Context 

In the charging point operator (CPO) field, there are four main types of players: construction companies, energy companies, OEMs and startups. We worked with a leading construction player to help speed up the deployment of their EV charger network by assisting with funding.

Mission

• Market and Competitor Research: Conducted in-depth analysis to understand the landscape and identify key competitors.
• Customer Interviews: Engaged with current customers to gather insights and feedback on their experiences and needs.
• Financial Model: Developed a comprehensive business plan with a 20-year horizon to ensure sustainable growth.
• Pitch Deck Creation: Designed a compelling pitch deck from scratch to effectively communicate the project’s value proposition to potential investors.

Key figures

123Fab #96

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

As the market for electric vehicles accelerates rapidly, so does the investment in charging infrastructure needed to support this growing market. While the vast majority of EV charging now takes place at home and at work, widespread, open-access public charging infrastructure will be essential to support EV drivers beyond early adopters.

In the past, proprietary electric vehicle charging technologies competed for market share. But this has changed in recent years, with pressure from regulators and automakers to provide EV drivers with a smoother, more reliable and interoperable charging experience.

Charging station interoperability

The technology behind charging station interoperability is universal roaming. It is analogous to the use of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), which allow a consumer to access funds from any bank. Similarly, universal roaming allows an EV driver who is a member of a single network to access and pay at any public EV charger. 

This therefore requires billing interoperability for which two business models exist:

• Peer-to-peer: bilateral roaming agreements are signed between two charging network providers to allow customers of one network to use and pay for charging at their competitors’ stations. The standard underlying peer-to-peer roaming is the Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI).
• Hub: a single neutral party acts as an intermediate data clearinghouse and contracts with each individual network service provider. This obviates the need for multiple individual contracts between all providers. The standard underlying hub roaming is ISO 15118.

The second business model, which bypasses the bureaucracy required by bilateral agreements, is the one that is gaining the most ground. Hub players include Hubject (German startup), Gireve (French),  e-clearing.net (German startup), Mobi.E (Portugal startup) and others. Hubject is the leading player with over 1,000 B2B partners in over 52 countries and 4 continents, while the other 3 players are based in Europe.

Hub players are taking interoperability a step further with Plug & Charge. It enables automated authentication and billing processes between the EV and the charging station without the need for RFID cards, credit/debit cards, or charging apps, while ensuring secure transactions.

Vehicle-to-grid interoperability

Interoperability goes beyond billing. Indeed, bidirectional, vehicle-to-grid, or V2G, charging technology will be crucial to EV adoption and avoiding worst-case energy scenarios as EV charging demand surges. General Motors, for example, launched GM Energy in October. It includes GM’s Ultium Home and Ultium Commercial lines. Both will offer products and services that enable bidirectional charging to increase the grid’s reliability. Ford, meanwhile, has marketed the ability of its F-150 Lightning electric pickup to power a home in the event of a blackout. V2G technology has the potential to open up new revenue streams for automakers as they become more intertwined with the power grid.

Physical charging interface interoperability

After seeing a myriad of charging plugs spur, fragmentation has been mitigated. In Europe, Combined Charging System (CCS) is the standard: AC and DC charging sit in one plug. In Japan, the standard is CHAdeMO which will be adopted this year by China. While in the US, it’s Tesla’s Supercharger. But charging goes beyond wiring. Austrian startup Easelink raised €8.3M in January last year and is pioneering new technology. Its conductive charging system, named ‘Matrix Charging’, has the ambition to set up an automated charging network for electric vehicles without the driver ever stepping out or handling the charging cable. It consists of two main components: a vehicle unit attached to the vehicle’s underbody – Matrix Charging Connector – and an infrastructure unit at the parking space – Matrix Charging Pad.

In short, harmonization of technology standards and interoperability between the electric vehicle (EV) and the grid are making inroads. Similarly, widespread public charging access is being bolstered by uberization platforms such as French startup Werenode which enables private owners to provide access to their charging points. Thus, all stakeholders in public EV infrastructure— including EVSPs, electric companies, EV supply equipment OEMs, and automakers—must continue to join forces to streamline system integration and improve customer experience.

2 Key Figures

EV charging projected to reach $420 bn by 2030

The market was valued at $35 bn in 2021 and is projected to reach $420 bn by 2030, at a CAGR of 32%.

537 funded companies

Tracxn

3 startups to draw inspiration from

Hubject

Germany-based startup founded in 2012 that is the leading e-Roaming platform in Europe giving EV drivers a seamless charging experience across borders. Hubject is backed by Enel X.

Easelink

Austria-based startup founded in 2004 that has developed a wireless EV charging system, using its Matrix Charging system. Easelink is backed by EnBW and Wien Energie.

