2025! We sincerely thank the founders for this inspiring interview.

Foto/Quelle: Motek Design Lab

Releaf Paper: Eco Packaging from Leaves Disrupts Paper

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05/09/2025

Releaf Paper Founder Alexander Sobolenko on stage with a presentation about Releaf Paper how it works!

Turning fallen leaves into paper — what may sound like a wild idea at first has evolved into an award-winning business model with huge potential for the circular economy. In the following interview, the team at Releaf Paper shares how a student science project grew into a sustainable alternative to traditional papermaking — and where their journey is headed next.

Let’s start with the basics — what exactly is Releaf Paper, and how did the idea of making paper from leaves even come about?

Story of Releaf Paper begins in 2017, when 16-year-old Ukrainian biotechnologist Valentyn Frechka created the first hand-made paper castings using fallen leaf fibers in his home laboratory. This success served as the basis for further research into the use of leaves. In 2021, Releaf Paper was founded, where Valentyn became one of the founders and head of technology. The France-based company continued R&D of leaves as a material, while working to bring its products to market. Fundamental research in the laboratory of Grenoble (France) completed the result of 6 years of work — Releaf Paper has created a scientifically proven technology for isolating fallen leaf fibers for use in paper production. The first products of the company, which is managed by one of the founders and CEO Alexander Sobolenko, have been successfully tested in a number of EU countries, and in 2024, the company opened its first industrial leaf processing pilot production near Paris.

We’re used to thinking of paper as coming from trees — when did you realise leaves could be a game-changer in the recycling world?

Valentyn Frechka, born in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region, came up with the idea during his time as a student at the Junior Academy of Sciences. While working on a research project, he set out to find alternative sources of cellulose. He initially explored agricultural waste like flax and straw but eventually turned his attention to other types of plant waste. Being someone who often spent time in the forest, he started considering fallen leaves. The idea didn’t come from a park stroll — it developed through structured research, but it was inspired by his close contact with nature. After months of lab work, he confirmed that leaf fiber had the right qualities for papermaking, and that’s where the Releaf Paper concept began.

What kind of leaves are we talking about here — and how do you actually turn urban leaf waste into high-quality paper?

We actually use almost all urban leaves in Europe and had a lot of tests with different kinds of green waste, for example pineapple leaves, and it works. The patented technology created by Releaf Paper allows the use of various methods of processing green biomass — from mechanical to thermo-chemical. The combination of different techniques makes it possible to obtain various products, from filler to full fiber with paper-making properties. This makes it possible to use these materials for a variety of applications: paperboards and containerboards, injection-molded containers, hygienic paper, bioplastics, etc. Both as the main raw material in its own right and as an additional component in combination with other types of fibers — recycled fibers or virgin wood.

In addition, the technology is flexible to different types of raw materials, allowing us to process stems of agricultural waste, grapes, and flowers in addition to leaves. Besides, the Releaf technology has been successfully used to valorize pineapple and palm frond waste.
Fillers created by mechanical processing are already produced by Releaf Paper in industrial volumes, while thermo-chemical fibers are undergoing the last stages of validation before mass production.

How does Releaf Paper compare to traditional paper when it comes to environmental impact, carbon footprint and resource use?

The company’s core product is Releaf Filler, a filler made from fallen leaves that is used to produce certain paper models by blending them with recycled fibers. The main consumers of the product are paper mills.

For manufacturers of paper packaging, the company offers several models of its own Releaf Paper brand of craft paper, from 80 to 170 g/m², which they use to produce bags, corrugated products, envelopes, and wrappers.

The company offers brand owners and retailers ready-made packaging solutions — from craft bags to boxes, and customization is available for larger volumes.

All Releaf Paper products are, of course, made using fallen leaves as the main ingredient, and without harming the environment.

Impact
– Only 0.066 kg CO₂ per kg during production (up to 70% lower compared to average* — global markets, open data)
– Only 0.002 l of water per kg during production
– <20 km logistics of raw materials
– 1 year time of restoration
– 55 days time of biodegradation

Releaf Paper manufacturing plant during the tour of interested parties

What were the biggest technical or logistical hurdles in creating a scalable leaf-based recycling process?

We have to make agreements with a variety of different partner cities in different countries to secure raw material availability.

Let’s talk scalability — how big could Releaf Paper realistically get, and what’s your vision for the next few years?

The company’s further development is to expand its local green waste recycling activities in other countries. To this end, Releaf Paper plans to set up at least 5 recycling facilities in Europe over the next 5 years. After that, the company plans to enter the US, Canada and Japan. In addition to green waste, Releaf Paper also plans to use agricultural waste, such as vegetable stalks, vineyard stalks, flowers, tropical fruits, and palm leaves.
Future business areas that Releaf has begun to explore based on its extensive knowledge of green waste include hygiene products, energy, and bioplastics.
In 2025, the company plans to raise at least €8 million in a Series A round.

A lot of startups aim to disrupt — do you see Releaf Paper more as a disruptor, or as a complement to the existing paper industry?

