Chalmers startup for better batteries wins first prize at Stage Two competition

The company Compular with its digital lab for material development won no less than four awards, one of which was the prestigious first prize “Best tech innovation” at Stage Two in Berlin, states Chalmers University in a press release. Stage Two is the first pan-European competition for startups from Europe’s leading universities.​

Out of over 60 startups from 30 top-rated European universities – including London Business School and the University of St.Gallen – Compular was the clear winner, with Johannes Henriksson pitching. 

Compular won in the “Best tech innovation” category and received a € 200,000 prize from Harvard Business School’s business angel network in Germany, as well as support from Mckinsey, Microsoft, Early bird Ventures Uni-X, Join Capital and Superangel. 

Johannes Henriksson talks about the competition and the importance of the win: “It was an incredibly exciting competition with prominent startups from all corners of Europe. We see this win as fantastic proof that we are on the right path!”

Digital lab based on research from Chalmers

Compular, a portfolio company at Chalmers Ventures, is based on research from the Department of Physics at Chalmers University of Technology. Compular develops a digital lab for material development. Through Compular’s unique and patent-pending analysis method, chemical compounds can be screened in advance, making it both faster and cheaper to create better-performing batteries with an environmentally friendly focus and longer service life.

Rasmus Andersson and Fabian Årén developed the software during their doctoral studies in Patrik Johansson’s research group at the Division of Material Physics. The research was then taken forward through Chalmers School of Entrepreneurship, and by Chalmers Ventures Encubation program the idea was matched with students entering as entrepreneurs and business developers: Emil Krutmeijer, Sirikun Loetsakwiman and Johannes Henriksson.

Towards European launch

The company is now part of Chalmers Ventures’ portfolio and aiming for the next step in the company’s development. Johannes continues to talk about what happens next: “We look forward to continuing with our ongoing beta test-program with paying customers and developing the product with leading battery companies to launch in Europe in 2022. The win allows us to strengthen the team and get even closer to our vision of digitalizing material development on a global scale!”

More about batteries here