Werenode

France-based startup founded in 2018 that has developed a decentralized marketplace, leveraging blockchain, so that anyone can share their EV charging station. Fiat, XTZ or WRC tokens can be used to pay charging sessions.

Please fill out our contact form so that we can get back to you very quickly with our product offer.

123Fab #87

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

Last week, Canada Steamship Lines’ latest diesel-electric self-unloading vessel – the MV Nukumi – entered service with Windsor Salt. In order to reduce the vessel’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25% and air pollutants (substances that have a detrimental effect on living organisms) by 80%, the MV Nukumi was fitted with a twin-fin diesel-electric propulsion system. According to the International Council on Clean Transportation, maritime shipping could account for 17% of total emissions by 2050. For several years, the IMO (the International Maritime Organization) has been tightening the requirements for international shipping in order to achieve its goal of reducing the sector’s carbon intensity by 40% by 2030. In response, several initiatives and technologies, including fuels, are being developed to comply with the new rules that are gradually coming into force.

Electricity-based solutions

Solutions based on electric power (batteries, motor) have been widely developed over the last few years, such as the Yara Birkeland, the first autonomous battery-powered container ship that set sail last year in Norway to transport 120 containers over 7.5 nautical miles. Startups are flocking to the sector, with total funding of more than $360 million. Fleetzero, which builds battery-electric cargo ships, has already raised $3.5 million. The startup is increasing the efficiency of existing diesel ships by converting them into battery-electric vessels and is pioneering innovation with the MVE7 – an electric ship designed for transpacific cargo delivery.

However, for the time being, due to energy storage constraints, the electric solution can only be relevant for niche use, such as ferries with fairly short and stable routes, multiple recharging times at the quayside, or for coastal and river transport, and not for long-distance ships. Other alternatives seem more appropriate for maritime transport and it is likely that a transition to hybrid engines will be necessary to reduce carbon emissions in the sector.

Other non-combustion engine solutions

Several technologies show that there are alternatives to power generation by internal combustion engines, but they are not suitable for all uses, including long-distance shipping.

• Wind: Hybrid electric propulsion combined with renewable energies such as wind has the best total carbon footprint, especially for small ships. The Nantes-based start-up Neoline has the ambition to develop commercial lines operated with ships designed to use wind. Scheduled to enter service in 2024, the first Neoliner will be a 136-meter long, 24-meter wide ship capable of carrying 5,000 tonnes of cargo. The sails, combined with a reduction in commercial speed will reduce energy requirements by 90% compared to a traditional cargo ship of the same size.
• Hydrogen: Hydrogen stored onboard powers a fuel cell that produces the electricity needed for propulsion. While this technology meets the objectives of reducing CO2 emissions, it nevertheless shifts the problem to the production of hydrogen, 95% of which is currently produced from fossil fuels on land (Futura Planète). Moreover, the stability of onboard storage still raises technical reservations. The startup Boundary Layer Technologies combines the known physics of hydrofoil with patented designs to build 160-container ships that run on hydrogen. The ARGO cargo ship is powered by liquid H2 and travels at twice the speed of conventional containerships. It uses direct routes to reduce overall transit times and be competitive with air freight.

New fuels for internal combustion engines

For the next 30 years, the predominance of internal combustion engines for ship propulsion remains the most credible scenario. But it is possible to improve the environmental balance by changing the fuels.

• MGO – Maritime Gas Oil: The aim is to integrate a growing proportion of fuels from agricultural production, mainly ethyl, or recycled petroleum products such as waste oils or recycled vegetable oils. However, production is costly if not subsidized (collection, reprocessing) and the impact on emissions remains low. On the other hand, in the case of fuels derived from agricultural production, the ecological cost is highly controversial. The startup Mash Makes was a finalist of the 2022 World-Changing Ideas Awards. It specializes in converting various agricultural residues into carbon-negative fuel products that meet the necessary international maritime standards.
• Ammonia: Compared to hydrogen, ammonia has a higher energy density and is more available in ports. In addition, the production cost per tonne is very low, and this solution can meet the targets set by the IMO. However, its mass production as a fuel has been ruled out until now because of its toxicity and low flammability. It is massively manufactured from fossil fuels, which also shifts the environmental problem. The most promising combustion tests for this technology are based on a combination of 70% ammonia and 30% MGO. Brooklyn-based startup Amogy is developing an ammonia power system for ships and heavy-duty road transportation. The technology uses liquid ammonia and converts it into hydrogen gas, which then runs through a fuel cell. The one-year-old company says it plans to launch a small demonstration vessel by early 2023, along with large road vehicles.
• Methanol: Methanol is a promising alternative fuel for reducing emissions and improving the environmental performance of shipping. It contains no sulfur and, because it is a clean-burning alcohol, emissions of NOx and particulate matter from combustion are low. However, the use of methanol requires certain levels of safety and engine adaptation as well as increased bunkering capacity on board.
• LNG – Liquefied natural gas – coupled with MGO: LNG can drastically reduce combustion emissions, including carbon emissions, which is its great advantage. Moreover, it requires only minor modifications to current propulsion technologies, which means that emission reduction targets can be met quickly and with limited investment. However, this technology relies soleyl on fossil resources.