Yes, we really started as disruptors because we were full of enthusiasm and energy. Now we are more reality-based, because it is difficult to disrupt something that has been working for hundreds of years and is worth 350 billion dollars a year. That’s why we are more of those who do not let the paper industry rest in peace.

How do you source the leaf waste — do you partner with municipalities, or is it more of a decentralized model?

We use all opportunities. Because even in France every municipality has its own process of utilization of green waste. So, yes, basically we start with negotiations with municipalities and then try all other options including private subcontractors.

As soon as we announced that we had started producing paper from leaves, we were approached by L’Oréal, Weleda, Samsung, and Ariston within a few weeks. It was extremely pleasant, especially in the case of L’Oréal, because their COO had been trying to contact us for more than a month, and he finally succeeded. In 2 months, we fulfilled the first orders for all of the above brands.

The picture shows paper bags and cardboard boxes made from tree leaves!

You’ve won awards and attracted media attention — how do you stay grounded while building something with such massive potential?

Releaf’s commitment to the circular economy was recognized and awarded by WWF, Canopy Planet, Google for Startups, EBRD, LVMH Innovative Award, and a series of Sustainability Awards. In 2024, Releaf’s technology became the 2nd best invention by the European Patent Office. In 2025, Releaf Paper was selected as a finalist in the Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year Award by nova-Institute, recognizing our breakthrough in turning fallen leaves into high-performance packaging. Additionally, we were honored with the ALL4PACK Innovation Award 2024 in the Innovative Materials category, highlighting our commitment to eco-friendly packaging.

While these accolades are gratifying, they serve as milestones rather than endpoints. Our focus remains on the continuous development and refinement of our technology, ensuring that we deliver practical and sustainable solutions. The real reward lies in the tangible impact of our work — reducing deforestation, managing urban waste effectively, and contributing to a circular economy. It’s this mission-driven approach that keeps our team grounded and motivated.

Beyond paper, do you see other uses for leaf-based materials in the future — maybe packaging or even textiles?

Our USP (Unique Selling Proposition) is “Stylish recyclable packaging materials, produced from locally sourced green waste, for local environmentally responsible businesses.” So it’s not only about paper itself, more about packaging. One day it may be even textiles, yes, it’s possible.

Last one: if you could send one message to the traditional paper industry, what would it be?

The way it was before — won’t work anymore. Let’s unite efforts to reshape the paper industry.

If you’re curious to learn more about this startup, you can meet the founders live at the Greentech Festival in Berlin from May 20–22, 2025! We sincerely thank the founders for this inspiring interview.

Foto/Quelle: Releaf Paper

What if the secret to better work isn’t doing more, but doing less?

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04/23/2025

EARLY is a time management tool that helps individuals and teams focus better by making time tracking simple, insightful, and non-intrusive

What is the founding story of EARLY, and who is behind the idea?

EARLY was originally founded as Timeular by Manuel Bruschi, Thomas Wolf, Christian Zanzotti, and Manuel Zoderer. The product started as a simple way to track time — built for teams who wanted clarity over how they spent their day without the usual hassle of timesheets. Over time, the product grew alongside the way people worked. Hybrid teams, remote work, and constant context switching changed what users needed from us.

That’s why we rebranded to EARLY. It’s the same team and the same product at its core but with a bigger ambition: helping people manage their time better, not just track it. Teams using EARLY track, on average, over 97% of their work hours every week, ensuring they maximize billable time and prevent revenue leakage while enabling more confident, data-driven decisions.

I joined as CEO to lead that next chapter. Scaling EARLY into a product that stays out of the way, supports focus, and gives teams the clarity they need to do their best work.

How does EARLY help people use their time more productively?

The future of time tracking isn’t about control; it’s about freedom.

EARLY gives teams clarity without getting in their way. No micromanaging. No creepy surveillance. Just simple, honest insights that help people work better on their own terms.

Productivity isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters. Ultimately, most tools add noise. We remove it.

What is your approach to fostering time awareness, especially among younger users?

Younger users don’t want to be told how to work and they definitely don’t want to feel like they’re being watched. This is why our approach is simple: give people data, not judgment.

When you can see where your time actually goes without the guilt and the noise, you naturally start to make different choices. It’s about awareness, not optimisation. We’re not trying to turn people into robots. Instead, we’re trying to give them the information they need to protect their time and spend it on things that matter to them.

How does EARLY differ from other time-tracking or productivity tools?

Most time-tracking tools feel like they were built for someone else, usually managers keeping tabs, not people doing the work.

EARLY is built for the person sitting at the desk. It’s simple. I believe the best tools disappear into the background. EARLY helps people notice patterns in how they work without interrupting them or adding more to their plate. It’s about awareness rather than control, as the goal is to help people protect their time, not account for every second of it.

Who exactly is your target audience – students, young professionals, or a broader group?

The focus isn’t really on job titles or industries. It’s about people who care where their time goes, whether that’s freelancers, teams, or anyone just trying to cut through the noise and focus better. It’s less about a specific job title and more about a shared problem.

How are you evolving the app to stay aligned with the needs of your community?

