Lightning Lab Electric set to innovate energy sector
The Lightning Lab Electric accelerator, starting on June 12, is set to transform the energy sector as we know it in New Zealand.
With the purpose of sparking innovation, Lightning Lab Electric and Creative HQ will work with participating ventures focusing on the future of the NZ electric industry.
"Lightning Lab Electric is the vehicle for innovation within the relatively staid energy sector," says Lightning Lab Electric Programme Manager James Swope.
"We have been working with the companies in NZ who are passionate about seeing innovation take hold in the sector - Westpac, Genesis Energy, GE and Unison - to put together a great programme to catalyse innovation.
Globally, the energy sector is in the spotlight, with a surge in public interest in renewable and sustainable energy.
Lightning Lab Electric will bring some of the industry's brightest minds together to redefine how consumers and businesses use, manage, distribute, transmit, and generate power.
"We're excited to be bringing in ventures who have great potential to positively disrupt the industry with their businesses.
"Along with Callaghan Innovation and all of our Programme Partners, we're committed to helping the ventures achieve their promise," says Swope. Lightning Lab Electric will support the ventures to grow and develop through their proven accelerator format.
Ventures will receive startup coaching from Creative HQ and access to the Programme Partner representatives, mentors and industry experts.
The programme will also help those seeking investments with preparation and introductions to key investors.
"The ventures we've selected are some of the top innovators in the energy industry and represent the enormous scope of the industry," says programme director Brett Holland.
"A venture like emhTrade, which won the Innovation Challenge, have already built a data-driven energy retail platform, another venture Ampli uses Smart Meters to monitor consumption and diagnostics and report this to network companies and Polyanio, with startup veteran Paul Spence, are solving data matching problems within the energy sector.
"These are just some of the ventures coming to Lightning Lab Electric and we're excited by their potential," Holland says.
"It will help them realise the promise of their ideas and provide great benefit to the electricity industry.
Run by startup and innovation agency Creative HQ alongside Callaghan Innovation, Lightning Lab Electric is proudly sponsored by a group of innovation-focussed NZ and multinational companies – Westpac NZ, Genesis Energy, GE New Zealand, and Unison Networks, with support from Deloitte Private, Simmonds Stewart, IBM and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.