Large groups are also targeting this segment. In August 2021, Maersk ordered eight green methanol-fuelled ocean-going vessels for delivery from the first quarter of 2024. They have also invested in WasteFuel, another Californian start-up making greener biomethanol from waste. Through the Ammonia 2-4 project, a strong consortium of shipping players including Wärtsilä, C-Job, DNV, and MSC aims to develop demonstrators of two- and four-stroke marine engines running on ammonia.

Finally, numerous alternatives are being developed, notably under pressure from the IMO and numerous supra-national bodies, including the Brussels Commission. While for small ships and routes, 100% electric or renewable energy-based alternatives are being developed, for freight transport, hybrid engines seem more feasible for the coming years. But questions remain: batteries have a limited life expectancy and their production requires many critical materials. The overall carbon impact of these new fuels is therefore far from zero.

2 Key Figures

Global marine fuel market is expected to reach a total market size of $156 billion in 2025.

Research And Markets

+80 startups manufacturing electric ships

Traxcn

3 startups to draw inspiration from

Fleetzero

The startup is building battery-electric ships that will sail between major neighbouring ports. The plans call for unloading containers of cargo and nearly depleted batteries, and then loading containers of replacement cargo and freshly recharged batteries. This method would allow the ships to carry a relatively small fleet of batteries.

Neoline

The startup is working on decarbonized merchant shipping, powered mainly by sail. The first Neoliner will be capable of carrying 5,000 tonnes of cargo. The sails, combined with a reduction in commercial speed will reduce energy requirements by 90% compared to a traditional cargo ship of the same size.

Mash Makes

The startup is specialized in the environmentally friendly conversion of various agricultural residues into fuel products in accordance with international standards. The biofuel is compliant in a B11 blend with DMA (or  MGO) directly from the pyrolysis machine. The fuel has been validated at Alfa Laval’s Marine Test and Training Center.

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123Fab #68

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

It’s omnipresent. Decarbonization is underway in many sectors: micromobility, automotive, rail… In last week’s 123Fab, we even saw that a new generation of tractors is making inroads in agriculture. But what about the sector of maritime shipping?

Cargo and container ships, which refer to merchant ships carrying goods and materials from one port to another, are responsible for nearly 1 billion metric tons of carbon each year. Although the industry accounts for a relatively small share of global CO2 emissions — between 2% and 3% according to S&P Global Platts Analytics — scientists have projected that maritime shipping could account for 17% of total emissions by 2050. That’s why the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set a target of decarbonizing global shipping by at least 50% from 2008 levels by 2050.

Yet many were left disappointed by the Glasgow Climat Pact, the outcome of the COP26 climate conference. Although steps forward have been made since the Paris agreement, which did not include maritime shipping at all, the only concrete outcome that came out of it is the ‘Clydebank Declaration’. The signatory countries agreed to support the creation of at least six green corridors by 2025. Initial analyses focused on two promising candidates for developing green corridors: the iron ore route from Australia to Japan, and container shipping from Asia to Europe. But out of the 50,000 ships currently plying international shipping lanes, only 200 will be green by 2030. This reflects the costs and complexity of decarbonizing shipping. Indeed, alternative fuels are more expensive than conventional heavy fuel oils, they have a lower volumetric density requiring the manufacture of larger tanks and the fragmentation of the industry is such that the incentive to invest in these technologies is low. Maersk, which owns the largest shipping fleet, announced that it would only have 8 ships ready to run on methanol by 2025.  The lack of ambition on shipping emissions has thus been strongly criticized, with COP26 seen as a missed opportunity to push the industry for more rigorous commitments. 

In the maritime industry, a number of measures can support its decarbonization, resulting in multiple possible pathways. In other words, there is no silver bullet to a low-carbon trajectory.  However, only a combination of technological innovation, operational measures and alternative fuels will deliver sufficient CO2 reductions.

• Technological innovation — these refer to innovations applied to ships to help increase their energy efficiency. These can relate to the weight of ships (lighter materials), the design of ships, ways to reduce friction (hull coatings and air purification) and ways to recover energy (propeller upgrades and heat recovery).
• Operational measures — these refer to ways in which ships are operated. 4 types of measures can be distinguished: speed, ship size, ship-port interface (lower waiting time before entering a port) and onshore power (change their power supply from vessel’s engines to shore-based electricity).
• Alternative fuels and energy — numerous fuels exist to replace bunker fuels such as liquified natural gas (LNG), hydrogen, ammonia, methanol.