The feedback loop never stops. We talk to our users daily, from new users figuring things out to long-time users whose needs have evolved. Most of the changes we make come straight from those conversations. What’s working, what’s blocking progress, what feels clunky, and what’s being overlooked.

The goal isn’t to build more features for the sake of it. It’s to keep refining what people use every day and quietly remove everything else.

What does “working productively” mean to you in today’s digital world?

For me, it’s pretty simple. It’s being clear on what matters and having the space to get it done.

Most people aren’t struggling because they’re lazy. They’re struggling because their day is full of noise. Real productivity is about cutting through that and protecting enough space to actually think, focus, and do meaningful work. I believe productivity should feel effortless, not forced.

What is your long-term vision for EARLY?

Ironically, long-term, I want EARLY to be the tool people don’t think about because it just works. If it doesn’t make their life easier, it doesn’t belong in our product or strategy. Everything starts and ends with understanding their needs, frustrations, and behaviors.

It’s not about adding more features. It’s about making things simpler and ensuring EARLY always works to make people’s time better, not harder. We’re building for a future where work feels like it flows and is not a grind.

What is your team particularly proud of?

We’re proud of the culture we’ve built. Achieving this culture starts with giving people ownership. After all, the best ideas come when people feel like they have real skin in the game.

We like to say we’re not a family; we’re running buddies. What keeps us connected is a shared commitment to our goals and values and the belief that anyone can make a real impact if they’re aligned with the mission.

How do you respond to criticism or skepticism towards digital tools for self-organization?

I get the skepticism. With so much tech in our lives, adding another tool can feel like more noise. But the right tools shouldn’t add to the clutter; they should cut through it.

So, when people are unsure, I focus on how EARLY simplifies things. I’m all about creating a time-tracking experience that works for people, not against them. We know work life has changed, and our goal is to make time management easier and more proactive, without the distractions or frustration. It’s not about tracking every minute or task. It’s about giving people clarity on where their time goes so they can make better choices.

What three tips would you give to other leaders?

Embrace change. It’s the only constant. Playing it safe is the biggest risk you can take. Markets move, consumer behavior shifts, and if you don’t evolve, you’ll get left behind.

Focus on retention and engagement, not vanity metrics. If people aren’t sticking around, growth means nothing. Build something that keeps people coming back, and the numbers will follow.

Build in real time. Trends are easy to read, but executing in the moment is where the real work is. If you’re not adapting quickly and making things better as you go, you’re falling behind.

Thank you Mitchell Maynard for the Interview

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.

What Happens When Legal Minds Meet Machine Intelligence?

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04/23/2025

Ex Nunc Intelligence founder team picture Zoé Berry and Kyriaki Bongard Picture@ Marie-Lou Dumauthioz/Tamedia — Lausanne, le mardi 18 mars 2025. ExNunc, start up lausannoise qui compte faciliter le travail des juristes grâce à l'intelligence artificielle. Les deux fondatrices de Ex Nunc Intelligence, Kyriaki Bongard (d) et Zoé Berry (g). (Marie-Lou Dumauthioz/Tamedia)

Ex Nunc Intelligence is a Swiss LegalTech company that empowers legal professionals with AI-driven tools to streamline research, enhance decision-making, and transform legal knowledge into strategic insight.

Could you introduce Ex Nunc Intelligence and the team behind it? What inspired you to focus on AI-powered strategic foresight?

Ex Nunc Intelligence is a Swiss-based legal technology company – the 1st LegalTech from EPFL – that empowers legal professionals with advanced AI tools to navigate complexity and redefine how they access, manage and leverage legal knowledge.

The founding team — Zoé, Kyriaki, and Thomas — brings a unique blend of legal and tech expertise. Before starting the venture, Zoé (tax specialist) and Kyriaki (lawyer) were working together and experienced firsthand the recurring inefficiencies in legal research and knowledge management. Thomas, with his deep expertise in AI and data science, joined to help turn that insight into a scalable, intelligent platform. The idea for Ex Nunc was born out of real-world frustrations and a shared ambition to transform legal knowledge into a strategic asset.

What is your core mission at Ex Nunc Intelligence, and how do you plan to make long-term impact in the decision intelligence space?

Our mission is to redefine the way legal professionals access, manage, and leverage legal knowledge. By combining cutting-edge AI with a structured legal database, we provide a strategic assistant that helps users reduce time spent on complex legal tasks from hours to minutes. Our long-term impact lies in our ability to turn fragmented legal data into a reliable and scalable decision-support infrastructure.

How does your platform help organizations make sense of complexity and uncertainty in their strategic planning?

Silex, our platform, acts as a legal co-pilot. It digests vast volumes of legal texts, jurisprudence and other legal documents to provide clear, context-aware answers and drafting assistance. This helps legal departments and law firms reduce uncertainty by basing their planning on complete, up-to-date, and verifiable legal information, significantly mitigating risks linked to gaps or inconsistencies in knowledge.

Who are the primary users of your technology, and how do you tailor your solutions to the needs of different industries or public sector actors?

