Sydney, 8 April 2025 – Supercharge Australia is proud to announce the cohort selected for its latest program, the inaugural Supercharge Australia Incubator, designed to accelerate Australia’s lithium battery manufacturing and innovation capabilities through support of early-stage companies in prototype phase.

From battery chemistry breakthroughs and AI-powered energy technologies to materials innovation, recycling, second-life systems, and electrified mobility and infrastructure, this diverse group of startups represents a wave of transformative solutions for Australia’s battery value chain.

“Supercharge Australia aims to dramatically increase the flow of Australian founders and new businesses in the lithium battery value chain that can be supported by and take advantage of new funding programs like the AU$500M Battery Breakthrough Initiative, the AU$15B National Reconstruction Fund and the AU$23B Future Made in Australia program,” said Kirk McDonald, Project Manager for Supercharge Australia.

“This cohort is a great reflection of the breadth and ambition of Australian startup innovation in the battery sector,” said Megan Fisher, CEO of EnergyLab. Strengthening Australia’s innovation capability is critical—not only to securing our clean energy supply chain but also to fostering new companies, future employers, and manufacturers that will drive our economy forward.”

The first-ever Supercharge Australia Incubator cohort, during the virtual kickoff.

Meet the 2025 cohort:

• Adoxima (VIC) – Co-founded by Dr. Vyom Parashar and Kristoffer Collopy, Adoxima produces high-purity metal oxides for battery applications and clean hydrogen as a by-product.
• CarboPhite (VIC) – Dr. Mehrdad Parsa and his team are developing a cutting-edge, cost-effective, and eco-friendly carbon-coating technology for sustainable anode production and enhancing battery performance.
• InnoVoltIQ Tech (NSW) – Dylan Wei Zhang is leveraging existing technology to build an Australian battery and cell manufacturing capability.
• Li-ion Energy (WA) – Founded by Sarai Ball and Justin Manton, Li-ion Energy is reconditioning, recycling, and transforming lithium battery waste into reusable energy solutions.
• Naut (NZ) – Led by Fiona Bycroft and Lindsay Faithfull, Naut builds high-powered electric propulsion systems that go into the boat of your choice.
• Net Zero Engineering Solutions (SA) – Portia Rooney is providing consumer-focused bidirectional charging solutions for EVs
• Noizend (NSW) – Founded by Paul Monsted, Noizend is bringing people together through physics-informed active noise control for battery energy storage systems
• Powerblocks (NSW) – Julie Leung and Robert Mortimer are making energy storage for better communities – safe, modular and beautiful.
• Sustainable Lithium Cells Australia (QLD) – Founded by Andrew Chadwick, this startup uses second-life batteries to bring affordable energy storage to Australians
• Voltavate (VIC) – Amir Hooshang Taheri is revolutionising battery manufacturing with nanofiber-engineered separators that double battery life, improve safety, and reduce production waste and cost.

Over 12 weeks, the incubator provides hands-on support, strategic guidance, and ecosystem and investor connections for Australian founders building the future of energy storage and electrification. For more information on the Supercharge Australia Incubator, click here.

Supercharge Australia, a joint project of New Energy Nexus and EnergyLab, is accelerating Australia’s lithium battery value chain, catalyzing sovereign capability across the battery supply chain—from critical minerals to manufacturing, deployment, second-life and recycling.

About EnergyLab

EnergyLab is Australia’s largest climate tech startup accelerator and innovation network dedicated to reaching net zero emissions. EnergyLab connects talented founders to the mentors, advisors, partners, peers and investors they need to succeed and has so far supported over 240 startups and 150 aspiring founders through its various programs.

In addition to running 10 programs, EnergyLab operates a climate focused angel platform with a network of over 200 angel investors, a mentor network with over 450 experts, coworking and events space at UTS in Sydney all of these services are leveraged to support the clean energy and decarbonisation startup ecosystem in Australia.

Manila, Philippines – New Energy Nexus (NEX) Philippines and solar energy company EcoSolutions Philippines have officially signed a Partnership Agreement to accelerate solar energy adoption and workforce development in the Philippines.

This collaboration marks a significant milestone in advancing the country’s renewable energy sector. By joining forces, NEX Philippines, New Energy Academy, and EcoSolutions Philippines aim to enhance practical solar installation training across the Philippines, equipping individuals with hands-on experience in solar technology.