When it comes to alternative fuels and energy many possible options are currently being explored. While deep-sea vessels must store large amounts of energy to maintain a constant speed over long distances, the options are more varied for short-haul vessels, including the possible use of electric or hybrid-electric power and propulsion systems. Overall, there is a lack of technology when it comes to alternative fuels. If shipowners have begun to convert existing ships to run on LNG, it still emits methane. Biofuels are another solution that is becoming increasingly available as a marine fuel. Unlike LNG, it can be a carbon-neutral solution, but mass-scale biofuel production is not sustainable, which puts it in the same position as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG): a good solution but not a panacea. In the long-term, technological solutions, such as green hydrogen and ammonia, are expected to take hold. Intrinsically carbon-free, these fuels produce zero CO2 emissions when sourced renewably. In fact, the shipping industry is banking heavily on ammonia. Unlike hydrogen, it does not need to be stored in high-pressure tanks or cryogenic dewars and its energy density is 10 times that of a lithium-ion battery. However, for ammonia-fueled shipping to become a reality, port operators and fuel suppliers must build vast bunkering infrastructure so that ships can fill ammonia tanks wherever they dock. And technologies are still underway.

But decarbonization, while still in its infancy, is making progress. In November 2020, Yara claimed to have delivered the world’s first net-zero, battery-powered autonomous container ship to Norway. While it had been in the port of Horten ever since, undergoing further preparations for autonomous operation, the Yara Birkeland completed its first trip to Oslo (around 70km) at the beginning of the week. Alongside the construction of the ship, Yara has also initiated the development of green ammonia. As the world’s largest producer of fertilizers, and thus of ammonia, it is striving to push decarbonization in the shipping industry forward. At the same time, startups are positioning themselves on the topic. Greek startup DeepSea Technologies provides a vessel emission tracking solution, Norwegian startup TECO 2030 develops modular hydrogen fuels and American startup Prometheus Fuels removes CO2 from the air and turns it into zero-net carbon gasoline. In September of this year, Maersk announced its investment in the American startup.

In short, discussions around decarbonizing the shipping sector are emerging yet most measures focus on making ship design and the operation of vessels more energy efficient. To achieve the decarbonization of the industry, mechanisms increasing the use of alternative propulsion technologies will need to be strengthened. However, regulation and financial incentives will be necessary to make them technologically feasible and their adoption commercially viable, to reduce the current price gap between conventional ship fuel and more sustainable options.

2 Key Figures

At least $1 trillion in investments needed to decarbonize shipping 

According to the Global Maritime Forum, the scale of cumulative investment needed between 2030 and 2050 to achieve the IMO target of reducing carbon emissions from shipping by at least 50% by 2050, is approximately USD 1-1.4 trillion, or on average between USD 50- 70 billion annually for 20 years.

1,177 Maritime startups

registered by Tracxn

3 startups to draw inspiration from

This week, we identified three startups that we can draw inspiration from: Prometheus Fuels, Hy2Gen and Shone.

Prometheus Fuels 

The startup extracts CO2 from the air, creating hydrocarbon fuel with zero impact on greenhouse gas levels, enabling cars, planes and ships to replace fossil fuels with high-performance zero-net carbon fuels made from CO2 that’s already in the air.

Hy2Gen

The startup develops, builds and operates plants for the production of green hydrogen and hydrogen-based e-fuels. Hy2Gen recently joined forces with Swiss commodity trader Trafiguar to investigate green ammonia as a marine fuel.

Shone

The startup has developed a shipping automation platform that uses AI to provide a digital co-pilot to improve the safety and energy efficiency of maritime operations, enabling reductions in fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Please fill out our contact form so that we can get back to you very quickly with our product offer.

123Fab #67

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

Within weeks, in January 2021, the 215 million euros allocated to the conversion of agricultural equipment in France were distributed by the government as part of the 2020-2022 stimulus plan. This measure, implemented in early 2021 following the COVID19 crisis, consisted of investment assistance for the replacement of old and inefficient equipment and the acquisition of environmentally efficient equipment. Indeed, agriculture is one of the world’s biggest greenhouse gas contributors. The sector is projected to account for about 20% of total global emissions in the next 20 years (Reuters). According to a McKinsey report, of the 25 measures identified to reduce emissions, replacing tractors and combine harvesters that use fossil fuels with lower-emission vehicles would have the biggest impact, although no vehicles are commercially available now on the market. From a more global perspective, electrification is truly underway. Fully electric cars now account for 7.5% of new sales in Europe, and truck manufacturers are also moving towards sustainable mobility.

