Investment into Clean Tech companies found renewed energy in recent years. Globally, H1 2021 saw record levels (£48b+) of investment into clean technology. UK start-ups saw a fair share of those investments with a number of green energy companies founded and scaling to new rounds.
Today we took a closer look at the top 50 Clean Tech start-ups in the UK developing new technologies, across electric vehicles (EV), mobility, electric motors, carbon capture and emissions offset software.
Founded: 2015
Location: London
Total funding rounds: 5+
Arrival is arguably one of the highest-profile companies on this list having recently completed a listing / SPAC process on the NASDAQ. Arrival aims to create an integrated transportation ecosystem which will help form sustainable urban environments that meet lower emissions targets. The company’s electric vehicles cost the same as or less than petrol and diesel equivalents, making them a viable part of the climate change solution.
Arrival’s zero-emission bus, revealed earlier, aims to elevate the public transport experience. The bus is part of an integrated transportation ecosystem that will include vans, taxis, delivery robots, EV charging infrastructure, microfactories and digital services.
Despite some bumpy trading since listing, the company is valued at c. $1bn market cap and with 2,500 employees represents one of the largest UK-based mobility players.
Founded: 2010
Location: Hounslow
Total funding rounds: 10+
Total funds raised:£100m+
BBOXX uses solar power to provide affordable, reliable and clean electricity and other utility services to enable economic development in countries with unreliable electricity supplies. Its energy technology consists of a physical distribution network and digital highways, which allows utility businesses to bring energy generation to more remote and widespread communities.
So far, the company has provided more than 1.3m people with access to clean energy from solar energy home systems. Today, BBOXX is a global company of more than 800 people across 12+ countries.
Founded: 2016
Location: London
Total funding rounds: 3
Total funds raised: £80m
Zenobe operates a range of battery storage facilities and charging points for electric vehicles. The company aims to transform the way businesses use power to one that is zero-carbon, non-polluting, more flexible, and more efficient, resulting in both environmental and financial benefits. Zenobe works with businesses that rely on a large amount of power and network infrastructure companies, using its energy storage solutions to find an efficient and cost-effective way to manage their energy use and implement it at scale. The company also works on EV fleet projects, deploying electric vehicles (buses and commercial vehicles), which helps to deliver a long-term solution to climate
Steven is one of the three founders of Zenobē, leading the EV team. Prior to this, he spent nearly two decades between battery and traded energy commodity markets, working as Global Head of Deals at Trafigura. Advising on energy trading & infrastructure topics at Oliver Wyman and in energy storage at AES Energy Storage during his MBA at Carnegie Mellon University.
Founded: 2009
Location: Cherwell
Total funding rounds: 9
Total funds raised:£63.7m
YASA Motors develops and manufactures electric motors that enable the hybridization and electrification of automobiles. Founder and CTO Dr Tim Wollmer’s cleantech innovation allows the production of smaller and lighter motors, which the company believes have a growing role to play in meeting strict emissions targets and the global requirement for greater energy efficiency to tackle climate change. YASA Motors provides custom and off-the-shelf motors and controllers to meet the specific needs of their customers.
The company’s HQ and production facility, which can produce up to 100,000 motors and controllers per year, is based near Oxford. In 2021, the business was acquired by Mercedes-Benz and will continue to develop its technology under their ownership.
Founded: 2012
Location: South Cambridgeshire
Total funding rounds: 12
Total funds raised:£61.1m
Azuri Technologies supplies solar panel units to individuals in rural Africa. The business models allows costs of the solar power technology to be recovered using a ‘pay as you go’ system which lasts for 18 months. At the end of this time, the panel can be upgraded or used for free.
The machine learning technology maximises energy storage by adapting to customers’ needs and climatic conditions to ensure that there is ‘light all night’. The products — the Azuri TV and Quad Solar Home System which integrates lights, a radio, a torch and a phone charger — are disseminated by locally based power companies to ensure they can effectively reach remote, off-grid homes.
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