Shell’s GameChanger Accelerator (GCxN) has announced the second round of companies that will take part in its cleantech accelerator.
After multiple rounds of evaluation, five companies have been chosen to take part in the accelerator, which is supported by the US Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Each will receive as much as US$250,000 in non-dilutive funding, and be able to work with the NREL and Shell’s GameChanger program to develop novel utility grid or electric vehicle charging.
GCxN program manager at NREL, Adam Duran said they were very exited to welcome the new cohort of start-ups.
“The grid of the future will need to be flexible, scalable and optimised to handle a wide variety of new inputs and outputs. Among the complexities will be electric vehicle integration. The companies we’ve selected for our second cohort bring creative and viable technologies and are rising to the challenge.”
The companies selected are split into those focusing on future grid technologies and those with an interest in fast charging of EVs. There are two companies in the first area, smart-home energy storage company Hygge Power and integrated software and hardware developer Span.
Modular technology company Intertie, battery thermal-management technology company AllCell Technologies and software company Microgrid Labs are the three start-ups chosen in the fast charging domain.
These companies will now receive access to financial resources, new facilities and technical experts which will help to de-risk the technology. In addition to the initial funding there will be an opportunity of follow-up, following the development and demonstration of the technologies.
Haibin Xu, Shell’s GCxN program manager, said, “This exceptional cohort of five companies builds on the strong foundation of the first cohort participants, who are already making substantial progress with Shell and NREL in testing their game-changing ideas.
“Each and all of the five companies in this new round have innovative solutions that can contribute to re-shaping the energy market. We are excited to be working with them to bring their disruptive technologies to life.”
GCxN’s first cohort was announced in December 2018, and included projects focused on grid technologies and long duration energy storage. The companies are currently validating their technologies with researchers at NREL and Shell.
Shell has been very active in the renewables sector recently, with a number of acquisitions including French floating wind specialist Eolfi and a stake in solar firm d.light.
