Second SunRISE TechBridge Challenge solar start-up’s selected

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
 SunSniffer monitors a complete PV power plant, including each individual module. Image: Sunsniffer

Organised by Fraunhofer CSE in partnership with Royal DSM and Greentown Labs, the SunRISE TechBridge Challenge II had selected four early-stage companies from 56 applications to be given support in bringing their technology to market faster. 

As with the inaugural SunRISE TechBridge Challenge in 2016, the winning companies will receive support under Greentown Labs Start-up Acceleration program, technical validation services from the Fraunhofer R&D network, and eligibility for investment by DSM Venturing and/or partnership with DSM Advanced Solar.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Last year, two winners received funding out of the five selected companies (QD Solar and WattGlass) received DSM Venturing investments.

The winners of the SunRISE TechBridge Challenge II include Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Leading Edge Crystal Technologies, which is said to developing a novel manufacturing process to make silicon wafers with higher efficiency and lower cost. However, the technology is being developed to enable production to fit into existing module manufacturing processes without any changes, according to Fraunhofer CSE.

Boston, Massachusetts-based SunDensity was also selected as it is developing a proprietary photonic technology to produce nano-coated solar glass that maximizes conversion of solar radiation into electric power.

Nürnberg, Germany-based SunSniffer, which already has commercialised products, will receive support for its low-cost module-integrated sensor for monitoring PV systems in real-time, enabling increase of energy output and lower maintenance costs.

Finally, Saudi Arabia based NOMADD Desert Solar Solutions will be given support to further develop its low-cost waterless automated solar panel cleaning mechanism, which is designed to significantly reduces yield losses due to dust.
 

17 June 2025
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 17-18 June 2025, will be our fourth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2026 and beyond.

Read Next

April 30, 2025
Genesis Energy has officially opened the 63MWp Lauriston site, which it claims is the country’s largest solar PV power plant.
April 30, 2025
Vena Energy has started constructing a 320MW solar PV expansion in Queensland’s Western Downs region in Australia.
April 29, 2025
Chinese solar manufacturing giant JinkoSolar posted net losses of US$181.7 million in the first quarter of 2025 amid low product prices and “changes in international trade policies.”
April 29, 2025
Solar cannot be regarded as a 'set and forget' technology and must be fully maintained to prevent systemic underperformance.
April 29, 2025
Spanish inverter manufacturer Ingeteam has secured a contract from Danish developer European Energy to supply its technology to two solar PV power plants in Australia, totalling an installed generation capacity of 137MW.
April 28, 2025
Fraunhofer ISE has developed a solar cell which uses “one-tenth” of the amount of silver as a standard cell.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
May 7, 2025
Munich, Germany
Solar Media Events
May 21, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK