Top Three Winners of Evolving Energy Technology Showcase Come From CMU Roots
By Kristen Whitlinger
Carnegie Mellon University energy spinouts won across the board at the 2022 TransTech Energy Evolving Energy Technology Showcase. Dylan Lew (Engineering ‘21) and Pitt alum Kyle Wyche, Ecotone Renewables received first place and $7,500 to make food and agriculture systems more accessible and profitable. InceptEV, a CMU startup by Innovation Commercialization Fellow and PhD alum Matt Guttenberg, received second place and $5,000 to continue their work on technology to enhance electric vehicle fleet operations. Sensible Photonics, a Pitt and CMU startup by Paul Ohodnicki, received third place and $2,500 for their work on improving grid reliability and resilience.
1st Place - Ecotone Renewables
Ecotone Renewables empowers sustainable communities by making sustainable food and agriculture systems more accessible and profitable. We are a Pittsburgh-based startup scaling anaerobic digestion technology to sustainably process food waste and produce our signature Soil Sauce fertilizer through our Zero Emission Upcycling System (ZEUS). We already have 2 systems operating and generating revenue, and are launching 3 additional systems in October.
2nd Place - InceptEV
InceptEV is a simulation-first electric vehicle data company for fleet operations planning and optimization. We use our proprietary data and patented technology to understand fleet performance prior to purchasing assets and forecast operational requirements. This allows us to provide our customers with the information needed to save money when buying their vehicles by avoiding unnecessary upgrades and to save on operational time and costs through proper logistical planning. The data produced by the software helps reduce the uncertainty of an electric fleet deployment with the provided performance analytics.
3rd Place - Sensible Photonics
Sensible Photonics is partnering with utilities, OEMs and regulators to improve grid reliability and resilience through low-cost sensing solutions for distribution transformers and other electrical equipment. To keep pace with the growing demand for electricity and heightened threat from climate change, the grid needs to be smarter and more self-aware. Sensible Photonics fiber optic sensors provide real-time temperature readings for electrical assets and can enable the proactive prediction of required maintenance and imminent failures due to thermal runaway, resulting in improved reliability, financial savings, enhanced lifespan of equipment, operational efficiency, and safety. Future product offerings will enable real-time monitoring of additional critical parameters relevant for electrical equipment health monitoring.