Despite the lag in the electrification of agricultural machinery, particularly the heavier ones, the seeds are sown for the electrification of farming vehicles and multiple companies already have been working on electric-powered prototypes. According to IDTechEx, the market for electric vehicles in the construction, agriculture and mining sectors could reach $149 billion in 2030. John Deere, an industry leader, has proposed a conceptual model of electric tractors that could allow autonomous operation, increasing efficiency and accuracy. Cable power could even eliminate the need for onboard batteries,  so an electric version would not weigh more than its fossil-fueled counterpart. Japanese company Kubota also presented models that allow for autonomous operation and can adjust to the height in the field. The company’s concept tractor was also equipped with an onboard solar battery. California-based Solectrac already offers small tractors and agricultural utility vehicles in the 30 and 40 horsepower range. Other relatively small tractor options are offered by Fendt, Rigitrac, Escorts and others. At the same time, almost all aerial drones are electric. Research is focusing on small electric ground-based autonomous vehicles, such as robots that sense the plant environment. They could be particularly helpful for family farms in developing regions that still use non-mechanized methods for agriculture.

Some startups are also tackling this market and fundraising is on the rise. Silicon Valley-based company Monarch Tractor, which creates electric robotic tractors to make farming safer and more sustainable, raised $20 million in March as it prepares to start deliveries. The startup calls its tractor “driver optional” as it can perform programmed tasks without a driver. It is designed with roll and collision prevention and can collect and analyze data. Startup Blue White Robotics, which notably retrofits traditional tractors into fully autonomous vehicles by adding sensors and AI models, has raised $37 million in Series B funding a month ago. In the last 2 years, $1.5 billion has been funded in AI for the agriculture sector according to Tracxn. At the beginning of October, startup Sabi Agri, which develops electric agricultural equipment for agro-ecology, was named a winning company in the EIC (European Innovation Council) Accelerator program. It creates lightweight autonomous tractors that avoid degradation and compaction of cultivated soil and reduce emissions. Autonomous robots and tractors are booming, and the challenges of electrification are being met little by little by large groups as well as startups.

But there is a big step to take from prototypes and limited applications to widespread adoption. Electric engines face major logistical challenges, particularly with regard to charging, replacing diesel-burning machines in the field. Indeed, the use of agricultural machines is not very regular but requires great autonomy, they are often used a few weeks per year (16 days in average) but with durations that can go up to 15 hours per day. Planting time is limited, and the efficiency of the machines is therefore essential. Machine weight is also crucial to avoid soil compaction and Wi-Fi connectivity is an additional challenge for all onboard AI mechanisms. Beyond the technical constraints, an agricultural machine is expensive, machinery capital amounts to approximately 11% of farm income on average, and the frequency of fleet renewal does not allow for a generalized adoption as quickly as for utility vehicles. That is why niche areas for smaller electric machines and robotic equipment could probably expand more quickly because they have fewer constraints.

Agriculture today faces many mobility challenges. A balance must be struck to serve the goal of increasing yields and productivity while reducing emissions and managing land more sustainably. Beyond the modernization of machines, the development of AI, especially embedded, can contribute to this objective by providing more real-time data analysis, facilitating farmers’ decision-making and thus improving machine action.

2 Key Figures

The global agricultural machinery market is anticipated to reach $194.94 billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 5.4% between 2020 and 2026

The market was valued at $138.59 billion in 2020 – Mordor Intelligence

+300 funded companies in AI for Agriculture

Tracxn – 2021

3 startups to draw inspiration from

This week, we identified three startups that we can draw inspiration from: Blue White Robotics, Sabi Agri and Monarch Tractor.

Blue White Robotics

The startup has developed a robot-as-a-service platform intended to deliver remote control capabilities for land and air autonomous robots. The platform transforms existing fleets, manages both air and ground robots, and collects data seamlessly, thereby enabling businesses to improve efficiency and provide actionable insights.

Sabi Agri

The startup has developed electric agricultural equipment for agro-ecology. The light autonomous tractors will be able to replace all thermal tractors, regardless of their power in multiple agricultural projects (viticulture, field crops, breeding…). They enable farmers to incorporate cost-effective agro-ecological farming practices.

Monarch

The startup has developed electric tractors intended to make the transition to productive and sustainable farming practices. The company’s tractors run on artificial intelligence and are equipped with sensors and 360° cameras to implement, identify and eliminate plant ailments and estimate yields, enabling farmers to enhance the existing growing operations.

Please fill out our contact form so that we can get back to you very quickly with our product offer.

123Fab #58

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

In January 2019, SystemX, a French technological research institute, launched the “Blockchain Wallet for Mobility” project. It aims to use blockchain technology to improve transport services, and thus accompany the transformation of territories. So far, the solutions developed have been tested and validated in the Lyon metropolitan area.

