Netherlands-based Gradyent raises €28 million to enhance its Digital Twin Platform, aiming to optimise district heating and cooling grids and support the transition towards sustainable energy practices.
Gradyent, a Netherlands-based technology firm, has secured €28 million in a Series B funding round, which was notably oversubscribed. This latest financing brings the company’s total funding to over €39 million, reflecting a strong demand for its innovative solutions in the energy sector.
The company’s real-time Digital Twin Platform creates a comprehensive digital representation of heating and cooling grids. By integrating geographical information, weather data, sensor inputs, along with physics-based models and artificial intelligence, Gradyent enables energy providers to optimise their systems effectively. The platform is designed to enhance operational control and allows users to simulate various future scenarios.
The Digital Twin optimises even the most complex district & industrial heating systems end-to-end, displaying real-time insights in a clear, intuitive web application.
Hervé Huisman, CEO and co-founder of Gradyent, articulated the necessity of this technology, stating, “As heating and cooling grids become more integrated with other energy carriers, efficiently managing multiple energy sources is crucial. Gradyent’s Digital Twin Platform optimises, decarbonises and transforms even the most complex sector-coupled energy systems.” Huisman went on to emphasise the platform’s role in promoting flexibility and helping businesses navigate the transition towards more sustainable practices while reducing emissions.
Gradyent has already established partnerships with prominent energy companies across over 35 cities in Europe, including notable names such as Veolia, Shell, and Helen. These partnerships highlight the applicability of Gradyent’s technology in generating considerable operational and environmental benefits. For instance, through its implementation of Gradyent’s Digital Twin, Helen, one of Europe’s largest energy providers, aims to improve demand management and efficiency while reducing heat losses and CO2 emissions in real-time. The insights derived from the platform’s analyses facilitated the closure of a coal plant, leading to a reduction of total CO2 emissions from Helsinki’s heat production by as much as 40 per cent.
In Poland, Gradyent collaborates with Veolia, the country’s leading district heating operator, to develop Digital Twins that streamline source and network operations in key cities such as Łódź and Poznań. This solution incorporates heat demand data, weather forecasts, and electricity pricing, thereby enabling dispatchers to manage operations more effectively and support Veolia’s shift towards advanced district heating solutions.
The Gradyent team.
In the industrial sector, Gradyent is advancing its transformation efforts by partnering with Shell to pilot a Digital Twin for its steam grid at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park in Rotterdam. This initiative is part of Shell’s broader commitment to achieving net-zero emissions for its scope 1 and 2 operations by 2050.
The recent funding round was led by Blue Earth Capital and included participation from SEB Greentech Venture Capital, alongside ongoing support from Capricorn Partners, Eneco Ventures, Helen Ventures, and Energiiq. Claude Kamga, Director of Private Equity at Blue Earth Capital, remarked on Gradyent’s rapid ascent in the sector, noting that the company has positioned itself as a leader in optimising heating grids. He recognised the significant contributions the platform makes towards reducing emissions and lowering operational costs, which align with global efforts to transition to integrated energy systems.
Mikko Huumo, Investment Manager at SEB Greentech Venture Capital, commented on the current landscape of heating and cooling grids, noting that they are decarbonising at unprecedented speeds. He described Gradyent’s Digital Twin Platform as uniquely timed to leverage fluctuations in electricity prices, thereby enabling energy companies to provide cost-effective low-carbon heating to their customers.
The capital raised in this funding round will facilitate the expansion of Gradyent’s Digital Twin Platform, enhance team capabilities, and accelerate the company’s global growth initiatives. The strategic focus on optimising and transforming heating and cooling grids worldwide positions Gradyent to play an integral role in the evolving energy landscape.