Our primary users are legal professionals: law firms, corporate legal departments, insurances with legal protections, financial and public institutions.

Each of them shares a core need: conducting legal research efficiently. That’s where Silex comes in — by offering direct, structured, and intelligent access to the legal information they need. But beyond research, Silex also supports drafting, providing users with substantive-level control, not just formal structuring. This is made possible thanks to our proprietary legal database and the way our AI models are trained to master legal knowledge, reasoning, and methodology. We co-develop features through our Legal Lab to ensure that Silex integrates seamlessly into their specific workflows, terminology, and jurisdictional requirements.

Many talk about risk. How does Ex Nunc Intelligence turn early signals into concrete, actionable insights?

Our platform continuously processes and indexes legal updates, regulatory changes, and new case law. Through our proprietary pipeline, these signals are translated into alerts, summaries, and suggested actions. By structuring the data and applying intelligent filters, we help users identify what truly matters early on and what concrete actions to take.

What sets your approach apart from other players in the field of risk analytics or scenario planning?

We do not position ourselves as a risk analytics or scenario planning company. What sets us apart is our focus on equipping legal professionals with structured, pre-processed, and context-aware legal information, enabling them to make faster, more informed decisions. We may suggest relevant directions or highlight critical insights, but the strategic choices always remain in the hands of the professional. Rather than replacing legal judgment, Silex enhances it — by surfacing the right information at the right time, grounded in solid legal reasoning and methodology.

Could you walk us through a real-world use case or scenario where your system made a measurable difference?

One of the most striking reactions we often witness during product demos is when we let legal professionals try Silex themselves. They enter a legal question — sometimes quite complex — and within seconds, they get a clear, structured, and sourced answer. At that moment, you can see the surprise on their faces, and they react spontaneously with genuine amazement — often explaining that this exact research took them hours, sometimes even days, to complete !

It’s a powerful moment that speaks for itself. It’s not just about saving time — it’s about experiencing a true paradigm shift in how legal knowledge is accessed and used. We’ve seen this reaction consistently across law firms, corporate legal teams, and public institutions, confirming that Silex fundamentally transforms the legal research workflow.

What were some of the biggest technical or operational challenges you faced while developing your platform – and how did you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges we faced was harmonizing the chaos of legal data — ensuring consistent quality despite the vast disparity in formats, sources, and structures. Bringing together the various sources of law into a unified, reliable database required both hard work and smart engineering.

Another major challenge was making a search engine work at scale: retrieving the right information quickly and accurately across millions of data points. This involved building robust indexing pipelines, developing custom preprocessing tools, and continuously optimizing relevance and performance.

Ultimately, we overcame these hurdles through a combination of deep legal expertise, strong collaboration with our users, and a relentless focus on precision, speed, and scalability.

Where do you see Ex Nunc Intelligence heading in the next 3 to 5 years? Are there specific sectors or regions you aim to expand into?

Our next steps include expanding across Switzerland — from French-speaking regions to German- and Italian-speaking ones. We also plan to enter in neighbourouding countries and in the EU as the second step. In terms of product we have a super exciting roadmap but we are very discrete about what we’re bulinding until it’s out there.

What role do partnerships play in your growth strategy – and are you currently seeking collaborations?

Partnerships are an important pillar of our growth strategy. We collaborate not only with public institutions, but also with private organizations. Several exciting partnerships are currently being finalized, and we look forward to sharing more details soon. We are always open to new collaborations that align with our vision.

What three pieces of advice would you give to other founders building tech-driven solutions in highly complex domains?

Co-create with your users from day one — complexity requires alignment with real practices.

Invest early in data architecture — your models are only as good as your underlying data.

Don’t wait for perfection — deploy fast, learn continuously, and iterate openly.

Picture: Ex Nunc Intelligence founder team picture Zoé Berry and Kyriaki Bongard Picture@ Marie-Lou Dumauthioz/Tamedia

Thank you Zoé Berry and Kyriaki Bongard for the Interview

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.

EM-POWER EUROPE 2025: How Startups Reshape Energy

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04/17/2025

Smart Grids Reloaded: How Startups at EM-POWER EUROPE 2025 Are Reinventing the Energy Game

The energy transition doesn’t need another roadmap – it needs doers. And that’s exactly who’ll be showing up at EM-POWER EUROPE 2025 in Munich from 7–9 May 2025.

Wind and solar are breathing new life into the grid – and bringing a fair bit of chaos too. Renewable energy shows up when it wants, not necessarily when we need it. Meanwhile, heat pumps, EVs, and decentralised power sources are flipping the old system on its head. What used to be a predictable setup is now a buzzing network of supply, demand, and real-time control.

The key to making it all work? Flexibility. And that’s where the startups in Hall C5 come in. They’re bringing serious speed, smart tech, and a clear mission: to make the grid smarter, faster, and more profitable.

Spine GmbH: The App Store for the Power Grid

Picture this: your electricity meter turns into a smart control hub – and you manage your energy with apps, just like on your phone. That’s the vision behind Munich-based Spine GmbH. The founders, all from the solar space, created a software platform that runs locally on a small box inside your fuse cabinet. You can install apps that optimise your energy use based on market prices or grid needs.

