CHF 40,000 for graphene for solar cells and for innovative protein technologies
26.06.2023
GraphEnergyTech and Procavea Biotech win Venture Kick's second stage of financial and entrepreneurial support. Their projects bring a solution that can enable the industrial manufacture of perovskite solar cells and solve the coming silver crisis in silicon photovoltaics; and develop a first-in-class protein-based delivery platform for oligonucleotides and small molecules to the market.
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 GraphEnergyTech CEO Thomas Baumeler
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 Procavea Biotech: Senior Scientist Tom Edwardson
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GraphEnergyTech: Unleashing the power of graphene for solar cells
Even if they are easier to produce and as efficient as silicon photovoltaics, perovskite solar cells are not an industrial reality yet because of the noble metal electrodes required, which are costly but also bring instability to the perovskite layer. Silicon solar cells use energy-intensive silver (and aluminum) as the back contact electrode. Currently, silicon PV already uses 12% of annual silver production and previsions state that by 2050, 85-113% of the current silver reserves will be used up. Thus, the associated cost will rocket, given the current boom for PV installations.
GraphEnergyTech brings together world leaders in advanced solar cell design and graphene to enable the production of low-cost, high-efficiency solar photovoltaic systems. The Management team is composed of CEO Thomas Baumeler and CTO G. Kakavelakis. They hold patents for the production of high-conductivity graphene electrodes that dramatically reduce the cost and environmental impact of the production process for perovskite and silicon solar cells. Perovskite solar cells use a vacuum-deposited gold layer to form the backside electrical contact, which is prohibitively expensive and energy-intensive. GraphEnergyTech is bringing a solution that can enable the industrial manufacture of perovskite solar cells, and solve the coming silver crisis in silicon PV. The Photovoltaics market is huge and exponentially growing. Perovskite solar cells market is on the verge of becoming a reality, and GraphEnergyTech technology is a key turn-maker in this regard. Analysts' consensus suggests a CAGR of 30% for a market start in 2024, accounting for USD 3.48 billion by 2027. The silicon solar cells market is an order of magnitude bigger, with 120.56 billion estimated in 2026 with a CAGR of 6.6%.
the team plans to use Venture Kick financing on three levels: technology, scale-up, and commercialization. graphenergytech.com
Procavea Biotech: Delivering innovative protein technologies
The delivery hurdle is widely recognized as the biggest challenge in the development of RNA/oligonucleotide therapeutics. Procavea Biotech has developed a unique drug delivery platform based on nonviral protein cages that has the potential to break this deadlock. These protein particles are non-toxic, biodegradable, compatible with a wide range of cargo, and can be targeted to specific cell types. In comparison to the currently available technologies, Procavea’s unique platform is particularly promising in its ease of manufacture and engineerability.
To bring this technology to the market, the soon-to-be-incorporated company will focus on developing the first drug product for an as yet undisclosed disease indication. The founders have extensive scientific expertise in the area of protein engineering - the core competence of Procavea Biotech. Dr. Tom Edwardson, Senior Scientist at ETH Zurich, and Donald Hilvert, Professor Emeritus (ETHZ) are the inventors of Procavea’s proprietary technology with experience in the design of protein functions. Dr. Richard Quaderer, managing director at RhySearch, brings experience in bioprocess development and technology management. The technology platform was developed at ETH Zurich and is protected by two patents. While this novel delivery system has broad potential, the startup's initial focus is on the Antisense and RNAi Therapeutics market, which includes ASO, siRNA, and miRNA-based therapies with a great need for innovative delivery solutions. This sector was valued at 3.7 Bn USD in 2020, with a 9% CAGR. However, growth is hampered by the limited choice of delivery systems, especially for extrahepatic targets. Procavea is uniquely positioned to make an impact in this space, helping to realize the true potential of RNA-based therapies and get them to the patients who need them. Long term, the startup will develop its own therapeutic pipeline to create the most value from the technology platform.
The Procavea team plans to use the Venture Kick financing to boost their business development, strengthen their IP portfolio, and support their ongoing efforts towards key R&D milestones. procavea.com
Even if they are easier to produce and as efficient as silicon photovoltaics, perovskite solar cells are not an industrial reality yet because of the noble metal electrodes required, which are costly but also bring instability to the perovskite layer. Silicon solar cells use energy-intensive silver (and aluminum) as the back contact electrode. Currently, silicon PV already uses 12% of annual silver production and previsions state that by 2050, 85-113% of the current silver reserves will be used up. Thus, the associated cost will rocket, given the current boom for PV installations.
GraphEnergyTech brings together world leaders in advanced solar cell design and graphene to enable the production of low-cost, high-efficiency solar photovoltaic systems. The Management team is composed of CEO Thomas Baumeler and CTO G. Kakavelakis. They hold patents for the production of high-conductivity graphene electrodes that dramatically reduce the cost and environmental impact of the production process for perovskite and silicon solar cells. Perovskite solar cells use a vacuum-deposited gold layer to form the backside electrical contact, which is prohibitively expensive and energy-intensive. GraphEnergyTech is bringing a solution that can enable the industrial manufacture of perovskite solar cells, and solve the coming silver crisis in silicon PV. The Photovoltaics market is huge and exponentially growing. Perovskite solar cells market is on the verge of becoming a reality, and GraphEnergyTech technology is a key turn-maker in this regard. Analysts' consensus suggests a CAGR of 30% for a market start in 2024, accounting for USD 3.48 billion by 2027. The silicon solar cells market is an order of magnitude bigger, with 120.56 billion estimated in 2026 with a CAGR of 6.6%.
the team plans to use Venture Kick financing on three levels: technology, scale-up, and commercialization. graphenergytech.com
Procavea Biotech: Delivering innovative protein technologies
The delivery hurdle is widely recognized as the biggest challenge in the development of RNA/oligonucleotide therapeutics. Procavea Biotech has developed a unique drug delivery platform based on nonviral protein cages that has the potential to break this deadlock. These protein particles are non-toxic, biodegradable, compatible with a wide range of cargo, and can be targeted to specific cell types. In comparison to the currently available technologies, Procavea’s unique platform is particularly promising in its ease of manufacture and engineerability.
To bring this technology to the market, the soon-to-be-incorporated company will focus on developing the first drug product for an as yet undisclosed disease indication. The founders have extensive scientific expertise in the area of protein engineering - the core competence of Procavea Biotech. Dr. Tom Edwardson, Senior Scientist at ETH Zurich, and Donald Hilvert, Professor Emeritus (ETHZ) are the inventors of Procavea’s proprietary technology with experience in the design of protein functions. Dr. Richard Quaderer, managing director at RhySearch, brings experience in bioprocess development and technology management. The technology platform was developed at ETH Zurich and is protected by two patents. While this novel delivery system has broad potential, the startup's initial focus is on the Antisense and RNAi Therapeutics market, which includes ASO, siRNA, and miRNA-based therapies with a great need for innovative delivery solutions. This sector was valued at 3.7 Bn USD in 2020, with a 9% CAGR. However, growth is hampered by the limited choice of delivery systems, especially for extrahepatic targets. Procavea is uniquely positioned to make an impact in this space, helping to realize the true potential of RNA-based therapies and get them to the patients who need them. Long term, the startup will develop its own therapeutic pipeline to create the most value from the technology platform.
The Procavea team plans to use the Venture Kick financing to boost their business development, strengthen their IP portfolio, and support their ongoing efforts towards key R&D milestones. procavea.com