“This partnership represents a shared vision of empowering individuals and communities through clean energy solutions,” said NEX Philippines Country Director Brenda Valerio. “By leveraging our expertise and resources, we aim to create more opportunities for Filipinos in the solar industry.”

The partnership also seeks to increase market awareness, adoption and access to innovative and efficient solar technologies nationwide. As part of this effort, EcoSolutions will provide solar panel demo units for training purposes, which will be distributed among multiple training partners of the New Energy Academy, New Energy Nexus’ solar training program. Additionally, the partnership will sponsor solar installation training scholarships to support aspiring solar professionals and entrepreneurs. Through these initiatives, both organizations aim to develop a skilled workforce, foster job creation, and strengthen their roles in the Philippine renewable energy ecosystem.

Mariah Brenda Valerio, Country Director at New Energy Nexus Philippines and EcoSolutions Philippines President, Mr. Richmond Royce V. Reyes, sign the Partnership Agreement.

The official signing ceremony was attended by key representatives from both organizations, with Valerio and EcoSolutions Philippines President Richmond Royce V. Reyes as signatories of the agreement.

Sheryl Estella (Academy Manager, New Energy Academy) and Ivan Fredriech L. Cano (Marketing Head, EcoSolutions Philippines) show support during the signing of the Partnership Agreement.

The partnership between New Energy Nexus Philippines and EcoSolutions Philippines is set to roll out various initiatives in the coming months, including specialized training programs and industry engagement activities to drive greater adoption of solar energy solutions across the country.

About New Energy Academy

New Energy Academy is a solar training institution dedicated to developing skilled professionals in the renewable energy sector. It was founded in collaboration with New Energy Nexus, Global Sustainable Energy Solutions (GSES) and OpenSolar, as a response to the rapidly growing solar industry.

About EcoSolutions Philippines

EcoSolutions Philippines, a trade name under R.A.R. Ventures Incorporated, specializes in solar panel system distribution, installation, and cleaning services for both residential and commercial properties in the Philippines.

Berkeley, California, USA – New Energy Nexus announces today the appointment of two clean energy and international development leaders, Peter du Pont and Richenda Van Leeuwen, to its Board of Directors. These strategic additions to the board bring decades of combined experience in clean energy finance, policy, and entrepreneurship across global markets, further strengthening New Energy Nexus’s mission to support diverse entrepreneurs building a 100% clean energy economy.

Peter du Pont, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Asia Clean Energy Partners

Peter du Pont is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Asia Clean Energy Partners, an Asia-based international consultancy providing services and solutions for clients in the development and business sectors. Based in Bangkok, Dr. du Pont brings over 30 years of experience developing sustainable energy and climate programs across the U.S. and Asia. His expertise spans technical, policy, and market assessments, with deep connections to major development institutions including USAID, Asian Development Bank, as well as to clean energy and impact investors in the Asia region. He also co-founded the Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN) in Asia in 2009 and continues to serve as its Asia Regional Coordinator.

“The entrepreneurial ecosystem is a driving force behind clean energy innovation, particularly in emerging markets,” said Peter du Pont. “I’m honored to join New Energy Nexus at this critical moment when the need to rapidly scale up innovative and investable climate solutions has never been more urgent. I look forward to helping expand the organization’s impact across Asia and beyond, connecting entrepreneurs with the resources they need to scale impactful solutions.”

Richenda Van Leeuwen, President of Hummingbird Green Solutions

Richenda Van Leeuwen is President of Hummingbird Green Solutions. Her career includes many years of leadership roles focused on sustainable energy for sustainable development, renewable energy investing and entrepreneurship at organizations including senior roles at the Aspen Institute, RMI, the United Nations Foundation, the Global LPG Partnership, and Good Energies across Africa, the Americas and Asia.  She brings expertise in commercial renewable energy investments, impact investing, particularly in energy access solutions for emerging economies, climate finance and entrepreneurship.

“Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed firsthand how entrepreneurial approaches can transform challenges into opportunities for local sustainable development,” said Richenda Van Leeuwen. “New Energy Nexus has built an impressive global platform that nurtures diverse talent and innovative business models. I’m excited to contribute to its next chapter, and support significant contributions to both sustainable development and climate goals.”

These strategic appointments come after Henri van Eeghen assumed the role of CEO in August 2024, leading New Energy Nexus in its next stage of growth and impact.

