CASE STUDIES

CEPEC (pronounced sea peck) is a fundraising conference showcasing some of the most exciting climate-tech start-ups from around the world. We pioneered this much copied, live fundraising format, and in so doing, introduced new and important city investors to the low-carbon economy for the very first time. Not only are our events ground-breaking, but so are many of these companies.

As organisers, we approve company participation after we’ve deemed them good investments. This is a subjective opinion based on our own expertise. Delegates should not follow our advice without doing their own due diligence, but we believe our process works. We look at what companies are doing, then estimate where we think they can get to with the right backing. We spend time researching, questioning, and befriending these companies, and only then, do we present them at CEPEC. Our assessment criteria includes the strength of their patents, scalability, market relevance and the experience of their management teams. In essence, we look for a combination of the above. Unlike many investors, we focus more on their potential, than on their current balance sheets.

The handful of companies listed below each presented at CEPEC for the sole purpose of raising money. At the time which they presented, in most cases, their shares were far cheaper than their market value is today. We will not confirm whether they raised money at CEPEC, some did, some didn’t. The reason they are listed however, is to point out, that delegates who invested in them when they presented, would have made significant returns on their investments.

Aeristech

Aeristech have developed a family of patented fuel cell and hydrogen technologies to reduce carbon and increase efficiency for engines. In 2017 Aeristech presented at CEPEC. In 2018 just a year after presenting at CEPEC, Aeristech signed its first £1 million contract for the supply of Fuel Cell eCompressors with a major hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer. In 2019 Aeristech was shortlisted for The EDIE Award for Best Low Carbon Innovation Product of the Year. In the same year it won The prestigious Institute of Physics Business Innovation Awards, it was selected as finalists for the British Engineering Excellence Awards and won BusinessGreen’s Fast Track Technology of the year awards for their Innovative Fuel Cell Technology and announced an important strategic cooperation with Easyland. In 2020, it won the Queens Award for Enterprise. In 2021 Aeristech joined H2GEAR in a £54 million collaboration programme to push hydrogen technology and in the same year, it completed a successful £5 million fund raising round to complement its numerous other Innovate UK grants. In 2022, their mechanical engineering team leader, Marisa Kurimbokus, was named as one of The Guardian’s top 50 women in engineering.

Carbon8

Carbon8 have developed a revolutionary process for combining waste and thermal residues to create a carbon negative aggregate for the construction industry. Carbon8 presented at CEPEC in 2017 as a team of 6, having already won The Queens award for Enterprise but with limited commercial achievements under their belt. In 2019 they completed a successful installation of container at Hanson, funded by Innovate UK. In 2020 they completed a successful first commercial container with VICAT Group and in the same year they completed the first installation at EFW Plant together with AVR. In 2021 they announced a partnership for the UK cement industry and have now grown to a team of 44 employees with multiple projects underway across the UK. The company has achieved traction to propel itself towards winning an ever-increasing number of large contracts.

Glass 2 Energy

Glass 2 Energy, purchased the license to a technology developed in Switzerland which uses photosynthesis to generate heat from glass on buildings. Instead of placing solar panels on the roof to generate energy for the building, G2e apply a translucent chemical film, over a section of the windows which generate energy for the building in the same way solar panels would do. G2e presented at CEPEC in 2015 after which they received some 3 million euros, a year later the same investor purchased a majority holding in the company for an undisclosed amount purported to be in the double digit millions. The then investors were a Hong Kong based family office with an extensive property portfolio in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. G2e was bought out within 3 years of presenting at CEPEC. According to crunchbase it has since been resold.

Nova Pangea Technologies

Nova Pangaea use plant residues left after extraction of food or other primary products to generate the highest possible yield of biofuels and chemicals from plant biomass. Nova Pangea presented at CEPEC in 2016 while still a team of 6 seeking 2 million investment. According to dealroom.co Nova Pangea Technologies now have over 40 employees and were valued in 2022 between $28 milion and $42 million.

Renewable Tech Ventures

Renewable Tech Ventures presented at CEPEC both in 2013 and in 2014, having just launched fund 1. The RTV fund 1 was made up of 5 cleantech companies from Utah with highly innovative technologies including Solid Carbon which patented a process for turning CO2 into physical capsules which had a market value hence monetising carbon. At the time RTV needed $1m to provide their 5 portfolio companies with working capital ahead of their Series A round. Through CEPEC they were introduced to a US Family Office who invested $800,000. Since 2014, each of their portfolio companies have grown into substantial businesses and their first exit with one of their portfolio companies Ashtech, which is a low carbon drywall business was sold to Guggenheim in 2022 for $114million, returning favourable dividends for its limited partners.

Sefaira

Sefaira is a software company specializing in cloud-based software for energy-efficient building design. Sefaira presented at CEPEC in May 2014 and less than 2 years later in February 2016, according to crunchbase, were acquired by The California based industrial giant Trimble for $20 million and have grown to about 100 employees.

Syrinix

Syrinix specializes in high-frequency pressure monitoring and leak detection within water distribution and collection networks. Its remote network monitoring equipment and cloud-based software platforms deliver data, customized alerts and insights that empower customers with real-time asset monitoring to reduce water loss and improve asset life. Syrinix presented at CEPEC in 2016 seeking up to £1.5m with just over 10 employees. Syrinix were acquired in January 2023 by Badger Meter for £15million as a cash purchase.

Tevva Motors

Tevva Motors launched in 2012. They had a patented electric battery which they believed would disrupt the EV industry. In 2014 Tevva Motors came to CEPEC to fundraise. At that time they had not developed a prototype for their vehicles, nor had they decided whether to manufacture out of China or The UK. 10 years on, in 2022, figures obtained by dealroom.co show Tevva have over 200 employees and are worth between $200 and $300million. Their vehicles are powered by a hybrid solution combining electric batteries and hydrogen. Tevva have become a major player of e-lorries and announced a contract to supply UBS with a fleet of electric vehicles.

Upside energy

Upside energy built a deep-tech platform which enables asset owners, energy traders and energy suppliers to control their distributed energy assets in real-time, monitoring both physical and financial performance. Upside Energy presented twice at CEPEC in 2016 as a very small company. They were bought by Octopus Energy and were rebranded Kraken Flex. According to dealroom.co, they now have over 200 employees with a capex of $1.5 billion.

Disclaimer

All the above information is considered accurate at the time of publication and is based on our research and is to the best of our knowledge accurate. Carbon Assets does not accept liability for any misinformation, we agree to amend all misinformation once asked to do so, in writing, by the presenting companies themselves, and reserve the right to retain final edit. By listing the above case studies, Carbon Assets, confirms that they all presented at CEPEC but do not confirm nor infer which raised money at our CEPEC events. We do however state that company equity for each of the above presenting companies was offered to all delegates who attended CEPEC giving attendees the opportunity at the time, to own shares in these companies, subject to complying with their individual terms and UK Government regulations such as passing money laundering checks. Carbon Assets are the organisers of CEPEC and as such offer companies a platform to present and meet investors at our events any investments between the companies and our delegates is a private matter between themselves.