Jan 26, 2021
By Audun Abelsnes, Managing Director of the Equinor & Techstars Energy Accelerator
We are thrilled to announce and welcome the 2021 class of the Equinor & Techstars Energy Accelerator. The program will kick off on February 15th with our Demo Day taking place on May 11th. And this year, our program will be entirely virtual.
The Equinor & Techstars Energy Accelerator brings together four very strong networks – Equinor, Kongsberg, Capgemini and Techstars – and our one and only goal is to support and grow these ten incredible companies over the next 13 weeks and beyond.
The Techstars worldwide network helps entrepreneurs succeed. Our 2,300+ portfolio companies have raised over $11.7 billion in capital, with 85% of our portfolio companies remaining active or having been acquired. Together, Equinor, KONGSBERG, Capgemini and Techstars create an unfair advantage for founders and give them the best chance for success.
In January 2020, we started a world-wide recruitment trip that brought me around the globe looking for world-class talent. Although it came to a brutal stop while I was in Mexico due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I believe we found it.
In addition to being highly selective, the Equinor & Techstars Energy Accelerator is global and diverse. Entrepreneurs from Canada, the US, Italy, Spain, Norway, and Brazil will spend 3 months with us. They were selected from a strong global applicant pool from 44 countries, all focused around energy in a broad context.
I would like to thank our mentors, sponsors, partners and alumni for their generous support in this process. Special thanks to Equinor, KONGSBERG and Capgemini for their true commitment to the success of Techstars Energy.
Some words from each of our partners :
Equinor: “We believe working together with startups that push barriers within technology and innovation is fundamental to shape the future of energy. Following the success of our previous accelerator programmes, we are excited to have a new class of innovative startups to unlock opportunities within oil and gas, renewables and low-carbon solutions. I look forward to collaborate with the teams and create value,” says Gareth Burns, Equinor’s vice president and Head of Equinor Ventures.”
Kongsberg: “If industry players, from large to small, cooperate and nourish each other’s experience and technology, it will be substantially easier to solve the challenges faced by the energy industry. Through Techstars we can share our knowledge and experience alongside ambitious entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs who have identified new opportunities and use their unique skill set to tackle major challenges,” says Christian Møller, Chief Technology Officer in Kongsberg Digital.
Capgemini: “At Capgemini Invent we are passionate about bringing to life what’s next. We are very excited to work closely with and learn from these fantastic startups. The Equinor & Techstars Energy Accelerator gives us the opportunity to develop new ideas that can change the industry through new innovations, technology and more sustainable solutions.” Elin Skauge, Vice President, Innovation & Strategy for Capgemini Invent
Go team Techstars Energy!
Without further ado, here are the 2021 Equinor & Techstars Energy Accelerator companies:
Cnergreen
Enhanced oil recovery and CO2 storage efficiency via resilient nanoparticle-based foam technology