“Peter and Richenda bring invaluable expertise and networks that will help us deepen our support for entrepreneurs in key markets and strengthen our partnerships across the public and private sectors,” said Henri van Eeghen, CEO of New Energy Nexus. “Their combined experience in Asia, Africa, and global institutions aligns perfectly with our strategy to scale our impact and unlock greater capital for diverse founders building climate solutions.

“We also thank outgoing Board members Julia Blunden and Chia-Lin Simmons for their invaluable work, expertise, and advice over the years.”

“We are absolutely delighted with the addition of Peter and Richenda to our Board,” said Board co-chairs Ian Rogoff and Janet Dalziell. “As we move into our next phase, these appointments position us to significantly accelerate our work toward a 100% clean energy economy for 100% of the world’s population.”

Hong Kong, 24 February 2025 – Hong Kong-based utility Towngas, in partnership with New Energy Nexus (NEX), has launched the 4th TERA Award, a global initiative to identify and recognize exceptional, innovative green technologies and solutions that are poised for the future.

Through the competition, the organizers will offer the application scenarios, funding opportunities and resources to the entries with potential, helping them to bring their innovative ideas to fruition and achieve commercial success.

The prize of the award is US$1 million for the first-place winner, while runner up and third prize will receive US$100,000 and US$50,000.

Hong Kong skyline

Application categories include:

• Renewable Energy: Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Geothermal Energy, Biomass Energy
• Energy Storage and Conversion: Electrochemical energy storage, Physical Energy, Energy conversion technologies,Thermal solutions (e.g air source heat pumps)
• CCUS Technology: Carbon Capture, Carbon Utilization, Carbon Storage, Methane Emissions Control
• Green fuel & hydrogen energy: Sustainable biomass processing tech, Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), Green methanol, Hydrogen production, transmission and storage, Hydrogen energy applications
• Intelligent Energy Systems: Energy Internet, Virtual Power Plant, Energy management
• Smart City: Green Smart Kitchens, Home Energy Management Solutions, Green City Planning (e.g. Green Transportation, Green Buildings, Waste Management, Air Quality Management)

In its past three editions, Tera-Award has attracted applications from 933 green tech start-ups across 59 countries and regions, thereby establishing a significant impact within the global energy innovation ecosystem.

New Energy Nexus China has been supporting Tera-Award for three years. Every year, we link global ecological partner resources, fully support the recruitment and promotion of the competition, and jointly accelerate the implementation of advanced green energy technologies.

The application window is until April 9th, 2025. Apply now for US$1 million for Gold Prize, and chance to accelerate with Towngas energy sandbox!

Six women-led agricultural enterprises across the Mekong Delta in Vietnam have successfully secured up to AUD60,000 (VND1 billion) each to take their businesses to the next level, thanks to Deltaccelerate.

Deltaccelerate is a women’s agribusiness climate adaptation accelerator funded by the Australian Government that provides customised training and tailored support for women-focused small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Mekong Delta to build their capacity in sustainable business practices and strengthen their resilience to climate adaptation.

The six successful businesses were selected from a cohort of 14 Deltaccelerate participants following a competitive Pitch Day event on 17 October 2024 in Can Tho city. They include:

Mekong Coconut Oil Company Limited (Cocovie)

Producing and trading high-quality cosmetic and food products from coconut oil in Ben Tre province, focusing on preserving and utilizing coconut trees over 10 years old, which can absorb 75 tons of CO2 per hectare per year.

Cau Ke Macapuno Coconut Processing Co., Ltd (VICOSAP)

Specialising in confectionery products, baking ingredients and drinks made from macapuno coconuts, a specialty of Tra Vinh province cultivated by the Khmer community and known for their high saline tolerance, making them an ideal climate-adaptive crop.

Palmania JSC

Creating healthy, organic products from palmyra trees using sustainable farming methods rooted in the indigenous Khmer community in An Giang province.

AirXCarbon/Veritas Vietnam JSC

Transforming biomaterials, including coconut husks from the Mekong Delta, into zero-carbon consumer products.

Dam Doi Sesarmid Cooperative

Producing a range of sustainable products from locally-caught sesarmids and shrimps in Ca Mau province.

Ecoka JSC

Producing and trading handicrafts made from adaptive materials, including water hyacinth and bulrush, from Hau Giang province on global e-commerce platforms.

