10 European GridTech startups helping power systems adapt
As Europe's electricity grid grows more complex with distributed solar, batteries and EVs, a new wave of startups is building software to balance and coordinate it. Several of these companies raised tens of millions of euros in funding this year.
Europe's electricity grid is facing growing pressure as distributed solar, battery storage and electric vehicles multiply across the network. The issue has also gained regulatory attention, with a senior European Commission official reportedly being put forward to lead the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). While new transmission infrastructure remains necessary, there is increasing demand for technology that makes better use of the grid that already exists.
A new layer of coordination
EU-Startups highlighted ten European companies working on this challenge. London-based Axle Energy turns EV chargers, home batteries and heat pumps into flexible capacity that can support grid balancing, now coordinating over 300,000 connected assets representing more than 2 GW, after raising €21 million in July.
Other startups tackle related problems from different angles. Toulouse's Bohr Energie and Utrecht's Eddy Grid aggregate and optimise renewable and battery assets, while Helsinki's Capalo AI and Copenhagen's Hybrid Greentech build virtual power plants that pool distributed batteries. Belgium's Companion.energy and Cologne's Einklang focus on energy management for businesses, while Munich's Entrix trades and optimises large-scale battery storage, having already reached 3 GW of contracted capacity.
Berlin's metiundo is building smart-metering infrastructure to digitise consumption and generation data in buildings, while London's tem is developing an AI-driven platform for buying and selling electricity that automates contracts traditionally handled by utilities and brokers. Several of these companies raised funding this year ranging from a few million euros to over €60 million.
Together, these startups reflect a broader shift in Europe's power system — from one-directional flow from large generators towards a decentralised network where households, businesses and connected devices can simultaneously consume, store and sell electricity.
