The 9 most promising cleantech startups of 2022, according to investors

Cleantech innovations have become a critical factor in staving off the consequences of environmental decline. Cleantech companies have attracted over CHF 681 million in funding in Switzerland so far in 2022. Learn more about the young cleantech companies that convinced investors and the public with their solutions for today's most pressing environmental concerns.

The TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award showcases the most promising Swiss startups. The annual ranking has become a benchmark in Switzerland’s startup ecosystem—and beyond.

Every year, a panel of 100 leading investors and startup experts chooses the 100 most innovative and promising Swiss startups. Each jury member nominates 10 Swiss startups that are less than five years old and show the greatest commercial potential. The first-placed company gets 10 points, the second nine points, and so on. The individual rankings are compiled to generate the final TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award ranking. In parallel, the TOP 100 Public Voting allows everyone with a LinkedIn account to cast one vote and choose the most promising startup per vertical.

Read more about the most promising startups in cleantech that tackle resource economies, renewable energy solutions, space cleanup, eco-friendly financing, and more.



Bloom Biorenewables, #9
An EPFL spinoff from Fribourg, Bloom Biorenewables has created a real alternative to crude oil from biomass. With Bloom, customers can match the growing demand for nature-based products while making a big step towards meeting their sustainability goals. Bloom also offers innovative products to meet emerging market needs, such as new scents, nutraceuticals, or biodegradable bioplastics. Inspired by nature, the company is a leader in the development of plant-based solutions that helps customers save 30% of CO2 emissions. This replacement comes without a compromise on performance or price since the efficiency and selectivity of the Bloom process allow for cost-competitive and high-performing materials. www.bloombiorenewables.com

Daphne Technology, #10
Climate deep-tech company Daphne Technology reduces pollutant emissions from ocean-going ships. The company is focused on solving the greenhouse gas challenge in tough-to-decarbonize industries. The company measures and reduces GHG emissions from industrial sources by developing and scaling up innovative technology. Daphne's approach has attracted global industrial leaders: Shell Ventures, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures, Trafigura, AET, and Swisscom recently invested in the company. www.daphnetechnology.com

ClearSpace, #11
Humans don't just leave their rubbish on earth: space debris moves in orbit around the earth at 7 km per second. This is slowly but surely becoming dangerous for functioning satellites and new space missions. To reduce the risk of collisions, satellite operators and space agencies are willing to spend a lot of money on clean-up missions. As a pioneer in this field, ClearSpace co-founder and CEO Luc Piguet has secured contracts with both the European and British space agencies. The Vaud-based startup plans to send out its first clean-up spacecraft to collect rocket and satellite parts in 2025. Another mission is already in the planning stage and further in-orbit services will follow at a later date. Watch manufacturer Omega has been on board as a partner since this year. A Series A financing round is currently underway to raise an additional EUR 25 million in capital. www.clearspace.today

DePoly, #28
Every year 56 million tonnes of PET plastic is produced, but only 9% is recycled. This is largely due to the fact that for PET plastic to be recycled it needs to be clean, sorted, and can't be mixed with other plastics. As a chemical recycling company, DePoly SA is tackling the plastic problem with its enhanced recycling technology that converts post-consumer PET plastic back to its main raw components, at room temperature, without any additional heat or pressure. The raw material can then be sold back to industrial producers, so that new, virgin-quality PET plastic items can be made, creating a truly circular plastic economy. www.depoly.co

Exnaton, #27
Exnaton's mission is to accelerate the transition to a clean, renewable energy supply and replace fossil fuels faster than ever before. The startup's software platform, PowerQuartier, empowers energy companies to offer new and attractive products around renewable energy to their customer base, such as energy communities that activate private capital for investments in renewable assets, or dynamic prices that provide incentives for consumers to shift their energy demand to when there is renewable power available. In October 2022, the company secured millions in funding from Silicon Valley and Switzerland to boost its business model. www.exnaton.com

Plastogaz, #74
Plastogaz develops technologies for the transformation of plastic waste into valuable products. With its catalysts and process designs, plastic waste can be deconstructed into its native constituents and reprocessed into virgin-quality plastics, enabling the move from a linear to a circular economy. www.plastogaz.com

MobyFly, #76
MobyFly aims to be at the forefront of 21st-century mass transportation, designing and delivering fast, efficient, zero-emission hydrofoil boats that will change waterborne travel forever. The company's zero-emission hydrofoil boats will be capable of transporting passengers in comfort at speeds in excess of 70km/h while using 70% less energy than existing diesel ferries—without creating any waves or pollution in the process. www.mobyfly.com

PEROVSKIA SOLAR AG, #87
PEROVSKIA SOLAR provides digitally printed customizable solar cells to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Their vision is to enable a solar cell on every device. The solar cells are tailored to seamlessly integrate into electronic devices, IoT, & sensors. This versatile technology offers breakthrough performance at disruptive costs. Perovskia is working with several market-leading companies in consumer electronics. www.perovskia.solar

Energy Vault, #94
Energy Vault’s breakthrough technology was inspired by pumped hydro plants that rely on the power of gravity and the movement of water to store and discharge electricity. The company’s solution is based on the same well-understood fundamentals used in those plants but replaces the water with custom-made concrete bricks through an extremely innovative use of low-cost materials. The large bricks are combined with Energy Vault’s patented system design and proprietary algorithm-based software, which calibrates the energy storage and subsequent electricity discharge. As a result, the company can deliver all the benefits of a pumped hydro system, but at a much lower price and with higher roundtrip efficiency, yet without the requirement for specific land topography and negative environmental or wildlife impacts. www.energyvault.ch


PUBLIC VOTING: SoHHytec
SoHHytec provides a renewable system for the on-site production of solar fuel and power which is cleaner, greener, and cost-effective. The EPFL spinoff implements an innovative, patented technology based on an integrated photo-electrochemical device. SoHHytec's product, called "Arb", was inspired by trees: it utilizes only the sun and water as input resources and produces fuel, power, and heat all at the same time and at the same site, requiring minimal ground/roof space. The integrated system shows high solar-to-fuel and solar-to-electricity efficiency and works at unprecedented power and current density, all while providing cost-effective fuel and power production. www.sohhytec.com