Date
June 09, 2021
Place
Milan
The Commission on Clean Tech 2021 - The Winners
The Commission on Clean Tech met on June 8, 2021 to decide the winning startup proposal for the sector.
The commission chose among nine finalists pre-selected by UniCredit Start Lab team. The Commission was composed of senior executives from leading Italian companies such as:
- Antonio Biondi, Head of Enel Innovation Hub Italia, ENEL
- Andrea Cignoli, CEO, Techint Engineering & Construction
- Marco Cittadini, CEO Falck Next Solutions, Falck Renewables
- Gaetano Lo Monaco, Managing Director, Novamont
- Giovanna Pozzi, Head of Renewables Development, Business Unit Hydrogen, SNAM
- Gianfranco Sorasio, CEO, Eviso
- Johann Wohlfarter, CEO, Alperia
The winning startup of the first prize for the Clean Tech sector is GetPlus - based in Padua - which has developed NEXT, a modular smart vehicle behaving as a shared car or as a taxi but also as a bus, last mile delivery van, or a truck for long distances, or an interchange hub for passengers/goods without outdoor transshipment. It is based on swarms of modular electric vehicles. Each one can join and detach with others on standard city roads. When joined, they create an open, bus-like area allowing passengers to stand and walk from one module to another. Modularity allows "enroute-transfer", that optimizes system capacity and cuts cost and traffic.
The winning startup will receive a 10.000 € grant.
The Commission awarded the second prize to Green Independence - from Brindisi. The startup wants to democratize access to renewable energy with the possibility of sustainable in-loco production directly from the sun and water, thus reversing global warming. To do this, GI, with its proprietary technology, the New Artificial Leaf (NAL), imitates nature by transforming water and the sun into green hydrogen. NAL integrates photovoltaic and electrochemical technology in order to enable a decentralized/off-grid production of Green Hydrogen and other solar-fuels, while recycling CO2 emissions by transforming them into valuable products..
The third prize went to Anemotech - from Milan - which has patented theBreath, a printable fabric that passively absorbs air micro-pollutants with bacteriostatic and antiviral capabilities. theBreath is used in advertising billboards, street furniture, construction sites and indoor furniture. Thanks to its versatility, it is used in the automotive and transport sectors. Masks, strollers and domestic appliances are other examples of applications.
Finally, a special mention went to WESII - based in Genua - which is an Italian market leader for aerial thermography inspections and analysis for the Solar Industry and is expanding globally. They conduct plant inspections using drones and airplanes in order to digitize the plant and utilize their proprietary Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms to detect and classify anomalies in the plant, allowing clients to create custom reports, take immediate action and make the smartest business decisions to maximize plant efficiency.
To read more about all nine of the 2021 UniCredit Start Lab finalists in the Clean Tech category, please click here.
