The Repsol Foundation launches the 12th edition of its accelerator for tech start-ups
For over a decade, the Repsol Foundation has lent its support to enterprising people and projects. That is why it is launching a new edition of the Entrepreneurs Fund, its accelerator for tech startups working on innovative solutions for the energy transition.
The selected companies will receive €100,000 over the course of one year, guidance from a team of mentors with energy expertise, and the possibility to carry out pilot tests at Repsol's facilities.
This call for proposals is international in scope: start-ups around the world have until March 10th to submit their proposals on fundacionrepsol.com.
For over twelve years, the Repsol Foundation has lent its support to enterprising people and projects through its business accelerator for start-ups. For yet another year, a new edition of the Entrepreneurs Fund has been launched, in search of tech start-ups at a pre-commercial stage of development, working on innovative solutions for the energy transition that deal with nature-based solutions for carbon footprint reduction, low emissions technologies, the circular economy, and digitalization of the energy industry.
Since its launch in 2011, the Entrepreneurs Fund has contributed to the development of 72 innovative startups that have developed more than 850 prototypes, registered 230 patents, and received around €400 million in public and private funding.
Support for entreprenuership focused on the energy transition
Every year, the Entrepreneurs Fund supports between five and seven companies in test phases with real-life customers, giving them the boost they need to turn into market realities as quickly as possible. All these start-ups have one thing in common: they are all developing different solutions that can contribute to a more sustainable energy transition.
The projects selected will receive financial support of up to €100,000 over the course of a year and guidance from a team of mentor-experts who will accompany them during this period of acceleration. Members of the group of mentors range from experts working actively at the Repsol Technology Lab and across the Company's various business areas, who can offer technical and business advice, to former Repsol executives, who bring their wealth of experience in business development to the table.
The incubated start-ups will also get to test their prototypes at Repsol's industrial facilities and develop pilot projects in collaboration with Repsol professionals. One of the Entrepreneurs Fund's chief values — one that sets it apart from other business accelerators — is its combined support in the form of on-site pilot tests at Repsol assets for the validation and scaling of technologies under real-life operating situations, together with access to an investment ecosystem that helps start-ups complete the acceleration process.
The yearlong acceleration process is scheduled to begin in October 2023. Start-ups do not need to change their current locations to participate in the process.
Entrepreneurs wishing to participate have until March 10th 2023, to present their projects by submitting the application form available on
fundacionrepsol.com, where they will also find the terms and conditions.
Who can take part?
The Repsol Foundation's call for proposals is open to small and mid-sized enterprises anywhere in the world that are currently in a pre-commercial stage of development and which are working on innovative solutions in any of the following areas:
- Circular economy and low-carbon energy technologies
- Biotechnology and nanotechnology as sustainable solutions
- Products and services based on energy management and renewable energy sources
- Digital technology for the energy industry
- Nature-based solutions for carbon footprint reduction
Driving a fair and inclusive energy transition
The Entrepreneur's Fund is one of the Repsol Foundation's core strategies, focused on both the energy transition and society while following through on Repsol and the foundation's commitment to innovation, knowledge, and people, which is deployed in four lines of action:
- Investing in companies working for a sustainable and inclusive energy transition, generating a triple positive impact: environmental, social, and economic.
- A business accelerator to support innovative technology-based solutions in energy and mobility.
- Disseminating knowledge about the energy transition through the Open Room digital platform, a network of Energy Transition Education and Research Program at prestigious universities, and Zinkers, its digital education program to raise awareness among young people about the challenges of the future of energy.
- Promoting social and volunteering projects related to the energy transition and climate change, which drive social development.