In recent years, the urban mobility sector has evolved rapidly. Mobility providers have invested heavily to offer their customers the best user experience. Free-floating, Mobility-as-a-service, mobility passes, open data, are some of the key drivers. In France, the founders of startup Mobichain even talk about MaaS 4.0. According to them, this new type of mobility is based on the principles of the circular economy and relies on a shared digital infrastructure under blockchain.

Blockchain can be defined as a technology for storing and transmitting information. It uses databases that contain the history of all exchanges made between its users since its creation. Made up of “nodes”, it hosts a copy of the transaction history that all stakeholders can access. Each new node consists of a validated transaction whose data has been encrypted. The integration is chronological, indelible and unforgeable. Smart contracts, for example, rely on blockchain to ensure the terms and conditions of a contract are unfalsifiable and to guarantee its execution when the conditions are met. Blockchain also allows for uneven speed of transactions, as well as significant productivity and efficiency gains, by operating without a central control body and with few intermediaries.

Applied to mobility, blockchain allows several uses cases. Firstly, it allows the history and life cycle of a vehicle to be traced or verified. Telemetry data, such as mileage or battery level, can be downloaded autonomously via the vehicle or via a supplier, as well as accidents, repairs, or maintenance work. This reduces fraud and has a significant impact on resale value, which opens up opportunities for insurance companies. Transparency and global vision of information can also serve the supply chain and contribute to better information sharing and traceability. In August 2021, Tesla published its 2020 Impact Report and revealed its use of 2 blockchain solutions to trace raw materials used in electric vehicle batteries, ensuring that they are sustainably sourced. One of the blockchain solutions, Re|Source, traces cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the other traces nickel sourced from BHP in Australia.

Blockchain technology also enables sharing economy initiatives. In the case of peer-to-peer (P2P) systems, it allows stakeholders to easily access and share relevant data and information about cars and people. Interaction and trust between different stakeholders (customers, drivers, vehicle owners, transportation network companies, software providers, etc.) can be greatly facilitated by an immutable digital identity for each stakeholder, as well as by recording each transaction in a shared registry that cannot be modified. This visibility and transparency can also be a strong asset for leasing.

Blockchain and smart contracts also allow for greater automation, especially with regard to payments. Without the intermediary of banks and credit accounts, transactions are made automatically based on certain parameters. One can imagine, for example, automatic billing when using public transport or automatic deactivation of cars when leasing rates have not yet been paid. The centralization of payment for different modes of transportation, especially in urban centers, can be facilitated by blockchain, which considerably reduces the cost per transaction.

With all its features, blockchain presents many opportunities. In the case of electric cars, it can be used to coordinate recharging, record preferences, and facilitate payment. Share&Charge is a German Ethereum-based application that connects electric cars to available residential and commercial charging stations and facilitates payments. The blockchain technology can also help promote green mobility. Indeed, the traceability of electricity would be very easy to ensure.

Despite the increasing adoption of blockchain in mobility, there are barriers. From a technical point of view, the lack of a central body raises questions about security management, liability and ownership of certain assets. In addition, there is a need to integrate new technologies into existing systems. From an economic point of view, it is necessary to be able to manage the various transaction costs, to monitor the profitability and to succeed in federating the mobility sector by going beyond competition.

2 Key Figures

16,922 blockchain industry startups

registered by Traxcn

The automotive blockchain market is expected to reach $3.1bn by 2028

The automotive blockchain market was estimated at $0.35 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $3.1 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 31.2%

3 startups to draw inspiration from

This week, we identified three startups that we can draw inspiration from: DriveOn, MVL Automotive and CHAMPtitles.

DriveOn

The Brazilian startup DriveOn has developed a mobility platform that collects data from connected cars using blockchain technology related to individual driving behavior of policyholders. The company’s platform also provides auto insurance, informing about the problems and behavior of the fleet.

MVL Automotive

MVL Automotive, based in Singapore, has developed an incentive-based blockchain mobility platform that connects different services and records data related to driving, traffic accidents, repairs and other car-related transactions. The company will roll out its first electric vehicle by the end of 2021.

CHAMPtitles

CHAMPtitles has developed a blockchain technology intended to digitize the process of vehicle titling. The company’s application uses a patent-pending technology that is secure and optimizes vehicle title management (easily transferable and verified).

Please fill out our contact form so that we can get back to you very quickly with our product offer.

123Fab #57

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

The space industry is changing. After long being dominated by governments and billion-dollar corporations, access to space is becoming increasingly affordable, allowing smaller companies to enter the market. This is due in part to advances in satellite miniaturization over the past decade, which have drastically reduced the cost of access with the mass production of satellites. While nanosatellites (satellites weighing between 1 and 10kg) have been in use since the late 1990s, the number of launches has exploded in recent years: twice as many nanosatellites have been launched in the last 3 years as in the previous 15 years. This is because their production cost is a fraction of that of their heavier counterparts and they are much faster to build.