Each enterprise will now receive this financial support to scale their business through trade promotion, marketing, product development and training initiatives. Deltaccelerate’s total contribution of AUD250,000 (VND4 billion) will also leverage AUD320,000 (VND5 billion) in co-funding from the enterprises to further amplify its impact.

The Deltaccelerate program is part of the Business Partnership Platform (BPP), an Australian Government initative implemented by Palladium. Deltaccelerate is managed by New Energy Nexus Vietnam (NEXVN) and continues to foster innovative solutions for climate adaptation and sustainable development in the Mekong Delta.

About the Business Partnerships Program (BPP)

The BPP supports business partnerships between DFAT and inclusive, commercially sustainable businesses to deliver strategic development outcomes, with a focus on gender equality, disability, social inclusion and climate impact. Since 2016, it has supported 75 partnerships in 21 countries, partnering with 147 organisations across the private sector, social business, NGOs and academic institutions.

The Australian Government has invested more than AUD31 million in BPP partnerships, with partners contributing more than AUD51 million.

About the Deltaccelerate

Deltaccelerate is made possible by a unique partnership between the Australian Government and New Energy Nexus through the Business Partnerships Platform (BPP) Climate Adaptation Partnerships in the Mekong Delta, announced in November 2023.

Deltaccelerate is a business accelerator funded by the Australian Government providing direct support, tailored training, and networking opportunities for enterprises that work in the Mekong Delta’s agricultural sector, which are led by or significantly benefit women and contribute to the sector’s resilience to climate adaptation.

The Partnerships are part of the Australian Government’s AUD94.5 million investments for climate change adaptation in the Mekong Delta.

Drone photo of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City, 30 September 2024 – Vietnam’s rapidly growing climate tech startup ecosystem secured US$92.6 million in cumulative financing for 49 startups between 2015-2023, according to the first report to map the growth of the country’s funding ecosystem. 

The Vietnam Climate Tech Ecosystem report released today by New Energy Nexus and Clickable Impact with support from the Swiss Entrepreneurship Program (Swiss EP, shows that there is huge room for growth as climate tech funding contributed only four percent of Vietnam’s total venture capital investment in 2023—well below the global average of 10 percent.

“Vietnam witnessed a remarkable acceleration in investment from 2021-2023, with funding for climate tech startups averaging 365 percent growth year-over-year,” said Thao Tran, country head of New Energy Nexus Vietnam, one of the few organizations building a clean energy innovation ecosystem to support climate startups. “This shows that there’s a strong ecosystem to support clean energy innovators to develop their ideas, but that there’s a funding crunch when it comes to commercialisation and deploying this tech where it’s needed most,”

“We see great room for entrepreneurial support organizations like New Energy Nexus to help Vietnam’s climate tech entrepreneurs build more commercially sound businesses, improve their investment readiness, and connect with both domestic and international capital,” said Jason Lusk, managing partner of Clickable Impact.

Key findings from the report:

• Among the 49 funded startups, 76 percent have been founded since 2019.
• Most deals have been early-stage, with seed and Series A funding comprising 47 percent of the deal count. Only two startups have graduated to Series B, a funding round that signals a startup’s readiness to scale.
• Most climate tech startups operated out of Vietnam’s largest cities: Ho Chi Minh City (65.3%) and Hanoi (26.5%).
• Farming and food production startups raised 48.4 percent of all climate tech funding in Vietnam.

Although funding for the circular economy and carbon sectors remains limited, there is an emerging trend marked by an increasing number of startups in these areas. This aligns with the growth in grant funding, which could lead to a higher number of investable startups in the next business cycle.

Furthermore, while many startups and investors remain optimistic about fundraising, a gap persists between investable startups and investors with a deep understanding of the market and the specific challenges faced by early-stage ventures.

Vietnam is highly vulnerable to climate change; according to the World Bank, the country faces potential economic losses of up to 12-14.5 percent of its annual GDP by 2050.¹ Climate tech entrepreneurship is critical in mitigating Vietnam’s greenhouse gas emissions and empowering the country’s communities and industries to build climate resilience.

Notes:

[1] World Bank (2022). Vietnam Country Climate and Development Report.

The 3GE Team, [RE]Power Hackathon First Place winner, presents their clean energy policy proposal.

