Voltiris is a clean-tech startup that harnesses solar power within greenhouses. The company uses a custom mirror that projects and concentrates the light onto solar panels while allowing nutritional light that grows crops to flow through.
Voltiris’ modules leverage the existing infrastructure as they can mount on to the existing construction, directly connect to power systems and are protected from weathering. Greenhouses can generate free energy from unused space. At the same time greenhouses equipped with solar plants can improve their CO2 balance.
The solution is currently in pilot phase with two installed pilots in the Swiss agriculture research center Agroscope and with another client in Switzerland. They also filed two patents for power generation through dichroic mirrors and 2-axis solar tracking.
Greenhouses are currently struggling under rising energy prices, decreasing margins, and pressure on sustainability. Voltiris offers a focused approach to greenhouses that addresses these pain points in an effective manner. And that is why we have invested in this startup recently.
Voltiris was founded by Nicolas Weber, Dr Jonas Roch and Dominik Blaser. We see strong business and technical acumen in the founders. Nicolas has gained significant experience in business and strategy at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) for more than six years and in the startup world through BCG Digital Ventures. Meanwhile Jonas has built strong R&D experience in energy and optics through his PhD and work at Hitachi/ABB. Dominik has a background in energy and mechanical engineering and has won multiple awards during his studies related to his interest in sustainability.