Startups are embarking on the development of nanosatellites. For example, German Orbital System builds CubeSats, classic nanosatellites in the form of a 10-centimeter large cube. They contain tailor-made equipment, from solar panels to data transmitters to sensors and cameras, to accommodate as many missions as possible. Picosats provides 3D-printed plastic CubeSats that are lighter than the commonly used aluminum. More than just saving weight for launch, the plastic melts when the satellite reaches its end life and re-enters the atmosphere, reducing the number of space debris left in the atmosphere. Alba Orbital is currently working on PocketQube, a picosatellite (weighing less than a kilo) with performances close to those of CubeSat. This miniaturization step could be a game-changer for reducing the cost of space exploration, because the more satellites a launch vehicle can hold, the lower the price per satellite launch. 

Along with these size improvements, some startups have been working to develop affordable launchers for these small satellites. Equatorial Space Systems offers small-size launchers that can carry 3 CubeSats up to 4 km into space. Their rockets use a hybrid propulsion technology that allows them to reduce the cost of the launch. While this solution is more suitable for academic or small-size projects, they are also working on a 17-meter high launch vehicle that could carry more than 150kg anywhere in the Low Earth Orbit (up to 2,000 km from the earth) from their oceanic platform. Beyond Earth, on the other hand, offer a mobile satellite launcher that can carry a 30kg payload up to 400km from earth. Rather than launching the satellite from one launch site owned by them, their launchers are sent by shipping containers to their client’s launchpad anywhere on earth. These large-size launchers are often used to “rideshare” small satellites, such as Starlink’s 143 satellite launch last January to lower the overall launch cost per object. Aphelion Aerospace also offers launch vehicles for nanosatellites using environmentally friendly propellants as well as CubeSats manufacturing to be launched in their rockets.

The growing number of satellite missions in Low Earth Orbit (LOE) is making this part of space cluttered with satellites and debris. In space, even the smallest collision with an object can have colossal repercussions, and as more objects enter space, the likelihood of a collision increases. But some startups are trying to tackle this problem. Altius Space Machines is minimizing the number of debris by improving the life of satellites. Indeed, it specializes in on-orbit inspection and repair services to other satellites, as well as refueling, upgrades, or assistance in leaving LOE at the end of their mission. Starfish Space is pursuing the same goals and building autonomous space tugs for satellite servicing missions to extend their life expectancy and actively remove debris from space to avoid pollution and reduce the risk of collision.

As the number of satellite internet megaconstellations continues to grow (SpaceX’s Starlink projected 42,000 satellites, 2,000 satellites in OneWeb’s constellation, and more than 3 000 for Amazon’s Kuiper’s), concerns about the Kessler syndrome are rising. Thus, solutions to reduce space debris are expected to become increasingly popular, as evidenced by Swiss startup ClearSpace with its collaboration with the European Space Agency on the world’s first space debris removal mission that will begin in 2025.

2 Key Figures

500 NewSpace startups

registered by Traxcn since 2015

The space industry market is expected to reach $558bn by 2026

The global space industry market was estimated at $360 million in 2018 and is expected to reach $558 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 5.6%

3 startups to draw inspiration from

This week, we identified three startups that we can draw inspiration from: Equatorial Space Systems, Picosats, and Starfish Space.

Equatorial Space Systems

Equatorial Space Systems developed a hybrid rocket propulsion system intended to make orbital launch better and effective. The company’s propulsion system uses a combination of liquid oxidizer and solid fuel to reduce the cost and risk of spaceflight, enabling space organizations to launch space vehicles for planetary or space missions safely and affordably.

Picosats

Founded in 2014 in Italy, Picosats developed telecommunication systems for CubeSats. The company engages in the research and development of telecommunication systems allowing space-based communication services. Picosat also builds 3D printed CubeSats, lowering the amount of debris left at the end of their mission.

Starfish Space 

The Washington-based startup was founded in 2018 and developed an orbital transportation infrastructure designed to provide in-space transportation and maintenance service. The company’s proximity operations software uses a combination of breakthrough orbital mechanics and a low-thrust electric propulsion system, enabling satellite companies to relocate, deorbit and extend the life of satellites.

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123Fab #56

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

Since the first flight using blended biofuel took off in 2008, more than 150,000 flights have used biofuels. In May 2021, Air France-KLM flew an Airbus A350 from Paris to Montreal with a 16% mix of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in its fuel tanks, produced in France by Total from used cooking oil. This example illustrates the growing concern to limit aviation-related emissions. Indeed, aviation will account for 3.5% of global energy-related CO2 emissions by 2030, compared to just over 2.5% today. Thus, the development and promotion of biofuels for aviation will be essential to reducing carbon emissions of the industry.

