SME creates sustainable cities thanks to ESA BIC UK funding and expertise

Heat map
(Credit: Energeo)

By applying machine learning and artificial intelligence to geospatial, satellite Earth observation and nonspatial data, Energeo can determine the energy performance of towns and cities down to the level of individual properties. The data highlights opportunities for sustainability through use of renewable energy sources, providing an evidence base for public and private sector organisations for low carbon, low emission initiatives.

The Challenge

Founded in 2015, Energeo was set up by former Airbus Defence and Space colleagues who shared the goal of accelerating the transition to a low carbon economy, with a focus on urban areas. Despite the team’s wealth of industry expertise and clear identification of the end-user market, as an earlystage SME Energeo faced a number of constraints, such as the resources and finance needed to develop, trial and pilot its products and services.

Solution

• £41,500 incentive funding towards product technical development
• Industry and business expertise, with continued support as an alumnus
• Networking opportunities within STFC, ESA and the wider Harwell Campus community
• Office at renowned innovation location in Oxfordshire

The Benefits

The financial and business support received at ESA BIC UK, along with sector knowledge and inspiration gained from networking opportunities within the flourishing space and energy clusters at Harwell Campus, enabled the Energeo team to develop their early stage offerings to a viable commercial proposition. In addition, being based within the well-regarded Oxfordshire innovation hub resulted in successful working relationships with several regional local authorities.

Since graduating from ESA BIC in 2016, Energeo has: secured two Innovate UK project grants, plus funding from the EU-funded Data Pitch open innovation programme; won a Western Power Distribution competition, with a prize of access to a closed proprietary dataset; been a finalist in both Ordnance Survey and Copernicus Masters competitions; and, in 2019, forecasted revenue to be 10 times that of its incubation period.

Energeo case study (PDF, 458 KB)