Announced at New Energy Nexus Indonesia’s [RE]Power event, the policies will be shared with policy leaders who will formulate the upcoming 2025-2029 RPJMN (National Medium-Term Development Plan).

• First place: Encouraging private sector engagement through efficiency and transparency in a public-private partnership for renewable energy infrastructure project in Indonesia | 3GE Team (Nain M. Farchan & Elmaira Ferlita S) – Universitas Jember
• Second place: Establishing a Coordinating Ministry for Climate Change as a Solution for Data Integration and Roadmap Synchronization to reach Indonesia’s Net Zero Emission Goals | Invaluable Team (Azaria Ahmad Haykal, Gema Wachid Aryasatya, Rafi Ramadhan Seba) – Institut Teknologi Bandung & University of Tokyo
• Third place: Proposing strategies to strengthen the clean energy research and development ecosystem in Indonesia | Arindama Team (Rizka Fitria Utami & Herlina Pebria) – Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa
  These teams were selected after completing a rigorous bootcamp, developing capstone projects, and participating in intensive mentoring sessions. The winning teams will share a total prize of IDR45,000,000.

“Young people are not only one-quarter of the Indonesia’s population, but they’re also at the forefront of climate change impacts. That’s why we’re showcasing their ideas and solutions, providing them the opportunity to collaborate with entrepreneurs, researchers and policymakers to influence future energy policy,” said Diyanto Imam, Program Director of New Energy Nexus Indonesia. “We’re so proud of the finalists and all the participants who demonstrated unyielding optimism to solve some of the world’s most intractable problems.”

According to the first-place winner 3GE Team, there are several key issues in Indonesia’s clean energy policies, particularly in relation to Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). These include a lack of transparency and persistent corruption within renewable energy projects, unclear risk-sharing mechanisms between the public and private sectors, and the absence of compelling incentives that limit the appeal of green energy initiatives under the current PPP framework.

“To address these challenges, we recommend improving public transparency and accountability through open reporting on project implementation, establishing clear risk-sharing mechanisms to strengthen public-private partnerships, and developing more attractive programs for investors with effective financing strategies,” said Elmaira Ferlita S, a member of the 3GE Team. “These measures are essential for driving sustainable development in Indonesia’s clean energy sector.”

“I never realized how much goes into creating a policy and how deeply it impacts our daily lives. While I’m thrilled that our team won, I’m even more grateful for the knowledge and networks we’ve gained through the [RE]Power Hackathon, especially the intensive discussions we had with our mentors and industry experts,” added Nain M. Farchan, also from the 3GE Team.

New Energy Nexus (NEX) Indonesia’s [RE]Power Hackathon is the country’s first youth-driven energy policy hackathon designed for young innovators to develop forward-thinking policies that will catalyze the adoption of clean technologies across Indonesia.

“I am pleased to see our youth dedicating their minds to creating policies that will drive Indonesia toward achieving its sustainable energy transition goals. The fact that dozens of young people applied to the [RE]Power Hackathon shows their deep interest in and commitment to these critical issues,” said Ir. Senda Hurmuzan Kanam., M.Sc on behalf of Eniya Listiani Dewi, Director General of New and Renewable Energy. “As someone who helps shape regulations, it gives me peace of mind knowing we are not alone in this journey. When my time ends, I am confident that our future leaders will take the reins and ensure Indonesia’s continued progress with just policies.”

The [RE]Power Hackathon also welcomed five startups from Bali showcasing products ranging from waste-derived innovations to eco-apps aimed at promoting sustainable tourism: Ambawarna, Kishara, Decoco Luminer, Ecous, Kelana Terra.

[RE]Power is proud to collaborate with eleven youth-led organizations: BEM FH Universitas Indonesia, Climate Rangers Jakarta, Economy for Ecology, Environmental Law Society FH Universitas Indonesia, Green Welfare Indonesia, School of Applied STEM Universitas Prasetya Mulya, Society of Renewable Energy ITB, Society of Renewable Energy ITK, Society of Renewable Energy Universitas Indonesia, Teens Go Green Indonesia, and Mindworks Lab. NEX Indonesia is also grateful for the support of our media partners, Changemakr Asia, Katadata.co.id, Katadata Green, and Zona EBT.

The support from Milkywire, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and the Ministry of National Development Planning has been critical in NEX Indonesia’s efforts to foster a vibrant cleantech ecosystem in Indonesia.

