The Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) has awarded a total of £500,000 to clean energy tech startups to boost the net zero transition.
Eleven firms developing a range of clean energy technologies have been announced as winners of the NZTC’s 2025 TechX Clean Energy Accelerator. The selected firms will each receive a share of the £500,000 funding pool, as well as an 18-week tailored mentorship programme and access to the NTZC’s industry network.
At the end of the 18-week membership programme, the startups involved will participate in the NZTC’s annual Demo Day and present their pitches to investors and industry leaders for a chance to win cash prizes. Additionally, participants will be offered up to two years of growth support from the NZTC, including continued access to the NZTC’s business network and access to co-working facilities to ensure they can launch and scale their businesses.
The eleven firms represent a wide range of clean tech sectors. Among the scheme winners are AED Energy and Global OTEC, which are developing thermal energy technologies; low-carbon hydrogen firms PEM Technologies, Protonera, and Entropyst; carbon capture tech firm Remedium Energy; and SOLead Energy, which is developing a soluble lead flow battery to reduce energy storage costs.
Mark Anderson, chief acceleration officer at the NZTC said: “We’re thrilled to welcome our 2025 TechX start-up cohort, introducing eleven high-potential innovators to our growing ecosystem of clean energy pioneers. This year’s cohort highlights the transformative role start-ups play in the transition to net zero, bringing fresh thinking and turning cutting-edge ideas into practical solutions.”
NZTC and green hydrogen
Three of the eleven startups declared winners of the 2025 TechX Clean Energy Accelerator are devoted to developing better low-carbon hydrogen technology, a field which the NZTC has previously dedicated significant attention to.
In October, just weeks after opening applications for the TechX Clean Energy Accelerator, the NZTC announced the three winners of its electrolyser competition. Each of these companies, whittled down from a list of 36 applicants, was awarded £500,000 in funding to accelerate the development of their technologies, which included a direct seawater-to-hydrogen electrolyzer and a high-pressure hydrogen system designed to work well with intermittent renewable energy sources.
The NZTC is also currently developing its own green tech innovation campus in Scotland, EnergyWorks. Construction is already underway on the £9.1 million Aberdeen facility, for which the NTZC is a delivery partner, and once completed, the site will provide development and testing space for companies working across the clean energy sector.
