Dear Innovators,
Searching for something new and exciting? Then have a look at our new project! The SET Lab is dena’s newest format in their efforts to boost innovation in the energy sector. The goal is to raise awareness about regulatory obstacles which hold weight for the future success of business models. Supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), the SET Lab provides start-ups with the opportunity to discuss the existing regulatory frameworks within the German energy sector together with experts from dena, the ministries, and other stakeholders.
SET Lab started with four roundtable discussions to identify the most important topics which start-ups see as structural burdens for the growth of their businesses. As part of the next steps, the results of these roundtables have been clustered into four different categories and will be discussed in a set of “innovation workshops”. The first innovation workshop was held on May 3rd, 2018 focusing on data protection, data security and IT security. 10 start-ups from the energy sector – including GreenPocket, Fresh Energy, shine, awebu und LeafTech – presented their biggest regulatory challenges to representatives of the BMWi and industry experts and discussed solutions to make the regulatory framework in Germany more innovation-friendly.
The day was introduced by Oliver Süme, partner and DSGVO expert at the law firm Fieldfisher, as well as Robert Spanheimer, Head of Division Smart Grids & Smart Home at Bitkom. Additionally, Kristofer Fichtner, one of the founders of Thermondo, walked start-ups through the world of investors, including what to look for when searching for investors and what investors generally expect from start-ups in the energy sector.
Our next innovation workshops will focus on topics including Networks / Infrastructure (August 30th), Market / Commerce (September 11th), and Buildings / Heat Change (October 9th).
Stay tuned for more information and updates, and let us know if you wish to get involved!
For more information, please contact Mr. Leo Hille, at hille@dena.de