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GodEl
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Fossil-free cement and innovative wave power win Startup 4 Climate
From left to right: Jan Skjoldhammer, Stefan Björklund Novige; Johan Lindehag Ellevio; Lina Bertling Tjernberg KTH; Stefan Krook GoodCause; Claes Kollberg and Oscar Hållén Cemvision.
For the fourth year in a row, Swedish entrepreneurs have been awarded in one of Europe’s largest innovation competitions for climate impact, Startup 4 Climate. The winners of this year’s competition, startups Cemvision and Novige, convinced the jury with fossil-free, circular, and energy-efficient cement; and a combined wave-, sun-, and wind power solution, respectively. The winning companies will receive SEK 1 million each and coaching from the jury.
2023 has been a record-breaking year for the competition with 75 nominated companies and over 8 200 participants in the People’s Vote. On Wednesday evening the eight finalists pitched for a fascinated audience and a very impressed jury.
“Wave power and fossil-free cement would be two revolutionary contributions to the energy and climate transition. This year’s starting field was by far the most challenging ever, and I am incredibly impressed by the drive and competence we saw in all eight finalists. Winners from previous years have brought in multi-million investments after winning Startup 4 Climate and we believe that this year’s winners have the same bright future ahead of them,” said Johan Lindehag, member of the jury and CEO of Ellevio.
Cemvision
The most resource-efficient cement on the market – fossil-free, energy-efficient, and circular – is made by Cemvision and backed by Bill Gates. The innovation means that significantly less calcium oxide is needed, meaning that limestone can be omitted. Instead, Cemvision extracts calcium oxide from industrial waste. This means an 80 to 100 percent reduction in energy use compared to limestone and traditional production and entails that the process can be electrified. Cement production is one of the biggest sources of emissions in the world at around 8 percent of global emissions.
Cemvision is based in Stockholm but their CEO Oscar Hållén comes from Växjö, and his co-founder Claes Kollberg works from southern Öland.
Novige
Novige’s wave power solution differs from other heavy, complicated wave power with lighter units that give a higher effect while adding solar panels and wind turbines. Novige’s wave power works like an old-school garden pump with few robust components – accessible standard components. Simple, effective, and a lot of energy for your money.
The founder and CEO Jan Skjoldhammer made the first sketch of the invention 35 years ago. Hailing from Oslo and flying over waves for three decades as a SAS pilot, he is now focused on Novige and Täby. If you’re curious you can find an operational wave power unit by Svanholmen outside Lidingö in Stockholm.
“As an entrepreneur myself, Startup 4 Climate is one of my favorite things. Year after year, we in the jury get reminded of the amount of great ideas and drive there is in the long country of Sweden. And in these dark times, I feel it’s even more important to put the spotlight on climate heroes who can make a big difference and inspire each other. We hope that the award will come to good use!” said Stefan Krook, member of the jury and founder of GodEl.
About Startup 4 Climate
Startup 4 Climate is one of Europe’s largest innovation competitions and was founded to accelerate the energy transition. The best ideas with the biggest measurable climate impact win. The competition is possible thanks to a partnership between Ellevio and GodEl. The jury consists of Johanna Mossberg, department head at the Swedish Energy Agency; Jane Walerud, investor; Lina Bertling Tjernberg, professor in energy systems at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden; Stefan Krook, founder of GodEl and Kivra; Johan Lindehad, CEO of Ellevio. Next year’s edition of Startup 4 Climate will be announced in the spring of 2024 on the Startup 4 Climate website.
About Ellevio
With almost one million customers, Ellevio is one of Sweden’s largest electricity network companies. They take an active role in the journey towards a fossil-free society. Their power grids are the backbone that connects power producers and consumers, enabling more renewable electricity production, electrification of transports and industry, and creating the necessary conditions for new, climate-friendly services for our customers. The company has around 600 employees and creates jobs for more than 3,000 people across the country, and is owned by pension management companies Folksam, First AP fund, Third AP fund, and OMERS Infrastructure.
About GodEl
GodEl is Sweden’s ninth-largest electricity company. Since the company’s launch in 2005, we have driven the change towards a just electricity market for the customer, the environment, and the world. Our electricity is certified as a “Good Environment Choice” by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, and our deals are flexible. We have been named the sector’s most sustainable brand by the Sustainable Brand Index eleven years running, and we are also Sweden’s most recommended electricity supplier according to Sifo. We are owned by the Swedish foundation GoodCause, a foundation with the sole purpose of starting companies and letting the profits go to charitable causes. So far, GodEl has generated SEK 65 million for charity.
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We certainly are happy about winning this award, a great evening indeed! Many know little about ocean energy, but here in short a crash course: 1) Waves are more stable, and also off-phased in time from wind, and of course works at night when there is no sun power available. 2) By this balancing effect, our units can and will mitigate the need for burning of fossils when there is little wind and no sun. 3) Our 1 MW units, 600 kW wave, 300 kW wind, and 100 kW sun power, has a total height of 12 meters, hardly visible from land, makes minimal noise, and does no harm to animal life. 4) There are limited sea areas available, so important to get the most out of every square kilometer in use or planned. In one sq. km you can normally have one 10 MW turbine, producing about 34 000 GWh / year. 5) We can place 15 NoviOceans in the same area, producing about 52 000 GWh per year. But, the given winner is to combine the use of the area, the subsea cable, the leasing cost and the infrastructure, then producing 86 000 GWh per year in the same area, while burning less fossils and needing less batteries. Now, if you belive this is a winning solution, or not, feel free to state your opinion, and of course also to pass forward. J.S:
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Congrats to the winners
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It's uplifting to see the recognition of fossil-free cement and innovative wave power in the Startup 4 Climate initiative.
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Fantastic to see these two companies winning this year's edition
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great winners!