From ESG to Green Energy - Top Takeaways from the TQ Accelerator: Green Transformation
Written
Jan 16, 2025
Author
Alise Munson
Our TQ Accelerator: Green Transformation concluded its six-week program in December.
Designed to support startups dedicated to sustainability and green innovation, the Accelerator offered networking opportunities with our corporate partners, investors, and other founders. Topics included sustainable finance and banking, ESG management, construction financing, PropTech, and green energy. This Accelerator is partially publicly funded by Land Hessen.
Spanning 10 working days, the free Accelerator took place in Frankfurt and Berlin between October 28 and December 12.
Read on to meet the 15 startups that participated in the Accelerator and learn more about our impact on regional and European green transformation efforts. Plus, get to know our partners, including Baker McKenzie, Commerzbank, Deloitte, Helaba, and ING.
The 15 Startups
“The TQ Accelerator provided a unique experience where passionate startups, corporations, and investors came together to innovate and drive meaningful change.”
- Jonas Landgraf, Callirius, pictured above.
The application phase opened last July and closed on 16 September. Over 70 applications from more than 15 countries—including the UK, Spain, Kenya, Turkey, Greece, and France—poured in. Most applications came from startups based in Germany, particularly from Frankfurt and Berlin.
The ESG sector dominated the applicant pool, alongside strong representation from Sustainable Finance, Green Real Estate, and Circular Economy startups. Most of the startups were in the Seed to Series A stages, already holding some funding but eager to make connections in the German market.
Fourteen startups were selected for their innovative approaches, market potential, and commitment to positive environmental impact. The fifteenth, Circonomit, earned its spot through a wildcard win at TechQuartier’s Impact Challenge, held on 30 October at the Impact Festival in Frankfurt.
The lineup:
aenergi - powered by Apollo x - Germany
aenergi.io
aenergi leverages AI to optimize and analyze energy use in buildings. It provides real-time analytics, and predictive insights helping SMEs reduce energy costs.
Callirius AG - Switzerland
callirius.com
Callirius offers innovative carbon management solutions that support businesses and governments in implementing complex climate strategies.
CBAM-Estimator GmbH - Germany
cbam-estimator.com
CBAM-Estimator offers a software/complete solution for companies that fall under the new EU law Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
Circonomit – Germany
https://circonomit.de/ Circonomit revolutionizes the collection and processing of environmental data for products and production lines. Their data toolbox empowers businesses to process and trace crucial environmental data, transforming a process that used to take months into a task done in hours.
CircularPlace - France
circularplace.fr/en
CircularPlace is a SaaS platform promoting reuse and circular economy for underexploited assets empowering companies to cut costs and carbon emissions.
Cloud Doing Good – United Kingdom
cloudoingood.com
Oracle-based cloud finance, operations and impact platform.
core sensing - Germany
core-sensing.de
Core sensing offers a comprehensive solution that integrates advanced sensor technology into existing manufacturing equipment.
Fruggr by Digital4Better - France
fruggr.io
Solutions to minimize digital carbon footprints and guide users in meeting European Accessibility Act (EAA) compliance for a sustainable tech ecosystem.
Legal-Pythia LLP - Germany
pythialegal.com
Legal-Pythia tackles the growing issue of greenwashing by providing AI-powered solutions that accurately detect misleading environmental claims in reports and communications.
Penomo B.V. - Netherlands
penomo.io
Infrastructure to bridge renewables-backed digital assets with ESG-focused private capital allocators.
re-green - Germany
re-green.tech
re-green offers Asset Managers an investment-free ESG renovation and certification of the office properties they own and manage.
sustamize GmbH - Germany
sustamize.com
Sustamize provides data and logic to calculate Product Carbon Footprint. Thus, they are enabling their clients to measure, optimize, report and manage Scope 3 emissions.
Thermosphr EO Solutions GmbH – Germany
thermosphr.com
Autopilot for intelligent energy optimization in commercial real estate. Thermosphr offers a cutting-edge energy management system that integrates model predictive control with advanced thermal modeling.
U Impact (impact4good GmbH) - Germany
uimpact.earth
U Impact provides an AI-powered SaaS solution that helps financial institutions attract inflows into sustainable funds by personalizing the investor journey with gamification and transparent ESG insights.
Wavelr - Germany
wavelr.com
Wavelr empowers property owners to unlock new revenue streams and sustainability gains with AI-driven tenant electricity solutions.
Early applications for 2025 are already open.
Connections Made
During our Accelerators, one of our goals was to help founders and partners meet the right people. For example, we connected penomo team members to Baker McKenzie Germany and Verein für Umweltmanagement und Nachhaltigkeit in Finanzinstituten e.V. (VfU). Other startups are in conversations with Commerzbank, GFT and Visa.
“[During the Accelerator] we had access to lawyers and legal counseling, which was very important to us. Having this support from TechQuartier was actually very helpful. You gave us access to corporates that we are looking forward to working with.”
- Giulia Ziino, CircularPlace, pictured above.
Founder-to-founder connections also developed over the six weeks. Multiple startups from the Accelerator are also joining forces to expand and unite their businesses.