The clever part? One single piece of hardware is enough. “It just doesn’t make sense to install a new device for every single function,” says CEO Martin Stötzel. With Spine, you get everything in one – dynamic pricing, grid stability, EV charging – all handled via one central system. It’s built for utilities, installers, and property companies looking to offer customers a smart, straightforward solution.

It might look like a neat shortcut – but it’s actually a tool that pushes energy digitisation to the next level, without tech headaches for users.

Bohr Energie: Small Producers, Big Impact

Got a PV system on the warehouse roof? A hydro plant in the valley? A battery in the basement? These used to be passive energy sources – now they’re potential players in the market. Bohr Energie, a startup from southern France, is helping small and mid-sized producers get in on the action.

From just 500 kW of capacity, producers can take part. Their software analyses market data in real time, picks the best moment to feed in electricity, and prevents losses from negative prices. No need to upgrade your tech – everything’s managed via an app. The energy is automatically sold at the best time in the background.

“We’re lowering the barrier to entry – our clients don’t have to be energy traders,” says co-founder Julien Haure. The startup bundles producers into a virtual aggregator that competes in the market. After a successful launch in France, they’re now going European. EM-POWER EUROPE 2025 is the perfect place to build connections – and win over investors.

Blindleister GmbH: Earning Money from the Invisible

Reactive power – sounds boring, right? But without it, power grids don’t work properly. It used to be supplied automatically by big power plants. Now, it’s a traded commodity – and that means an opportunity to earn.

Blindleister GmbH from Berlin spotted the potential. Their cloud-based software helps operators of PV systems, batteries, or wind turbines to monetise surplus reactive power. The result? A virtual power plant – just for grid stability.

“Usually, no new hardware is needed,” says CEO Niklas Reinhardt. The control runs via existing frequency converters. That’s a win for grid operators – and a new income stream for system owners. What sounds like a technical niche is actually a growing market with real-world value – especially in decentralised grid systems.

Narrowin GmbH: Cybersecurity for the Smart Grid

As power grids go digital, they also become more vulnerable. Whether it’s malware from the web or infected devices onsite – critical infrastructure now needs more protection than ever. Swiss-based Narrowin GmbH is all over it.

One of their standout tools is the “network diode” – a device no bigger than a power bank, placed between any system and the network. Think of it like a bouncer at a club: it inspects traffic both ways, and stops any dodgy data from getting in or out.

They’ve also developed the Network Explorer – a software that scans systems, finds vulnerabilities, maps your infrastructure, and helps teams react quickly. “Especially in networks with lots of sensors and controllers, it creates clarity and control,” says co-founder Tim Senn. From substations and local utilities to hospitals – Narrowin brings cybersecurity where it’s often missing.

Hall C5: Where Energy Startups Get Seen

The startup area of EM-POWER EUROPE 2025 isn’t a showroom – it’s a control room for fresh ideas. Over 4,000 square metres, nearly 150 young companies meet investors, customers, partners, and media. They’re not just demoing concepts – they’re showcasing market-ready products, often already in use but with massive scaling potential.

Whether you’re a network operator, city utility, or energy consultant – if you’re looking for real solutions, you’ll find them here. If you’re looking for funding, you’ll meet decision-makers. And if you’re trying to understand how tomorrow’s grid will really work, this is the place to be. In short: Hall C5 is the beating heart of energy innovation.

EM-POWER EUROPE 2025: A Must for Anyone Driving Energy Innovation

EM-POWER EUROPE 2025 is more than a trade fair – it’s an innovation platform. It brings together the people building a new energy system: digital, decentralised, and data-led. As part of The smarter E Europe, it runs alongside Intersolar Europe, ees Europe, and Power2Drive Europe – forming Europe’s biggest energy industry event with over 3,000 exhibitors and more than 110,000 visitors.

You’ll find everything from batteries and EV charging to energy marketplaces. Plus, the EM-POWER EUROPE 2025 Conference features international experts discussing how to make grids smarter, prosuming more attractive, and flexibility the new gold standard.

Bottom Line: Startups Are Driving the Energy Transition – and EM-POWER EUROPE 2025 Proves It

The energy sector is moving fast – and not just in labs. Real-world tools are reshaping how we generate, manage, and distribute power. These are founders turning bold ideas into scalable, practical solutions.

In Hall C5, you’ll see exactly how. Not just prototypes, but ready-to-roll technologies, smart business models, and teams who know how to balance grid stability, efficiency, and profitability.

Spine turns your meter box into an energy command centre. Bohr Energie uses algorithms to trade each kilowatt at the perfect time. Blindleister shines a light on reactive power – turning an overlooked asset into a revenue stream. And Narrowin secures the digital backbone of our future grid.

For startups, investors, and innovation leaders, EM-POWER EUROPE 2025 offers a hands-on glimpse into a new energy logic – open, digital, and economically sound. Not a vision, but a market in motion.

