Powerbee and MyGrid: innovative start-ups in the energy transition supported by KBC
The energy transition is in full swing, and innovative entrepreneurs are playing a key role in it. Two Belgian start-ups, Powerbee and MyGrid, are each working on their own sustainable energy solutions. Thanks to their pioneering work, businesses and individuals have the opportunity to use energy more smartly and become more independent from traditional energy suppliers. As a bank and partner, KBC is supporting them in their growth and their mission to make the energy transition accessible to all.
Powerbee: energy management for SMEs
Dieter Broes, founder of Powerbee, has years of experience in the energy sector. He has previously built a business in solar panels and worked for Total Energies. But he saw that SMEs needed a different approach: ‘The energy narrative today has become so complex that it is no longer enough to simply install solar panels or charging stations. Everything has to work together.’
His answer was to found Powerbee, a company that offers full support to SMEs in their energy management. Powerbee does this using a holistic approach:
- Energy scans to determine the current situation and potential optimisations
- Smart monitoring and energy control to optimise consumption
- Installation and management of solar panels, batteries and energy contracts
- Complete handling of design, installation and administration to ensure peace of mind for their customers
To expand its product offering, Powerbee has developed an as-a-service model, whereby companies do not need to make large investments but can still benefit from lower energy costs through smart financing solutions. A business model like this requires solid financial backing, and that's where KBC comes in. ‘Thanks to the collaboration with KBC Innovation Banking, we have been able to develop a financing solution that helps SMEs with their energy transition and enables them to optimise their cash flow,’ says Broes.
MyGrid: plug-and-play home batteries for private individuals
Whereas Powerbee focuses on SMEs, MyGrid aims to make energy storage accessible to private consumers. Jan Wellens, co-founder of MyGrid, saw an opportunity in the market: ‘Lots of people have solar panels installed, but aren’t able to store their surplus energy. We wanted to offer an easily accessible solution. We also wanted to help people who don’t have solar panels fitted.’
That idea became the plug-and-play home battery, a compact 1.5 kWh device that can be easily plugged into a wall socket. This means that even users who don’t have solar panels can store power when it is cheap and use it later when electricity prices are high, thanks to the plug-and-play home battery's smart software. The battery is ideal for renters and city dwellers who cannot fit large installations, and for those who do not have solar panels.
As with Powerbee, KBC played an important role in MyGrid's growth. Through the Start it @KBC programme, the company gained access to mentoring and funding, enabling it to grow and secure grants through VLAIO (Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship). ‘KBC's support allowed us to develop our first prototypes and secure market validation through Kickstarter. That gave us the confidence to invest further.’
KBC as a partner in sustainable innovation
Both start-ups demonstrate that the energy transition requires innovation as well as financial support. KBC not only helps them with loans and co-financing, but also offers a network and expertise in sustainable business.
For Powerbee, that means support for their as-a-service modell for SMEs. For MyGrid, it meant a push to bring an innovative consumer product to market. Both companies share a common goal: to make energy affordable, sustainable and accessible to all.
With KBC as a partner, these start-ups can increase their impact and accelerate the energy transition in Belgium. Because, as Dieter Broes puts it: ‘The future of energy is not only renewable, but also smart. And we are building on that.’
For the future
So do the entrepreneurs themselves have sustainability at heart? They both give the same answer to that. Both entrepreneurs are fathers of young children, which is why they consider the future of the planet to be our most important asset. Dieter gets excited by the opportunities technology offers to write a profitable, renewable narrative. ‘If we don't take action now, it's probably going to be too late. That urgency is a big driver for me.’
Keeping your eye on the ball, with KBC
Housing, work, life: they all bring challenges. At KBC, we like to keep you up to date with what's happening in the worlds of housing, energy, sustainability and mobility and to inspire you with enthusiastic stories like Jan and Dieter's. Read more about what our energy consumption could look like in 2030, about Start it @KBC or about how your choice of bank really makes a difference.