We also organized opportunities for founders to connect with investors in relaxed settings, such as the Investor Dinner, attended by 14 investors. Startups also traveled to Berlin for workshops at Schneider Electric, EcoAct, FGS Global and ecoligo.
Together is Better
One of the biggest strengths of our Accelerators is our Program Board:
Dr. Thomas Gilles M.A., Partner, Baker McKenzie
Lennert van Mens, ESG & Sustainable Finance Solutions, Commerzbank
Jessica Reichard-Chahine,Project Manager Sustainable Finance, VFU
David Lais, Co-Founder & Managing Director, ecolytiq
Martin Baart, CEO, ecoligo GmbH
Sandra Bauer, Partner, Deloitte
Benjamin Bürkner, Managing Director, Helaba Digital
Dr. Inna Amesheva, Director ESG Research, Head of Regulatory Solutions, esgbook
Isabelle Heeckt, Head of EcoAct
Orla Nolan, Managing Partner & COO, Blackprint
Joshua Jung, ING
“For me personally, the highlights of this program were seeing the vast number of startups and their great innovative ideas, what they actually built off those ideas and how they will help the future of our planet.”
- Sandra Bauer, Partner, Deloitte
Together with 11 dedicated Program Board members, we built the Accelerator’s curriculum to reflect the needs and topics vital to the Green Transformation sector.
“It was great to be part of the Accelerator Program Board and meeting with many founders and seeing their innovative startups. The program offered diverse learning opportunities perfect for early-stage startups. As an entrepreneur myself, it is always great to share my learnings and insights in the green energy space, empowering other entrepreneurs.”
- Martin Baart, CEO, ecoligo GmbH, pictured above.
Topics for our workshops, masterclasses, and roundtables included:
Regulation in ESG management
Resource-efficient construction
Scaling up
Founder well-being
Green energy and public sector transformation
Sustainability communication
Sustainable real estate
Expanding Networks
Public events played a crucial role in building connections within the ecosystem. We hosted six events—five in Frankfurt and one in Berlin—with over 355 people registered in total.
“These kinds of collaborations are really key."
- Dr. Inna Amesheva, esgbook, pictured above.
Event Highlights:
Founders Forum for Sustainability: Featuring the founder of Plastic Fischer.
Green Building Insights & Networking: Green Innovation After Dark, an official Impact Festival side event with Baker McKenzie, ING, Schneider Electric and blackprint.
Decoding ESRS: ESG Data Management at NIO House Frankfurt with ecolytiq, esgbook, and GFT.
Greener Horizons: The Role of AI in Sustainability at the Impact Hub Berlin with Konnektiv Kollektiv - in Berlin.
The Future of Sustainable Finance: Corporate-Startup Collaborations with Visa and ecolytiq. (Pictured below)
The Finale
Our closing event, The Finale, took place on 12 December at Nextview in Frankfurt, with over 110 sustainability advocates attending.
Highlights included:
Insights into ESG potential in Frankfurt from experts at Frankfurt Main Finance and EY.
A keynote from Vepa’s MD Germany on their circular economy success.
A panel on Digital Sustainable Finance featuring Circularity.fm, Green and Sustainable Finance Cluster Germany, Deloitte, Commerzbank, neosfer, and BNP Paribas.
It’s all about Impact
“Together with our partners, we aim to support startups that are pioneering tangible solutions for sustainability,”
- Alice Rettig, Managing Director, TechQuartier.
According to Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), the German GreenTech sector is expected to grow by 8.8% annually, reaching a market volume of EUR 700 billion this year.
Over the past decade, Europe has emerged as a leader in green tech investments, raising billions for startups addressing climate change and resource efficiency. In 2024, $10 billion was directed toward climate-focused companies, marking a significant increase from previous years.
Our TQ Accelerator: Green Transformation is poised to play a crucial role in this dynamic landscape, equipping startups with the tools to thrive and contribute to a sustainable future.
“The program has enabled us to get to know the Frankfurt startup ecosystem, and connect with local players.”
- Lesley Li, U Impact (impact4good GmbH), pictured above.
We are also seeking new corporate partners, mentors, and experts to shape Europe’s Green Transformation.
The TQ Team Members behind the Accelerator
Patrice Pogorelik, Head of Corporate Innovation & Acceleration
Julie Grosson, Community Manager
Alise Munson, Director Marketing & Communications
Alice Bucher, Head of Marketing & Communications
Sören Eversmeier, Head of Business Development & Partnerships
Florian Schreiber, Partner Relations
Carina Sauerwein, Innovation Products
Melanie Strack, Team Lead Space & Events
Alice Rettig, Managing Director
If you have questions or ideas, reach out to any of us.
"Six weeks – what a ride! This program has been a testament to the passion of startups and the commitment of our partners. A special thanks goes to the Program Board members, whose guidance shaped the program’s success. Peer learning continues to be an important asset of our ecosystem. Who knows – maybe next time, this year’s participants will join the Program Board, sharing their experiences and networks with the next generation. I can’t wait to see it happen!"
- Patrice Pogorelik, Head of Corporate Innovation & Acceleration, TechQuartier