Isar Aerospace launches Europe’s first orbital rocket

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03/31/2025

Isar Aerospace Spectrum Lift-off in Norway wit Rocks in the backround! — Isar Aerospace Spectrum Lift-off (c) Isar Aerospace, Brady Kenniston, NASASpaceflight.com

Isar Aerospace: Europe’s First Commercial Orbital Rocket Takes Off

Isar Aerospace Makes Space History

A Munich-based startup has done what no one else in Europe has: successfully launching the continent’s first orbital-capable rocket from mainland Europe. The short test flight from Norway’s Andøya Spaceport might have lasted just 30 seconds – but it’s a giant leap for Europe’s space ambitions.

Europe’s Journey to Space – Powered by Isar Aerospace

At exactly 12:30 PM Central European Summer Time on 30 March 2025, it finally happened: Spectrum, Europe’s first privately developed orbital launch vehicle, lifted off from Andøya Spaceport in Norway. Built by German space startup Isar Aerospace, the rocket embarked on its maiden flight.

Roughly 30 seconds after launch, the flight was intentionally terminated as planned, and the rocket made a controlled descent into the sea. Far from a failure, this marks a successful debut: key systems were tested, flight data collected – and the next launch is already on the horizon.

CEO Daniel Metzler sums it up: “Our first test flight met all expectations. We had a clean liftoff, 30 seconds of flight – and we even validated our flight termination system.”

What Does an “Orbital Launch” Actually Mean?

Simple: it’s when a rocket is launched far and fast enough to enter Earth’s orbit. This kind of mission is essential for things like telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, and climate research.

What made this flight so special? It was the first time an orbital-capable rocket launched from continental Europe. Until now, these kinds of missions mostly took place outside Europe – like in French Guiana (Ariane) or the US (SpaceX, Rocket Lab).

Andøya: The New Launch Hub for European Spaceflight

Norway’s Spaceport Could Be a Gamechanger

Located in northern Norway, Andøya Spaceport isn’t just another launch site – it’s the first and only operational launch facility for orbital rockets on the European mainland. Norway’s Civil Aviation Authority was also the first in Europe to issue a civilian licence for this kind of test flight.

Roll-Out Spectrum Isar Aerospace with snow and Rocks in the Backround! — Roll-Out Spectrum (C) Isar Aerospace, Photo Robin Brillert, Wingmen Media

Daniel Metzler highlights the importance of collaboration: “Takk, Norge – thank you to Andøya Spaceport and the entire community. We’ve found bold and reliable partners here to build Europe’s path to space.”

From Uni Project to Market Leader?

A Munich Startup Success Story
Founded in 2018 by three aerospace students from the Technical University of Munich, Isar Aerospace has quickly become one of Europe’s most exciting NewSpace startups.

It all started in the MakerSpace of UnternehmerTUM, where the first prototypes were built. Fast forward to today, and the company has over 300 employees, raised more than €400 million in venture capital – from investors like HV Capital and Lakestar – and now manufactures in Ottobrunn, near Munich.

**The Rocket: What Can Spectrum Do?**

Length: 28 metres
Payload capacity: up to 1,000 kg to low Earth orbit (LEO)
Target customers: small and medium-sized satellites
Unique selling point: nearly all parts, including the engines, are made in-house

In short, Spectrum is Europe’s answer to the growing global demand for flexible, affordable satellite launches. Right now, launch capacity is tight, slots are expensive, and fully booked months in advance.

Why a Short Flight Is Still a Big Win

Data, Safety, and Trust
With any rocket launch – especially a first flight – it’s not just about getting to orbit. It’s about learning.

This test mission was deliberately stopped after 30 seconds – a standard procedure to test the flight termination system: a safety feature that allows a mission to be ended in a controlled way if something goes wrong.

Daniel Metzler CEO Isar Aerospace in Front of a Rocket! — Copyright Isar Aerospace Daniel Metzler CEO

According to CEO Metzler, everything worked as planned: “We proved we can design, build and launch a rocket. Now it’s time to analyse the data and get ready for the next one.”

What’s Next?

Serial Production and More Launches
The rockets for flights #2 and #3 are already in production. What’s special here: Isar Aerospace uses vertical integration – meaning they produce almost everything themselves, from engines to electronics.

At their new facility in Ottobrunn, up to 40 rockets can be built per year. That means scale, speed, and independence.

Bulent Altan, Chairman of Isar Aerospace and former SpaceX executive, is optimistic: “It usually takes a few attempts to reach orbit – but I believe Isar Aerospace will be among the fastest to get there.”

Europe’s Space Future Needs Startups Like Isar Aerospace

Independent Access to Space Is Becoming Crucial
Given today’s geopolitical climate, Europe needs its own space infrastructure – and that means one thing above all: independent access to orbit.

Thanks to Isar Aerospace’s successful test flight, Europe has taken a huge step in that direction. With cutting-edge tech, a launch site in Norway, and scalable production in Germany, this startup is a real beacon of hope for Europe’s space future.

