The Urban Future Lab and Innovate UK bring cutting-edge, clean energy and climate tech businesses to the U.S.

BROOKLYN, New York, Tuesday, January 12, 2021 – Beginning in January, the Urban Future Lab at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering will be the U.S. landing pad for Innovate UK’s Global Incubator Programme (GIP), which is designed to cultivate and support the launch of  innovative cleantech companies with a strong potential to scale internationally to new markets. 

The program will provide eight U.K.-based businesses with the opportunity to explore the potential of the U.S. market and access to world-class mentors. The cohort will consist of businesses in electric mobility, distributed energy, and technologies focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions or addressing the effects of global warming.

The selected companies are:

• AITL Ltd — Uses algorithmic solutions to analyze real-time hyper-local carbon flows with reduced computing requirements, unlocking low-carbon commercial innovation for corporations, energy suppliers, and others.
• C-Probe Systems Ltd — A products and services provider of low-carbon smart technology for the sustainable resilience of reinforced concrete and masonry structures.
• Crop Intellect Ltd — An R&D company developing disruptive technologies based on plant-derived chemicals. The results are improvements in yield and quality of the produce and reductions in the environmental burden of agricultural inputs. 
• CYCL — A Dragons’ Den-backed company active in the design and distribution of micromobility vehicles and components. Their solutions focus on optimizing the performance of two-wheel electric vehicles for commercial use. 
• Levelise Ltd — An industry-leading virtual power plant technology company for residential energy management and utility savings. They install state-of-the-art li-ion storage systems on properties with solar photovoltaics and smart appliances to generate new revenue streams for homeowners.
• Powerline Technologies Ltd — Designs and markets smart grid solutions to Electricity Networks Operators (DNO), and has expertise in machine and deep learning in power engineering applications including fault detection, classification, and location on underground and sub-marine cables. 
• Senergy Innovations Ltd — Pioneers of advanced polymer solar thermal panels that can be mass manufactured and installed at a 50% lower cost than existing solar thermal panels made from glass, copper, and aluminum. 
• Urban Electric Networks Ltd — Creating low-impact charging infrastructure needed for the mass adoption of electric vehicles in cities and towns across the world.

This transnational program is specifically designed to support early-stage climate-focused technologies from the U.K. to accelerate the path of market entry in the United States, paving the way for groundbreaking clean energy companies to attract local funding, partnerships, and customers. 

Programs like this are critical to the continued growth of the clean economy and help bridge innovation from international markets, all while encouraging local job creation in New York City. The selected businesses will be working virtually with mentors and advisors over a six-month period, in preparation for establishing a formal presence in the region.

The program will conclude with a high-profile showcase of U.K.– based energy innovation in NYC designed to highlight the companies involved and focus the attention of local industry stakeholders, key customers, and investors. This event also provides a special opportunity to announce partnerships, highlight the regional ecosystem, and stimulate interest from entrepreneurs to engage in future programs. 

With over a decade of experience supporting cleantech startups, the Urban Future Lab scales market-ready solutions to climate challenges. The Urban Future Lab’s track record includes a portfolio of 62 startups in its ACRE incubator that have raised over $670 million in capital since joining the program.

“This is an auspicious moment for a program such as this, aimed at scaling up clean energy and climate tech solutions that can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and ameliorate the effects of climate change,” said Pat Sapinsley, managing director of Cleantech initiatives at the Urban Future Lab. “In the U.S., we are certainly on the cusp of a climate carpe diem, with the advent of a new, science-friendly administration whose goals include an immediate return to the Paris Climate Accords, and a well-conceived climate plan that is destined to create millions of well-paid jobs, green manufacturing, and a new cleaner and more equitable economy.”

“We are really pleased to be working with Urban Future Lab on this programme to help UK clean growth companies to grow and scale internationally,” said Simon Edmonds, Deputy Executive Chair and Chief Business Officer at Innovate UK. “The race to net-zero is a key priority for Innovate UK in the coming years as well as helping more innovative businesses to seize global opportunities. The companies selected will play a critical role, which is why we are delighted to be supporting them at this stage of their journey.”

“The GIP will provide Senergy with a landing pad in New York State and open up the opportunity to introduce our innovative solar thermal panels to the US market,” said Christine Boyle, CEO of Synergy Innovations. “In New York City, over 30% of a building’s energy consumption is used to provide space heating and hot water. As in the UK this demand is largely met by fuel oil- and natural gas-powered boilers; nearly 96% of New York City buildings use these fuels for heating, but at a significant economic and environmental cost. Senergy panels provide a renewable, emissions-free and cost-efficient alternative to fossil fuel-based space and water heating.”

"As we look forward to commercial launch in 2021, we are excited to be joining the Global Innovation Programme’s NYC incubator to bring our innovation to NYC as a springboard to the US market,” said Oli Freeling-Wilkinson, of Urban Electric Networks. “With electrification set to accelerate over the next few years, Urban Electric's unique low-impact charging infrastructure will kickstart an electric vehicle revolution in towns and cities across the world by providing residents without access to off-street parking with convenient curbside charging on the streets where they live.”

About the Urban Future Lab

The Urban Future Lab (UFL) at NYU Tandon School of Engineering is New York City’s premier innovation hub for smart cities, the smart grid, and clean energy.  The UFL is home to programs focused on policy, education, and market solutions for the green economy. ACRE, the UFL’s flagship program, is a business incubator that supports the growth of high-impact early-stage venture companies addressing climate change. ACRE incubator companies receive business advisement, access to funding, introductions to industry mentors and channel partners, as well as desk space at an office in Downtown Brooklyn. The UFL and all its programs are supported by NYSERDA, Daikin, ENGIE, and Orrick. More at ufl.nyc.  

About Innovate UK

Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. Innovate UK stimulates productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas, including those from the UK’s world-class research base. Since its inception 10 years ago, Innovate UK has been successfully helping businesses to identify new market trends and technologies and to develop them into the products, processes and services that grow their companies, and consequently the UK economy. Our funding support, in the form of matched grants and loans, provides opportunities for businesses to innovate faster, more intensely, or more collaboratively than they would otherwise. For further information, visit: gov.uk/government/organisations/innovate-uk

About the New York University Tandon School of Engineering

The NYU Tandon School of Engineering dates to 1854, the founding date for both the New York University School of Civil Engineering and Architecture and the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute. A January 2014 merger created a comprehensive school of education and research in engineering and applied sciences as part of a global university, with close connections to engineering programs at NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai. NYU Tandon is rooted in a vibrant tradition of entrepreneurship, intellectual curiosity, and innovative solutions to humanity’s most pressing global challenges. Research at Tandon focuses on vital intersections between communications/IT, cybersecurity, and data science/AI/robotics systems and tools and critical areas of society that they influence, including emerging media, health, sustainability, and urban living. We believe diversity is integral to excellence, and are creating a vibrant, inclusive, and equitable environment for all of our students, faculty and staff. For more information, visit engineering.nyu.edu.