We are excited to announce the Honourees of the first cohort of EIV 2022. Our Subscribers cast their votes for the ventures they were most interested in and thought were a real opportunity for the Japanese market. The three Honourees are NEXT Energy Technologies (US), Peak Power (Canada), and Qnovo (US)!
After scouting for several months, the EIV team invited 15 finalists to participate. Our selection criteria are informed by the Green Growth Strategy, Japan’s plan to reach net zero as originally set out by the Suga administration in 2020, and streamlined into nine defined target areas. These areas were also shaped by Subscriber interest, to create a strong base from which to select suitable ventures.
The ventures were given the chance to present their solutions and plans via our monthly webinars. After the webinars were completed in August, our Subscribers were asked to vote on the ventures that were most aligned with their interests and would be good candidates to help tackle decarbonisation in the Japanese energy sector.
The three Honourees share a strong commitment to decarbonisation through real, practical solutions, whether that be transforming windows into solar panels through a proprietary coating (NEXT Energy Technologies), forecasting demand and optimising DERs (Peak Power), or enhancing batteries for a multitude of sectors (Qnovo).
NEXT Energy Technologies
NEXT Energy Technologies has produced a proprietary transparent photovoltaic (PV) coating that transforms windows into energy-producing solar panels, allowing buildings to create on-site renewable electricity, thereby reducing carbon emissions and costs.
Daniel Emmett, co-founder and CEO, remarked:
We are excited that NEXT Energy Technologies, Inc. is one of the Honourees of ENECHANGE Insight Ventures. Through ENECHANGE Insight Ventures, we look forward to developing more relationships in Japan’s energy sector to help bring our mission of empowering windows that power our buildings and contribute to a more sustainable built environment. Our team is excited to work together to continue the global energy transition.
Peak Power
Peak Power is a Canadian climate tech company developing software for the commercial and industrial building sector to make it profitable to get to net zero. Their software, Peak Synergy, has the ability to forecast peak events, optimise distributed energy resources (DERs) and integrate them to supply energy during peak events.
Matthew Sachs, COO, Peak Power, noted:
Peak Power is excited to be named an Honouree of the EIV programme. The relationships and exposure that EIV helped facilitate are highly strategic for us as a growth-stage company. We look forward to building on the momentum we have gained through the program to set us up for expansion into Japan.
Qnovo
Qnovo offers battery-enhancing management software for customers in the electric vehicles, energy storage systems and consumer electronics industries.
Nadim Maluf, CEO, Qnovo, commented:
Qnovo is pleased to be named as an Honouree of ENECHANGE Insight Ventures and to expand our relationships within their network of innovators. Japan is an important geography for Qnovo; we applaud the country’s leadership in decarbonization. We stand ready to accelerate Japan’s electrification efforts with our battery management solutions for a more intelligent and resilient energy future.
Comment from Yohei Kiguchi, Representative Director & CEO of ENECHANGE Ltd. (organizer of EIV)
We are excited to have NEXT Energy Technologies, Peak Power, and Qnovo as Honourees of EIV2022 (1H). Each of them offers a unique solution that we feel can contribute to tackling decarbonisation in Japan. With pandemic measures slowly lifting in Japan as well, we see this as a time for fruitful exchange and the chance to build strong relationships.
Congratulations to all our Honourees, as well as all our EIV 2022 cohort members!
We would also like to extend our thanks to all our Subscribers for their continued support during this edition.
We are now scouting for the second cohort of ENECHANGE Insight Ventures 2022. If you are a venture in the energy tech space and are certain your solution would be a great fit for the Japanese market, apply now through our form or learn more here.