On 17 May 2023, the EDF Pulse "Energy for the Future" Challenge, hosted by Électricité de France (EDF) to explore more innovative solutions for the low-carbon transition, announced the 12 teams selected for its Pitch Day after careful review by the jury of the 2023 EDF Pulse "Energy for the Future" programme organising committee. WeCarbon was named a finalist.
Figure 1: Some of the companies selected for Pitch Day
The 2023 EDF Pulse "Energy for the Future" Challenge was built around three themes, "Virtual Power Plants", "Green Hydrogen" and "Carbon IoT", bringing together innovators in China's energy sector to capture the pulse of a "zero-carbon energy" future.
Launched on 1 March, the challenge drew 185 startups into the selection process. EDF assembled a jury of more than 20 senior professionals from EDF Group, EDF China, the energy sector and the venture capital community. After careful review, the jury selected 16 promising technology startups for the "Micro-Acceleration Camp". During this stage, the EDF jury held in-depth one-on-one co-creation sessions with WeCarbon to explore the needs and priorities of China's low-carbon transition, analyse opportunities for cooperation and jointly shape digital low-carbon solutions with the potential to scale. At the end of the acceleration stage, 12 companies, including WeCarbon, advanced to the pitch stage.
On 25 May, WeCarbon will pitch in Beijing alongside the other 11 finalists to compete for the final awards.
Figure 2: EDF Pulse "Energy for the Future" Challenge poster
About the EDF Pulse "Energy for the Future" Programme
EDF Group is a global low-carbon energy company and a provider of innovative solutions and services for the electricity and energy industry, working to build a "zero-carbon energy" future worldwide. In 2014 the Group created the EDF Pulse innovation brand, set up a venture fund with an annual investment capacity of EUR 30 million, and has since run EDF Pulse innovation challenges in France, the United Kingdom, Brazil, India and Africa. In 2021, EDF Pulse came to China, launching its innovation challenge under the Chinese name "Neng Chuang Wei Lai" (Energy for the Future) to find promising startups in China's energy sector. In 2023, EDF Pulse returned to China as an upgraded co-creation programme that seeks Chinese technology companies with innovative solutions, connects them with EDF Group and expert mentors from across the value chain, and uses proof-of-concept projects to co-create new solutions and explore new opportunities.