tozero, a lithium-ion recycling startup based in Germany, has emerged as the champion of the EPiC (Elevator Pitch Competition) organised by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP).
The Munich-headquartered startup will receive 1.1 million Asia Miles (a loyalty and frequent-flyer programme run by airline operator Cathay Pacific) and a cash prize of US$90,000, in addition to investor exposure and partnership opportunities.
Co-founded by Sarah Fleischer and Dr Ksenija Milicevic Neumann, tozero aims to establish Europe’s leading lithium-ion battery recycling plant, focused on recovering critical materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and graphite in a sustainable way. By reintroducing these materials into the supply chain, tozero aims to support the creation of new batteries while promoting a circular economy.
The EPiC winner was selected from the 12 finalists across three categories — fintech, proptech and mobility — who demonstrated their solutions before a judging panel comprising renowned investors, entrepreneurs, and executives in Asia on Friday. The 12 finalists will be awarded a cash prize of US$10,000 each.
EPiC 2024 attracted a total of 603 contestants from 47 economies, of which 71 were selected for the elevator pitch. They stand to receive US$45 million in investment, including up to US$5 million from the HKSTP Corporate Venture Fund (CVF) and US$240,000 in cash prizes, plus partnership opportunities. As many as 71 startups participated in the EPiC pitching contest.
Also Read: Meet the 10 Southeast Asian finalists demonstrating at EPiC 2024 in Hong Kong
tozero is also the winner in the mobility category. The other two category winners are Bizbaz (fintech) and Roboticplus.AI (proptech).
Below are the snapshots of the finalists:
Bizbaz (Singapore)
BizBaz is a technology company specialising in advanced AI, data analytics, and behavioural science solutions. It claims to have successfully transformed industries by leveraging cutting-edge technology to unlock valuable insights and intelligence.
imBee (Hong Kong)
imBee aims to revolutionise the way businesses handle internal data and enhance productivity through an AI-powered search and knowledge discovery platform. Its innovation’s centrepiece is Aiskbee, which utilises advanced neuro-symbolic reasoning with deep learning-based state-of-the-art Large Language Models (LLMs). This technology enables its AI Assistant to comprehend queries in natural language, making search more intuitive and efficient.
Rey (Indonesia)
Rey is an integrated health insurtech firm that provides end-to-end health care in one subscription. Its platform combines health coverage with healthcare delivery — from preventive, curative, to rehabilitative– into a seamless experience. Launched in Indonesia in July 2022, it has acquired 10K+ paying members and generates US$1 million of ARR.
Tanbii (US)
Tanbii integrates ESG, fintech, and gaming to change how climate change is combated by gamifying carbon reduction efforts. It bridges the gap between the Web2 and Web3 worlds to foster a sustainable lifestyle. By utilising advanced technologies like blockchain and AI, Tanbii accurately tracks, calculates, and rewards users for reducing their personal carbon emissions from sustainable purchases, green travelling, and other low-carbon activities.
Certivity (Germany)
Certivity is a regtech SaaS platform that digitises regulations to create ‘law as data’, analyses it with AI and connects to engineering processes. It enables customers to digitise and streamline their compliance processes, reduce costs, collaborate and accelerate time-to-market for their products
Wheel.me (Norway)
Wheel.me is a robotics and IoT company that has invented an autonomous wheel. Called Genius, the wheel turns almost any object into an autonomous robot. With a wide range of use cases, Genius can move just about anything, and revamp automated material handling in manufacturing, supply chains, logistics, warehouse operations and elsewhere.
Novac (Italy)
Novac is developing a solid-state shapeable supercapacitor that can be easily integrated into the structure of the vehicle, with no dangerous liquid inside, thanks to its portfolio of innovative materials for energy storage systems. The target markets are smart mobility, drones, electronics, automotive and aerospace, where there is not enough space for energy storage but a strong need for additional power.
Roboticplus.AI (China)
RoboticPlus.AI is an intelligent robotic system company. It creates a new generation of robotic solutions adaptable to flexible manufacturing through its self-developed industrial software platform, RoBIM. It is deeply involved in the core technologies of robotics, including control, algorithms, and human-machine interaction.
Green Independence (Italy)
Green Independence aims to accelerate independence from fossil fuels by providing on-site green energy and clean water, addressing inefficiencies in currently available tools to tackle three crucial challenges: water scarcity, dependence on fossil fuels, and the intermittency of renewable energies. This is achieved through the New Artificial Leaf (NAL), its multifunctional solar panel with two main modules: solar-water purification and electrochemical.
Also Read: Elevator Pitch Competition (EPiC) accelerates startups from SEA to the world
Hyele Limited (Hong Kong)
Hyele provides accurate and cutting-edge technology for smart urban water supply systems (UWSS) that improves all stages of UWPS management — from first design to superior operational performance and extended system life. Hyele’s pipeline condition assessment technology is pioneered by experts who leveraged advances in research and engineering science to provide unique and prime performances. It provides clients with a comprehensive condition assessment service, utilising its specialised software and state-of-the-art hardware.
Kodifly (Hong Kong)
Kodifly focuses on creating real-time digital twins using cutting-edge LiDAR technology, delivering actionable insights for infrastructure challenges like deformation, landslides, and vegetation encroachment through precise 3D point cloud processing. It automates several most tedious processes in the infrastructure maintenance chain: data collection, analytics, and decision-making, allowing teams to free up the time to focus on what’s more valuable. Its hardware scans and models infrastructure dynamically, being installed on a moving vehicle or a train, while its software analyzes the data, pinpointing defects and suggesting maintenance. The solutions prioritise the safety and longevity of essential transport infrastructure such as airports, railways, and highways, emphasising climate resilience.
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