Biofuels are fuels derived immediately from living matter, plants or waste. Depending on the type of biomass used, they could lower CO2 emissions by 20–98% compared to conventional jet fuel. The biofuels with the highest emission savings are those derived from photosynthetic algae (98% savings, not yet a mature technology) and non-food crops and forest residues (91-95% savings), taking into account the GHG emissions associated with the production of algal oil but not with transportation.

Worldwide, major aviation players are showing an increased interest in this technology. As a first step, some pioneering airports have already integrated bio-jet fuels into their refueling systems. Today, five airports have regular biofuel distribution: Bergen, Brisbane, Los Angeles, Oslo and Stockholm. Long-term agreements between airlines (like KLM and Lufthansa) and biofuel producers are another sign of their commitment to the use of SAF. They now cumulatively cover around 6 billion liters of fuel (1.6% of total annual consumption).

Meeting this demand will require further production facilities. This is why some airlines have invested directly in aviation biofuel refinery projects or biofuel startups. The first example is a partnership announced in October 2020, between Virgin Atlantic and LanzaTech, on renewable jet fuel that will power planes from Shanghai and Delhi to Heathrow within two to three years. Recently, United Airlines has also joined the biofuel race, investing $30 million in Fulcrum BioEnergy. United Airlines will be both an investor and a regular customer of Fulcrum, a California-based company that has developed a technology turning municipal waste into sustainable aviation fuel. In January 2021, Qatar Airways announced it would invest in Byogy Renewables, a US startup that produces advanced biofuels (jet fuel and gasoline) from any source of bioethanol.

Corporate investment in biofuels is a rising and necessary trend, as most aviation biofuel production pathways are not yet mature. The four major ones are:

• HEFA bio-jets (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids): a process that uses oleochemical feedstocks such as oilseed crops and fats. It is currently the only technically mature and commercialized process. It is therefore expected that HEFA will be the main biofuel used in aviation in the short to medium term.
• FT fuels (gasification through the FischerTropsch): a method that uses municipal solid waste or woody biomass as feedstock.
• SIP fuels (Synthesised Iso-Paraffinic): biochemical conversion processes, such as the biological conversion of biomass (sugars, starches or lignocellulose-derived feedstocks) into longer chain alcohols and hydrocarbons.
• ATJ fuels (Alcohol-to-jet based on isobutanol): a process that includes “hybrid” thermochemical or biochemical technologies; the fermentation of synthesis gas; and catalytic reforming of sugars or carbohydrates.

However, before we witness the widespread use of biofuels in aviation, several challenges must be overcome. The major constraint is the high cost of the technologies compared to fossil-based jet fuels. For instance, the production cost of HEFA is about $1,500/ton of bio-jet fuels, and fuel costs are the largest overhead expense for airlines, accounting for an average of  22% of direct costs. Secondly, to fulfill the potential of aviation biofuels, further technological developments are needed.

Policy frameworks have a key role to play in this crucial early phase of SAF industry development. Without a supportive policy landscape, the aviation industry is unlikely to scale biofuel consumption to levels where costs fall and SAF becomes self-sustaining.

To conclude, the aviation biofuels market is likely to grow exponentially. Several startups are seizing this opportunity and collaborating with larger players, such as airlines. Government support, through policies and financial incentives, is essential to secure this growth potential and pave the way for more decarbonized air transport. 

2 Key Figures

43 sustainable aviation fuel startups

registered by Traxcn

The sustainable aviation fuel market is expected to reach $15.3bn by 2030

The global aviation biofuel market was estimated at $66 million in 2020 and is expected to reach $15.3 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 72.4%

3 startups to draw inspiration from

This week, we identified three startups that we can draw inspiration from: BioRefly, Sundrop Fuels, and Fulcrum Bio-energy.

BioRefly

The German startup BioRefly is an operator of an industrial scale demonstration biorefinery to produce lignin-based aviation fuels. It is developing technologies allowing an increased and more economical utilization of selected renewable lignocellulosic raw materials for the production of second-generation biofuel for aviation.

Sundrop Fuels

This US startup is the developer of renewable energy technology. It is using a proprietary high-temperature bioreforming system to transform cellulosic biomass into clean, affordable, renewable gasoline, jet and diesel fuels. It uses a high-temperature solar gasification process that turns natural gas combined with any plant material into liquid transportation biofuels.

Fulcrum

Fulcrum is an American startup that produces sustainable fuel intended to reduce reliance on imported oil. The company’s technology involves a process of converting municipal solid waste into low-carbon transportation, enabling clients to provide customers with low-cost and low-carbon drop-in fuel that is competitively priced with traditional petroleum fuel.

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