Photo/Source: (c) Isar Aerospace, Brady Kenniston, NASASpaceflight.com
Photo/Source: (c) Isar Aerospace, Photo Robin Brillert, Wingmen Media Photo/Source: (c) Isar Aerospace,

TUM sets record: 103 start-ups launched in 2024

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03/30/2025

TUM Smashes Record: 103 Start-ups in a Single Year

A powerful signal for Germany’s innovation landscape

Record-breaking figures out of Munich: In 2024, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) saw more than 100 start-ups launched for the first time ever – 103 to be exact. It’s a historic milestone that not only cements TUM’s reputation as Germany’s top start-up university but also sends a clear message about the strength and future-readiness of the country’s innovation ecosystem.

“Over 100 spin-offs in a single year – that’s a milestone not just for TUM, but for Germany as an innovation hub, especially in these challenging economic and geopolitical times,” says TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann.

With this record-setting year, TUM firmly positions itself as a key player in Europe’s deep tech scene.

103 start-ups – and over 1,100 supported teams

The numbers speak for themselves:

In 2024, researchers, students and alumni from TUM founded 103 new start-ups.
Over 1,100 teams received support through programmes run by UnternehmerTUM and the TUM Venture Labs.
Since 2007, TUM has secured over 250 EXIST start-up grants – including 30 in 2024 alone, more than any other university in Germany.

This puts TUM not only at the top in terms of start-up activity, but also in securing public funding – a clear sign of the quality and professionalism of its start-up support.

Europe’s top start-up hub: UnternehmerTUM

The Financial Times recently confirmed what the start-up world already knew: UnternehmerTUM – TUM’s innovation and entrepreneurship centre – is the leading start-up hub in Europe.

And it’s about much more than just start-up advice. Start-ups at UnternehmerTUM get access to high-tech labs, sector-specific expertise, mentoring programmes, investor networks – all under one roof.

Plus, UnternehmerTUM brings together start-ups and established players. In so-called “Co-Labs,” start-up teams work directly with SMEs, large corporations, tech giants, and public institutions on real-world solutions. This model of open innovation is one of the keys to its global success.

TUM Venture Labs: tailored support for start-ups

One of the most innovative parts of the ecosystem is the TUM Venture Labs. Spread across 12 key technology areas – from quantum tech and healthcare to aerospace – the labs offer not just access to cutting-edge research, but also tailored market support.

What makes them unique: the support is designed for every stage of the start-up journey, from initial idea to scaling. And because the labs are deeply integrated into the university’s scientific infrastructure, tech transfer happens faster and more effectively.

21 unicorns, one decacorn – and plenty of potential

Success at TUM isn’t just about funding figures – it shows in market value too:

21 start-ups from the TUM ecosystem have already reached unicorn status.
Celonis became Germany’s first decacorn, valued at over $10 billion.

Other standout stories – like Lilium (electric air taxis), Isar Aerospace (space rockets), and Konux (AI for railway infrastructure) – show just how diverse and impactful the TUM start-up scene really is.

Interdisciplinary, international, investable

What makes the “Munich Model” so special? The mix.

At TUM, engineers collaborate with medical researchers, social scientists with AI experts. This kind of cross-discipline teamwork is rare in Europe – and it results in start-ups tackling a wide range of socially relevant challenges.

Add to that a strong international network: through the EuroTech Universities Alliance, TUM is closely linked with top tech universities across Europe. Global programmes help open doors to international markets and funding.

Speaking of funding – UnternehmerTUM also runs its own venture capital fund, investing directly in promising start-ups. Another piece of the puzzle that makes the ecosystem so successful.

What other universities can learn from TUM

TUM shows what structured, strategic support for entrepreneurship can look like – not as a side project, but as a core mission.

That includes:

Early encouragement of entrepreneurial thinking in teaching
Close integration of research and start-up support
Professional, long-term infrastructure instead of ad-hoc initiatives
A leadership team that visibly prioritises innovation

The Munich Model could be a blueprint for any university aiming to turn academic excellence into real-world impact.

Conclusion: TUM shows what the future looks like

With 103 spin-offs in just one year, TUM has set a new benchmark. It’s not only Germany’s most successful start-up university but a major driver of Europe’s innovation strength.

By combining research excellence, an entrepreneurial mindset and a world-class support system, TUM proves that universities can become true innovation engines – with impact, unicorns and global reach.

Photo/Source: stock.adobe.com – Travel Faery

Has the gaming world just experienced its next big shift?

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03/10/2025

CrazyBit Founder Boris Gertsovsky — Screenshot

CrazyBit, an innovative game studio, leverages AI-driven technology to create immersive and dynamic player experiences

Can you take us through your journey in the gaming industry, from co-founding GDEV to launching Hero Wars?

Sure! I’m Boris Gertsovsky, and my journey in gaming has been quite the ride. I started CrazyBit back in 2011, a game studio that’s evolved over the years, but my passion for creating great games has never changed.

I’ve always been drawn to the entertainment industry because, for me, games aren’t just about fun—they’re about evoking emotions and experience. Over the years, I’ve been a producer, a game designer, an entrepreneur, and even took a company public through an IPO with a partner. But at the heart of it all, I just love making immersive worlds that pull players in.

CrazyBit has gone through a lot of changes, including merging with Progrestar to form Nexters (which later became GDEV). But now, CrazyBit is back, and we’re pushing boundaries like never before—using tech to build living, breathing game worlds where players truly shape their integral experiences.

What motivated you to transition from GDEV to reviving CrazyBit?

GDEV started as Nexters, a studio I co-founded with Andrey Fadeev, and CrazyBit was part of it from the beginning. But as things evolved, I felt the itch to go back to what I love most—building unique gaming experiences.

Now, CrazyBit is backed by FTT Labs, my new venture. It’s a startup accelerator, but with a hands-on approach. We’re funding projects and actively helping them grow. We focus on AI-driven innovation, not just in gaming but in other fields too—like brain mapping for cognitive disorders or AI tools for productivity.

With FTT Labs, my team and I are leveraging everything we’ve learned to solve complex business challenges. We believe the future of entertainment is about deeper, more personalized experiences.

Right now, we’re partnering with My.Games to develop and co-fund a brand-new PC and console game. We’re still in the “incubation” phase—building out the prototype and refining the vision.

How has your experience with Hero Wars shaped your vision at CrazyBit?

Hero Wars taught me that simple, accessible gameplay with strong long-term engagement is a winning formula. But with CrazyBit, I want to take it to another level. I want to create games where players don’t just follow a set path—they shape their own experiences.

I’m talking about worlds that evolve based on player choices, where interactions feel organic and immersive. Hero Wars was an incredible milestone in my journey, but with CrazyBit, I’m aiming for something even bigger.

Generative AI is changing game development. How do you see its role?

AI is a game-changer, no doubt. But it doesn’t replace human creativity; on the contrary, it serves as the ultimate co-author. It can challenge it, that’s right. But still, it’s our responsibility to train it, to ask the right questions, to adapt the model. It’s an exciting educational and gaming process, in my opinion.

AI can generate prototypes very quickly, handling the artists’ routine work, while they can focus on the details that bring characters to life. The same goes for voice-overs—you can adjust the simplest phrases without hiring professional actors.

I believe that AI becomes our co-pilot—something that helps us move faster and experiment more while keeping human creativity at the core. Still, ideation and validation remain for human brains.

Where do you see the gaming industry heading in the next 5-10 years?

I believe the whole entertainment industry, along with its approach to entertainment and its delivery, will change at its core. We observe how fast new AI models appear and update, and of course, new tech is being implemented into the game development process, probably at all levels.

Smarter NPCs, more dynamic worlds, and of course, more personalized experiences for players.

AI will be everywhere—it’s inevitable. There are still many concerns about its usage, but we already see how much time and resources it can save.

I’m even sure that very soon, experience in video games will become a mandatory part of many candidates’ resumes, as an indicator of strategic thinking, communication, flexibility, and creative skills.

What specific ways has CrazyBit integrated generative AI into its processes?

At CrazyBit, we see AI as a creative co-pilot. It helps us move faster, experiment more, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in game development.

As I said previously, AI speeds up a lot of concept generation, so artists can explore different styles and ideas in hours instead of weeks.

On the technical side, AI is incredibly useful for analyzing and systematizing original sources. It helps with coding, debugging, and even optimizing game balance by analyzing player behavior in real time.

Beyond game development, we use AI in marketing—for content creation, audience analysis.

What advice would you give to aspiring gaming entrepreneurs looking to make their mark in the industry?

Don’t try to be someone else—follow your unique path. Many newcomers in game development try to copy what’s already popular and successful, thinking that’s the safe bet. Copying without going through the entire, often difficult, journey from the birth of an idea to the implementation of mechanics—and especially their interaction—is a cargo cult that does not lead to an understanding of the essence and, as a result, makes proper development impossible.

Start small. Learn what works, iterate, and build something manageable before scaling up.

Be flexible. If something isn’t working, change it. Don’t underestimate the business side of things.

Of course, we all face failures. After all, what doesn’t kill us simply empowers and guides us. But I believe that experience should be evaluated in terms of its absolute value—its ability to teach and transform us, regardless of the outcome.

Find the strength to always double-check when you want to trust someone—don’t be lazy. It will help you avoid non-constructive conflicts and losses. And know when to walk away, both in business and in personal life.

Above all, don’t wait for the perfect moment to start. There isn’t one. If you’ve got an idea, start building now. The best way to learn is by doing, and the sooner you jump in, the sooner you’ll find your place in the industry.

How do you stay inspired and continue innovating in such a dynamic industry?

I have always been passionate about games and how they are made. Games are not just entertainment—they have existed for a very long time as the foundation of culture and society. I can’t say that breakthroughs come only with AI. Neuroscience, cognitive psychology, art and philosophy provide us insights that reshape how we think about intelligence and interaction.

I play games, and I see projects that are truly inspiring.

Thank you Boris Gertsovsky for the Interview

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.

Could this be the future of home fitness?

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02/05/2025