WEnnovate Looking to Accelerate Energy Innovation Ecosystem

Building on the groundwork laid by extensive research and stakeholder engagement from its initial phase, WEnnovate is now opening the floor for a co-creation phase. The forthcoming months will feature a series of strategic meetings, in-depth consultations, and the drafting of action plans. This next step will harness the collective expertise and insights of stakeholders to develop effective measures in the national action plans.

The Digital Focus of WEnnovate

• Transforming energy systems, facilitating smarter energy management strategies that adapt in real-time to changing conditions, supported by initiatives like the European Green Deal which focuses on electrification, innovation, and digital solutions.
• Optimizing the use of renewable energy, ensuring that renewable sources are integrated efficiently into the energy grid, a focus area of REPowerEU which targets supply chain and market reform digitally.
• Enhancing the reliability and efficiency of energy networks, making them robust against fluctuations and disruptions, reinforced by the EU Grid Action Plan which emphasizes funding for key strategic areas needing significant digitalization.

Building a Strong Innovation Ecosystem

The energy innovation ecosystem is a collaborative network that brings together a variety of stakeholders, including startups, established companies, research institutions, government entities, and civil society. It is further enhanced by a supportive business environment and investment climate, along with a culture that actively promotes cutting-edge technology and innovative problem-solving approaches within the energy sector.

WEnnovate underscores the significance of a robust innovation ecosystem that supports digital transformations through access to specialized skills, synergistic business networks, and diverse financing options, including venture capital and equity partners. The initiative is committed to assisting startups in delivering the disruptive solutions that will define the power networks of the future.

While disruptive innovation urgently requires regulatory support, there is also a significant need to address the energy transition comprehensively through ambitious policies and innovative business models. This approach is essential for meeting climate objectives effectively.

Successful ecosystems are diverse, combining efforts from the public and private sectors, citizens and governments, companies and universities, and involve European policymakers and markets, the press release notes, adding that it is critical to include actors from communities traditionally underrepresented in the decision-making process, such as the rural population or individuals experiencing energy poverty. 

WEnnovate is looking to forge a path for a sustainable energy future where digital innovation ensures that energy solutions are clean, affordable, and accessible to all. It aims to develop action plans by involving a broad set of energy ecosystem stakeholders from Europe and especially its participating countries—the Netherlands, Hungary, Slovakia, and Ukraine. This initiative addresses  local challenges and seeks to identify joint solutions derived from similar underlying causes across different contexts.

WEnnovate is implementing its objectives with consortium partners. Design Terminal. Central Eastern Europe’s leading innovation agency, helps to develop entrepreneurship and identify innovation challenges, the Sustainable Scale-up Foundation builds bridges between stakeholders, and G-Force provides operational support and investments. Unify.energy is dedicated to harnessing local, user-owned energy resources. Kyiv Academic University leads the Association for Academic Cooperation, which aims to create a deep-technology science park. The Ukrainian Startup Fund supports early-stage startups to raise funds. Provincie of Utrecht is working to establish a regional energy alliance to promote innovation and energy transition by leveraging governance bodies.