Makati City, Philippines, 18 September 2024 — The Philippines currently has 91 clean energy and climate startups, representing a six-fold increase since 2020 (from 15), according to a new report, It takes a village: Growing an ecosystem to support Philippines’ clean energy startups, from New Energy Nexus. Of these startups, 18 have raised almost US$1.3 million.

“The Filipino clean energy innovation ecosystem has shown huge progress and promise in the past years, but the nascent space runs the risk of stalling because of lack of access to networks, funding, testing facilities, and skills training,” said Brenda Valerio, Country Director at NEX Philippines. “Local entrepreneurs are best placed to understand how to deploy solutions in their communities and transition our economy more equitably to clean energy. It really does take a village to build and deploy these solutions.”

The study also found that while these startups are mostly in Metro Manila (34.1%), entrepreneurs from Northern Mindanao (14.5%) and CALABARZON (16.5%) are carving up space in the industry.

Industries for climate and clean energy startup companies and enterprises

Nearly half of startups (49%) are in the renewable energy generation sector, while others are in the sustainable transportation / e-mobility sector,  energy access sector (both at 8%), and waste management (7%).

These developments are due in part to more opportunities for clean energy businesses to scale, with over 100 national energy policies and incentives easing the burden on entrepreneurs, increasing opportunities in the private sector, and incubator and accelerator programs run by organizations such as New Energy Nexus—which is still the only non-profit clean energy accelerator in the country. New Energy Nexus has directly supported over 90 percent of these startups since 2019.

Despite significant progress, the report outlines how public, private, and advocacy stakeholders can build an innovation ecosystem to support more thriving startups and accelerate the adoption and deployment of clean energy innovation.

• Among the gaps seen are in the public sector. Unstreamlined bureaucratic processes, lack of resources at the local level, and potential policy changes make it tough for many entrepreneurs to access the funding and incentive programs that the government provides. There is also a lack of research, testbeds, and facilities in the country that could accelerate the development of clean energy technologies.
• Another concern is private investments. Of the US$ 1.3 million in funding mentioned above, only 13 percent came from private loans and investments. Furthermore, some startups require substantial upfront investment,  yet many are not ready to meet the demand of managing large capital injections. This is where support from the private sector, government, and nonprofits is required—beyond early-stage funding, startups need to access venture capital and growth-stage funding in order to scale and access new markets.

“In my observation, most startups are not yet ready for the type of funding that’s currently available. We have to recognize that many of these companies are still at an early stage in their development,” said Rachel Santiago-Sacro of venture fund Clime Capital, which invests in sustainability and clean energy ventures. “It’s crucial that we provide support at every stage of a startup’s journey, not just when they’re ready for significant investment.”

• On the scarcity of capital, the report recommends experimenting with diverse funding mechanisms and de-risking strategies to create a more investor-friendly environment for both institutions and innovators. These include public-private partnerships, venture capital, and crowdfunding, which could boost financial support for energy innovation in the country.

Furthermore, the report calls for streamlining regulatory processes for ease of business, enhanced support on market access, integration of energy innovation and entrepreneurship topics in academic curricula, and fostering a community of various stakeholders to facilitate mutual learning.

“Many of these gaps could be filled by addressing fragmentation in the clean energy sector,” Valerio said. “Instead of working independently, government agencies, think tanks, and non-government organizations must collaborate to make processes more efficient for startups and to catch up with the country’s growing startup space.”

Sydney, 18 September 2024 – The second annual Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge announces today a new cohort of 12 startups with solutions to rapidly convert half the Australian vehicle fleet to electric vehicles (EVs), equivalent to more than 10 million vehicles.

The Challenge aims to find solutions that can deploy up to 1.3TWh of batteries that would be required to reach this goal, starting with approximately 600GWh of heavy truck and bus batteries (plus up to 25GWh for  mining), 400GWh for light trucks and commercial vehicles and 260GWh for passenger vehicles [1].

