The wincubator (www.wincubator.com) is a Silver Sponsor of this year’s Startup Energy Transition Awards. We sat down with the Berlin-based organization to understand more about their investment interest in energy-efficient innovation, particularly around smart building and water management.
What do you offer start-ups that sets you apart from other investors?
The wincubator is the innovation and investment vehicle of Wilo (www.wilo.com), a leading German water pump and pump system producer headquartered in Dortmund. Think of us as the way Wilo connects to the startup world or, better yet, the startup satellite for Wilo in Berlin. We offer interesting and relevant startups financial investment and dedicated business support to grow their enterprises, as well as unparalleled industry expertise and the insider global network that comes with our 146-year legacy of being a leader in water pump business in both Germany and abroad.
What specific areas/sectors and funding stages does the Wincubator focus on?
We’re eager to support innovations that intelligently tackle challenges related to climate change and rapid urbanization, particularly if they engage in smart building or tackle water scarcity. We’re interested in startups working to develop Smart Urban Areas – urbanized places that are connected and powered by intelligent information and communication technologies. We believe that Smart Urban Areas – cities that continue to develop with respect to economic, social, environmental and cultural quality of life – are what is needed to move us towards a more resource-efficient world.
Can you tell us a little bit about what you look for in startups?
We’re keen on startups that are fundraising for Series-A investment (our ticket size is €500K – €1 million). And we are especially pleased if they’ve already secured other investors – both VCs and strategics. We want to see a track record of success, as evidenced by strong first customers, more than €100K in sales, and a strong management team. As we are a strategic investor, it is critical that the startup’s mandate and solution are aligned with Wilo’s penchant for innovation around smart building, water or any of our other strategic interest areas, such as Industry 4.0, renewable energy, circular economy or mobility.
Why are you attending the Tech Festival and what do you expect from the day?
We are absolutely thrilled to be a part of the Tech Festival and the larger DENA initiative that seeks to support innovation in energy transition. As a sponsor of the Start Up Energy Transition Awards, we’re excited to network and meet great startups. And we’re eager to help them as much as we can on their road to success.
What start-up success stories can you share with us so far?
As a team that looks for and evaluates startups every day, we’re really happy when we can help startups refine their technical understanding, experience or applications. Which is why we’re dedicated to connecting startups with the technical expertise of our team at Wilo. Because water pumps are so central to building services and water innovation, we’ve been able to make introductions to Wilo employees specializing in areas such as IOT building management, leak detection and wastewater treatment. Last year, we organized an initiative that brought 12 startups to Scotland to meet with the Wilo country offices to exchange knowledge, share expertise and build bridges.
What makes innovation in the field of energy so important to you?
While energy may not be a focus area for our investment and co-creation activities, it is important to note that energy is essential to any water innovation and smart building technology. In water innovation for example, for areas that may be off the electric grid, renewable energies can be used to power the pumps at water treatment facilities, allowing for the decentralization of water management. And in the field of smart building it’s plain to see that sensors can be powered by energy that has been created via energy harvesting or through battery technology.
Have questions? Get in touch!
Danielle Keiser, Venture Partnership Development and Communications, danielle@wincubator.com
