Voltiris Exit

Voltiris transforms greenhouses into power plants without impacting plant’s growth.

The Voltiris Team

Can you tell us about your company and your role in it? How did you come up with the idea?

What inspired you to start this business, and what problem are you aiming to solve?

At Voltiris, we develop the first solar modules that are compatible with greenhouse agriculture and their crops leveraging spectral filtering technology. After working several years as a strategy consultant, I co-founded Voltiris in 2022 and became its CEO. My motivation stemmed from a desire to make a meaningful impact on our transition to cleaner energy, collaborate with inspirational individuals, and contribute to addressing the multifaceted challenge of our energy landscape. The specific concept behind Voltiris, which involves optimizing spectral utilization for both agricultural and energy production, originated from my co-founder Jonas Roch, who holds a Ph.D. in spectroscopy. Jonas and I have been close friends for nearly two decades, sharing a long-held aspiration to create something meaningful together. After experimenting with the concept with growers, we fine-tuned various product designs and crossed paths with our third co-founder, Dominik Blaser, who brought invaluable expertise in Mechanical Engineering and Energy.

What challenges did you face in the early stages of your startup, and how did you overcome them?

Were there any particular strategies or resources that played a crucial role in your success?

While discussing the concept behind Voltiris with my co-founders, it became evident that our solar solution held great promise. The greenhouse industry is rapidly shifting towards carbon-free electrification, yet no solutions currently combine greenhouse agriculture with renewable energy production. This optimal positioning allows Voltiris to capture a significant, untapped market. We had a unique opportunity to test a prototype at the beginning of the agricultural season but needed to act quickly. This required hiring key team members to develop various aspects of our solution, including mechanical, optical, and electronic components. To achieve this, we decided to raise a pre-seed financing round despite having few proof points that our technology was viable. Convincing investors was a significant challenge, but we were fortunate to gain the support of recognized partners, including SICTIC investors, who believed in our team and solution. Their support played a critical role in the successful development of Voltiris.

What advice would you give to other startup founders preparing to pitch at SICTIC?

Based on your experience, what do you think are the key factors for a successful pitch and securing investment?

Describe the problem your company is addressing and why your team is uniquely qualified to solve it. Highlight the opportunity your company is targeting. Keep your pitch concise and incorporate highly visual elements for clarity.

What impact did the funding from SICTIC investors have on your startup’s growth?

Could you share specific milestones or achievements that were made possible by the investment?

SICTIC investors have played a major role in our pre-seed financing round. Thanks to these funds, we have been able to make significant progress in the last 24 months. From a technological perspective, we have demonstrated both the agronomical and energetical properties of our solution over 14 projects in 5 countries. Then, we conducted our first two commercial projects with leading growers and energy utilities in Switzerland, validating our value proposition for both growers and solar energy project developers as well as generating the first revenues for the company. Last but not least, we were able to secure a highly strategic partnership with US technology leader 3M, which optimally positions for future scaling. None of these achievements would have been possible without the dedication of our full Voltiris team, who share the vision to make food systems more resilient, productive, and carbon free.

What stage is your company currently in, and what are your plans for the future?

Tell us about your exit strategy, further growth, or exploring new markets and opportunities?

Our team’s priority is to establish the foundations for a successful commercial scale-up. We are investing in the production of our solution to reduce costs by transitioning from off-the-shelf components to highly customized and industrialized ones. In December, we will execute our flagship project, installing over 2000 modules in a leading tomato greenhouse in Switzerland. This project will be a significant milestone for the development of Voltiris.

In the long term, my vision for Voltiris is to create a lasting impact by significantly reducing carbon emissions within our food systems while enhancing their resilience. Our goal is to empower growers to generate clean energy at a large scale, fostering the electrification of the agricultural sector and ultimately eliminating the use of fossil fuels in food production. To achieve this, our primary focus is on delivering a compelling solution that brings satisfaction to our clients and partners. Equally important is cultivating a workforce that is engaged in solving this critical issue and feels empowered to contribute solutions.

Fundamentally, Voltiris operates on a simple principle: spectral filtration to harness energy from unused light. This principle can take shape in various product designs. Currently, we concentrate on advanced greenhouse solutions, where the possibilities are enormous. The global greenhouse surface currently spans 60,000 hectares, offering the potential to install approximately 25 GW of electricity generation capacity. This surface area is projected to double by 2030. However, we also recognize the potential for our technology to extend into a wide array of applications that could have an even more substantial impact on our food systems. The future holds exciting prospects, and we look forward to exploring them.