Staying ahead of the technology curve means strengthening your competitive advantage. That is why we give you data-driven innovation insights into the energy industry. This time, you get to discover five hand-picked startups advancing fuel cells.
Out of 83, the Global Startup Heat Map highlights 5 Top Energy Startups advancing Fuel Cells
The insights of this data-driven analysis are derived from the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering 2 093 000+ startups & scaleups globally. The platform gives you an exhaustive overview of emerging technologies & relevant startups within a specific field in just a few clicks.
The Global Startup Heat Map below reveals the distribution of the 83 exemplary startups & scaleups we analyzed for this research. Further, it highlights five energy startups that we hand-picked based on criteria such as founding year, location, funding raised, and more. You get to explore the solutions of these five startups & scaleups in this report. For insights on the other 78 fuel cells solutions, get in touch with us.
Upstart Power manufactures Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells
Founding Year: 2017
Location: Southborough, US
Funding: USD 125 000
Partner with Upstart for Off-Grid Backup Power
US-based startup Upstart Power produces solid oxide fuel cell generators that are cost-effective, reliable, carbon-efficient, silent, and convert propane or natural gas into electricity. The startup’s Upgen line of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) generators cycle through their power state and operate only when required, enabling them to be paired with solar and battery storage systems. Additionally, the startup’s Upgen NXG fuel cell generators are suitable for medium-scale energy supply applications in residential buildings and small-scale industries. Moreover, Upstart Power’s cycle through technology enables the fuel cells to operate even during the night.
Zepp.solutions develops Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems
Founding Year: 2017
Location: Delft, Netherlands
Partner with Zepp.solutions to use Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Dutch startup Zepp.solutions develops hydrogen fuel cell systems for mobile and stationary power generation. Its solution uses hybrid fuel cell systems that combine hydrogen fuel cell technology with battery energy storage. This system allows for short refueling times and extends operations at high energy demands while facilitating high peak loads. Zepp’s technology utilizes proton exchange membranes (PEM) where hydrogen is combined with oxygen to transform chemical energy into electrical energy and water vapor. Its fuel cells find applications in the mobility industry to power vehicles, as well as in the energy industry as generator sets and backup power systems for data centers.
Celcibus provides Fuel Cells for Buildings
Founding Year: 2019
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Funding: SEK 3,5 M
Partner with Celcibus to implement Building Heating Systems
Swedish startup Celcibus develops a patented catalyst to provide fuel cells with sustainable, high-performance, noble-metal-free power solutions. Its fuel cell solution for buildings simultaneously produces both heat and power. Celcibus’ products replace noble metals as the active sites in the fuel cell catalyst. This solves the problem of high costs and low control over mining conditions, as well as cumbersome chemicals recycling processes. Celcibus also develops a seven-layer membrane electrode assembly (MEA) that consists of a membrane coated with both cathode and anode catalysts and a gas distribution layer (GDL) on each side.
Mesodyne manufactures Light-based Fuel Cells
Founding Year: 2018
Location: Somerville, US
Funding: USD 970 000
Partner with Mesodyne for Fuel Cells-based Power Generation
US-based startup Mesodyne develops ultra-high energy-density power generators that increase the endurance of small energy systems. Mesodyne’s patented LightCell power generator converts any fuel into electricity through light. Specifically, a micro-combustor heats a nanophotonic material to incandescence. The nanophotonic material is engineered to emit certain wavelengths of light preferentially when heated. The emitted light drives specialized photovoltaic (PV) cells that generate electricity. Mesodyne’s generators significantly increase energy efficiency compared to traditional thermophotovoltaics. This is because the light emitted by its nanophotonic material nearly matches the potential of PVs to convert it into electricity.
BMPower offers Fuel Cell-based Portable Energy Storage
Founding Year: 2018
Location: Moscow, Russia
Partner with BMPower for Portable Energy Storage
Russian startup BMPower develops and manufactures electrochemical energy sources. BMPower’s portable chargers are compact devices, comparable in weight and dimensions to existing battery chargers. The startup’s systems only require the replacement of the compact fuel cartridge and the unit, while being ready for use upon purchase. The set includes a device for filling fuel cartridges with hydrogen. Moreover, the filling device only requires electricity and distilled water to operate.
Discover more Energy Startups
Energy startups such as the examples highlighted in this report focus on hydrogen fuel cells, off-grid energy generation, and storage, as well as light-based fuel cell solutions. While all of these technologies play a major role in advancing the energy industry, they only represent the tip of the iceberg. To explore energy technologies in more detail, simply let us look into your areas of interest. For a more general overview, download our free Energy Innovation Report to save your time and improve strategic decision-making.