The startups selected for the cohort are:

• Australian EVS, Newcastle, NSW: light commercial EV retrofits for councils and fleets.
• Cuedo Controls, Melbourne, VIC: efficient EV software control systems for the entire retrofit market.
• Eclass Outboards, Kiama, NSW: electric outboard and marine hybrid retrofits for pleasure craft and fishing fleets.
• Electric Power Conversions Australia (EPCA), Hazelmere, WA: EV retrofitting mining haul trucks from 100 tonnes and up
• Electromotiv, Canberra, ACT: EV retrofitting buses for public transport and private fleets
• Evans Electric, Sydney, NSW: EV powertrain hardware and software developer specialising in axial flux motor development including e-axles
• IonDNA, ACT and NSW: power electric ATVs, utility vehicles, and farm tools from electricity generated via on-site solar power infrastructure.
• Jaunt, Melbourne, VIC: EV conversion systems for classic cars and specialist commercial vehicles.
• Net Zero Engineering Solutions, Adelaide, SA: bi-directional EV charging solution.
• OZ Electric Vehicles, Logan City, QLD: battery upscaling and “flat pack” EV retrofit kits.
• “Project Midas,” Sydney, NSW: next-generation graphene anode technology, improving lithium-ion battery performance and safety.
• REVR, Melbourne, VIC: Minimised installation requirement mass EV retrofit kits.

“This is the first innovation challenge of its type in Australia to focus on mass EV retrofitting vehicles. With the incredible increase in battery demand this would generate, we aim to change the conversation on the viability of battery and cell manufacturing in Australia, taking advantage of our huge competitive advantage in the lithium battery supply chain,” said Kirk McDonald, Project Manager for Supercharge Australia.

“Not only would retrofitting half the Australian vehicle fleet to electric vehicles rapidly reduce emissions from transport, it would also support a big capacity uplift in our startup innovation ecosystem and clean energy advanced manufacturing,” said Megan Fisher, CEO of EnergyLab.

Participants in the inaugural Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge in 2023 raised over AU$48 million in funding subsequent to the first Challenge. Applicants this year will benefit from technical support, networking, mentoring, wide exposure and introductions to investors and customers in an industry roundtable to accelerate their success.

Delivered over two months with most sessions online, startups will receive advice from international and domestic experts in finance, IP and business growth, and pitching the opportunity to investors. This will culminate in the second Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge Awards event, in Sydney on November 7.

The winning startup will also have the opportunity to join an expert guided visit by Danny Kennedy, EnergyLab Director and Venture Partner at New Energy Nexus Ventures, to California’s startup ecosystem, centred in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“It’s a perfect time to showcase the world-beating ambition and technical know-how this team has to decarbonise half Australia’s vehicle fleet, all with Australian-made lithium batteries,” said Danny Kennedy.

The Challenge aims to rapidly decarbonise the transport sector and accelerate battery demand.  In 2022 the transport sector contributed to 19% of Australia’s emissions, with trucks, buses and light commercial vehicles accounting for about 40% of the total transport figure. The potential CO2 savings are critically important; and vehicle acquisition cost savings of up to 50% per vehicle in comparison to new purchases have been identified in overseas markets.

Supercharge Australia is accelerating the lithium battery value chain in Australia, and is a joint project of not-for-profit cleantech startup support organisations New Energy Nexus globally and EnergyLab in Australia and New Zealand.

Notes:

Photos are available here.

[1] Calculations apply expert-advised current and at-scale estimates of lithium battery, electric motor, software control systems, wages and ancillary design and other costs to the Australian vehicle fleet data from Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics. “Motor Vehicles, Australia, January 2022 (First Issue).”

About New Energy Nexus

New Energy Nexus (NEX) is an international organization that strives towards a 100% clean energy economy for 100% of the population. It does this with a laser focus on diverse entrepreneurs, supporting them with accelerators, funds, skills, and networks they need to thrive.

NEX has accelerated over 1,200 startups, supported nearly 9,000 entrepreneurs, and mobilized over US$3.7 billion in investment. Celebrating 20 years since its founding in California in 2004, NEX now operates programs or advisory services in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, the UAE, Uganda, the USA (California and New York), and Vietnam. More at www.newenergynexus.com

About EnergyLab

EnergyLab is Australia’s largest climate tech startup accelerator and innovation network dedicated to reaching net zero emissions. EnergyLab connects talented founders to the mentors, advisors, partners, peers and investors they need to succeed and has so far supported over 195 startups and 140 aspiring founders through its various programs.

In addition to running 10 programs, EnergyLab operates a climate focused angel investor network with over 200 angel investors, a mentor network with over 400 experts, coworking and events space at UTS in Sydney all of these services are leveraged to support the clean energy and decarbonisation startup ecosystem in Australia.