Borobotics receives CHF 150,000 to develop an innovative drilling robot that enables more buildings to become geothermally heated
11.09.2023
Responding to the problem of energy-intensive and expensive production of boreholes for geothermal probes, Borobotics is disrupting the geothermal heat process market by offering a drilling robot designed to operate in small spaces and at much lower costs. The ZHAW spin-off won Venture Kick’s third stage, convincing the jury of its potential to shape the geothermal energy industry transition.
 Borobotics’ team: Philipp Ganz, Hans-Jörg Dennig, and Moritz Pill
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Energy intensity, huge costs, inaccuracy, noise pollution, landscape destruction, and space consumption: these are some of the disadvantages resulting from geothermal drilling with conventional machines. As a result, many buildings cannot benefit from geothermal heat. Borobotics is therefore developing an autonomous and energy-efficient mode of operation: a drilling robot that together with auxiliary equipment, will use up to 90% less space than existing solutions, while significantly reducing the costs, noise and CO2 emission produced by the drilling. Revenue is generated through a leasing model where drilling companies pay per meter drilled.
With buildings not having enough space for conventional drills and a lack of availability of drills and personnel, current and forecasted market demand cannot be met: Switzerland and Germany only have plans to add 1.7 million geothermal probes until 2035. With its autonomous and space-efficient robots, Borobotics offers a solution to both and aims to take a significant share of the market.
The startup will invest the CHF150,000 in several drill tests of its robot, to be ready to unveil a working prototype to the geothermal world at the Geotherm fair 2024, one of the most important geothermal energy fairs in 2024.
The company evolved from a Zurich University of Applied Sciences research project. The initiator and driving force of the project is Dr. Hans-Jörg Dennig, a mechanical engineer, lecturer, and experienced founder. He is joined by two co-founders: Philipp Ganz (Engineering) and Moritz Pill (Commercialization & Business Development).
“We were very satisfied with our experience with Venture Kick. The program proved to be very helpful, not just in terms of providing funding but even more importantly in the guidance that we received during the Kickers Camp sessions,” says Moritz Pill, CFO and Co-Founder of Borobotics. “The program was well structured and organized: whenever anything was unclear or we needed further advice, the coordinators answered us very quickly. All in all, we are happy and proud that we took part in Venture Kick and can recommend the program to other startups.”
With buildings not having enough space for conventional drills and a lack of availability of drills and personnel, current and forecasted market demand cannot be met: Switzerland and Germany only have plans to add 1.7 million geothermal probes until 2035. With its autonomous and space-efficient robots, Borobotics offers a solution to both and aims to take a significant share of the market.
The startup will invest the CHF150,000 in several drill tests of its robot, to be ready to unveil a working prototype to the geothermal world at the Geotherm fair 2024, one of the most important geothermal energy fairs in 2024.
The company evolved from a Zurich University of Applied Sciences research project. The initiator and driving force of the project is Dr. Hans-Jörg Dennig, a mechanical engineer, lecturer, and experienced founder. He is joined by two co-founders: Philipp Ganz (Engineering) and Moritz Pill (Commercialization & Business Development).
“We were very satisfied with our experience with Venture Kick. The program proved to be very helpful, not just in terms of providing funding but even more importantly in the guidance that we received during the Kickers Camp sessions,” says Moritz Pill, CFO and Co-Founder of Borobotics. “The program was well structured and organized: whenever anything was unclear or we needed further advice, the coordinators answered us very quickly. All in all, we are happy and proud that we took part in Venture Kick and can recommend the program to other startups.”