It’s time to reveal leading impactful CEE startups from the cleantech and energy industry that not only point out serious issues that the environment is facing nowadays but also provide innovative, eco-friendly solutions. Sustainability has been singled out as one of the hottest VC trends in 2021 as companies are becoming more sensitive to energy efficiency and customers started to pay more attention to their proactive attitudes. So, let’s meet some of those environment-friendly solutions that are definitely worth your attention!
eAgronom
Founded in Estonia, eAgronom is a SaaS platform simplifying the process of running the farm. Ineffective agricultural management can be harmful to the natural environment and rearing animals, so the solution makes running a farm easier and smarter by using a digital map of its fields, field diary, harvesting analysis, and many more conveniences. Apart from bringing value to farmers, eAgronom also supports the environment by reducing CO2 emission, increasing efficiency in food production, and smart management of available resources.
EcoBean
EcoBean is a Polish innovative solution for improving waste management and producing clean energy from coffee beans. Every day, 2 billion cups of coffee are drunk globally, it generates thousands of tons of ground coffee which ends up in landfills. EcoBean is going to pick up the coffee grounds from places like restaurants, coffee points, petrol stations, offices, etc., and afterward, deliver it to the biorefinery. There, the waste is transformed into raw materials to give it a second life by producing straws, cups, polymer composites, biodiesel additives, protein feed for animals, or briquettes for a grill. The solution can decrease even 45% of the CO2 footprint emitted by the whole coffee value chain.
Smart Agrometer
Lithuania-based Smart Agrometer is the next innovative technology disrupting the agricultural sector. While running a farm, it is required to fertilize plants in order to provide them with the necessary ingredients for proper growth and increase their efficiency. Smart Agrometer solution uses the light spectrum reflecting from leaves to find and analyze information about the nutritional condition of the plant. Thanks to detecting element deficiencies on time, it is possible to implement a recovery process that can stabilize and increase crops by up to 50%.
Avrio Energy
Avrio Energy is a startup from Poland which makes buildings smarter by using a special AI-based platform. Commercial buildings or physical infrastructure consume around one-fifth of total world energy, moreover, it is estimated that strong ineffectiveness in management causes as many as one-third of its waste. Building Management Systems which optimize energy consumption are well known, but really expensive tools, unreachable for SMB - that’s why Avrio Energy provides Saas platform based on AI and machine learning which can be implemented in mobile devices without additional equipment-level sensors. The solution gives an opportunity to reduce energy consumption bills and improve operational efficiency and asset management not only for huge enterprises but also for small businesses and retailers.
Pago
Founded in Romania, Pago is an innovative startup reducing the time spent on digital payment transactions. Every day customers make dozens of money transfers using many different tools due to the large dispersion of payment applications and systems which happens to be really confusing. Pago collects most of these tools in one smart application, which helps to manage customers’ budgets, cut the time spent on the payments processes and reduce bills for used energy.
E-Vision Systems
E-Vision Systems is a startup from Slovakia, which cares about the lifespan of batteries in hardware tools. Nowadays, mobile devices are used daylong, which decreases their capacity and lifecycle. It also brings additional costs and user dissatisfaction along with environmental burden caused by the constant replacement of the necessary components in the devices. Happily, E-Vision Systems provides a complex system consisting of hardware tools to restore the lost capacity, AI systems analyzing battery conditions, and IoT platforms helping to understand the process of accumulator degradation.
Rising.Eco
Hungarian startup, Rising.Eco is a solution that gives chance to take the next step in renewable energy implementation. The trend of eco-friendly sources of energy is clearly visible but is still being adopted by society too slowly. The reason for that might be found in the great faith in and reliance on fossil-fuel-based power plants. Rising.Eco increases the efficiency of locally produced renewable energy using a special device installed behind the meter, which collects, analyzes and provides the recipient with the necessary information about the network. Used blockchain technology can break up the entry barriers and empowers both individuals and communities to gain energy independence and increase and speed up the transformation process.
Ondo Solutions
Bulgaria-based Ondo Solutions is a solution that allows remote control of plant growth and boosts the efficiency of farm managers. Plant breeding is a long and complicated process that faces obstacles such as overdosing fertilizers, climate changes, ineffectiveness, labor shortage, or human errors. Ondo Solutions uses IoT devices like multiple sensors and cameras to analyze, control, and manage the food production system at every stage. This innovative approach can successfully increase effectiveness and reduce waste of energy.
FibriTech
Founded in Poland, FibriTech focuses on applying biotechnology in agriculture. As the population grows, agriculture needs to be intensified, but unfortunately, this phenomenon increases the amount of pollution and waste. FibriTech is fighting against this negative impact on the planet by producing environmentally friendly materials consisting of cellulose fiber and other renewable organic resources. The innovative plant substrate facilitates the process of sowing plants and is fully biodegradable, so after its lifespan, it is used as a fertilizer.
Kiwi Mobility
Kiwi Mobility is a Ukrainian startup providing micro-mobility transportation services. Despite the growing presence of electric scooters on streets in recent years and many positive changes in the public transport system, there are still some devices that may be improved. Kiwi Mobility not only replaces the battery, or changes the drive to the front wheel, but also makes scooters smarter by implementing AI systems, sensors, and cameras that allow companies to understand and analyze drivers' behavior, so the safety and comfort while driving are much increased.
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