Japan Energy Challenge 2020, an energy innovation program co-hosted by ENECHANGE and Tokyo Gas

We are pleased to announce that the Japan Energy Challenge (hereinafter referred to as “the Program”), an energy innovation program hosted by ENECHANGE Ltd. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Chairman, Representative Director and CEO: Yohei Kiguchi; President and COO: Ippei Arita), will involve a total of 14 companies as sponsors for 2020 (up 75% from 8 companies in 2019), including Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (Head Office : Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and President: Takashi Uchida) and our Company.

Launched in 2018 and now in its third year, the Program aims to create joint ventures between venture companies with proven track records in the energy field, mainly in Europe, and companies that provide support to the Japanese energy industry. The previous two events have been held in London, UK, but the 2020 edition will be held in Japan.

The Japan Energy Challenge (JEC) is a business matching program created in 2018, leveraging the ENECHANGE Group’s strengths in the field of smart meter data analysis and knowledge of the European energy market. The Program focuses on the 4 Ds (Deregulation, Digitalization, Decarbonization, and Decentralization) that are currently trending in the energy industry. From among venture companies with cutting-edge technology in this field from Europe, the United States, and Japan, 20 are selected and invited to participate in the Program to be held in November in Tokyo, where the best companies of 2020 will be selected.

* Depending on the situation regarding the coronavirus pandemic, we are considering holding the event online. We will make a final decision based on the requests of the various national governments at the time of the event.

Japan Energy Challenge 2020 Overview

Event Schedule

The first half of November 2020 (under review) * It was held online on March 9, 2021.

Host and management

ENECHANGE Ltd.,SMAP ENERGY Ltd. (subsidiary in the UK)

Sponsors

Gold Sponsor: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.

Silver Sponsors: Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc ., ENEOS Corporation, Looop Inc., Panasonic Corporation, Shimizu Corporation

Bronze Sponsors: Hokuriku Electric Power Company, MIRAIT Holdings Corporation, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd., Shikoku Electric Power Co.,Inc., The Chugoku Electric Power Co.,Inc ., Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc., Toyota Tsusho Corporation

*Alphabetical order

Number of start-ups to be selected

20 companies* (estimated)

Technical Fields

We plan to invite 20 companies from 12 categories. *The fields are selected based on the requests of each sponsor

1. Mobility (technologies related to EV infrastructure, charging/discharging, and charging facilities)
2. Mobility (EV-related software and distribution of products and services using mobility, MaaS-related services, etc.)
3. Technology related to demand response, VPP, and microgrids
4. Storage battery-related technologies (storage battery control technology, degradation diagnosis, recharge/discharge management, system load suppression, etc.)
5. Smart City/Resilient City-related technologies (distributed power sources, disaster prevention and power outage countermeasures, services for realizing local electricity production for local consumption)
6. Smart Home-related services (consumption visualization, disaggregation, AI technology for energy conservation, etc.)
7. Smart Buildings (services for managing facilities including factories, XaaS for electricity, air conditioning and other equipment, heat utilization and heat management, etc.)
8. Decarbonization-related technologies (hydrogen utilization, carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies, etc.)
9. Big Data utilization (utilization of customer data, electricity data, and electricity market-related data, forecasting technology, etc.)
10. Solutions for power transmission and distribution companies (inspection technology using drones, robots, etc.)
11. Solutions for power generation companies (technology for diagnosing aging equipment, solar power installation analysis technology, FIP-related services, etc.)
12. Successful regional services involving energy companies (health care, agriculture, waste recycling management)

Japan Energy Challenge 2020 website→ https://japanenergychallenge.com/

Program Features

1. Efficient collaboration between overseas and Japanese energy venture companies through this event held jointly by 14 companies
This event will be held jointly by fourteen of Japan’s leading energy and energy-related companies, enabling them to gather information on energy venture companies and negotiate investment and business alliances in an efficient and advantageous manner. Entering the Japanese energy market is one of the most alluring channels for overseas venture companies. Many promising companies are expected to participate in this event because it will enable them to develop their business in Japan based on alliances with companies participating in the JEC. Japanese venture companies can also anticipate opportunities to form alliances with energy companies and major companies with strong customer bases.

2. Business alliance matching event based on individual negotiations
In principle, energy venture company analysis and alliance negotiations are conducted on an individual basis for each sponsor company. This ensures the confidentiality that enables companies to engage in serious discussions and examinations regarding the development of their businesses.
3. Full support system based in London
We will assign a full-time consultant at SMAP Energy’s London base who is familiar with the European and Japanese energy markets to provide support for participating companies by analyzing energy venture companies and examining business plans for expansion in Japan. Our extensive support system will improve the precision of business matchmaking.

About ENECHANGE Ltd.

ENECHANGE is an energy technology company that promotes a carbon-free society through digital technology with the mission of CHANGING ENERGY FOR A BETTER WORLD. We offer services based on data utilization in the field of the 4 Ds of Energy: Deregulation, Digitalization, Decarbonization, and Decentralization. Our company’s roots come from an energy data lab at the University of Cambridge, UK, a country where liberalization is well advanced. ENECHANGE has a British subsidiary, SMAP Energy Limited, as well as a global network and analytical technology for energy data.

URL: https://enechange.co.jp/en/

■Inquiries
pr@enechange.co.jp