Taking photovoltaics for the road to the “Lion’s Den”

Published on: September 17, 2020 / Updated on: September 17, 2020 – Author: Konrad Wolfenstein

Solmove's business idea: Smart solar modules applied to road surfaces, cycle paths, parking lots and other sealed areas can not only generate solar power, but also enable the implementation of other intelligent functions for the transport infrastructure of tomorrow.

Awarded the VisionAward 2020: Jury chairman Ulrich Clef (left) presents the VisionAward to Donald Müller-Judex – © solmove.com

Solmove wins the VisionAward 2020 and ventures into the “Lion’s Den”

The Berlin-based startup Solmove GmbH received the 2020 Vision Award. In Munich, founder Donald Müller-Judex was presented with the coveted trophy by Ulrich Clef. "We need courageous people and clever ideas if we want to achieve the energy transition," praised the Vision Award's initiator, referring to the inventor of the smart solar street. Guest of honor Pascal Finette, Chair of Entrepreneurship & Open Innovation at Singularity University in Silicon Valley, founded by the Google founders, spoke in his keynote address about the importance of disruptive developments and how to recognize them in time. Timing is crucial. When the time is right, stable financing is essential. This also applies to Solmove and its award-winning Smart Solar Street concept, for which a crowdfunding campaign is currently running on the FunderNation platform.

With photovoltaics into the “Lion’s Den”

The appearance on "Die Höhle der Löwen" (VOX) on September 28th will therefore be exciting. Solmove is hoping for a successful deal. Furthermore, it will be an opportunity to introduce its concept to a wider audience.

In the popular startup show "Die Höhle der Löwen" (The Lion's Den) on VOX, seven investors compete for the startups with the best business ideas. Sustainability is one of the hottest topics. Sustainable products and ideas are constantly being presented and pitched for the investors' favor. That's why Solmove applied with its Smart Solar Street concept and was invited to the current season this fall. Now, founder Donald Müller-Judex hopes to convince former Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg and the other investors of the "Lion's Den" with his concept on the show on September 28th and secure an investment. Nico Rosberg, who is a first-time "Lion" this year, embodies issues like sustainability, renewable energies, and e-mobility like no other. In light of global climate change, he is committed to overcoming combustion engines in passenger transport and also calls for Formula 1 to switch to electric vehicles. The ideal partner for Solmove! If a deal is struck between the investors and the startups, the startups not only receive financial support, but also benefit from the experience and expertise of the investors.

Solmove's business idea: Smart solar modules installed on road surfaces, bike paths, parking lots, and other sealed surfaces not only generate solar power but also enable other intelligent functions for the transportation infrastructure of tomorrow. For example, electric vehicles could be inductively charged in the future, giving the adoption of electric mobility a tremendous boost. In Germany alone, approximately 1,400 square kilometers of horizontal surfaces are suitable for solar roads, generating enough electricity to power around 20 million electric vehicles. Existing traffic areas can thus be used twice – reducing the land required for renewable energy generation in nature. Solmove's solar roads, with their environmentally friendly electricity generation from sunlight, are also 100% climate-neutral and therefore make a substantial contribution to achieving the climate and sustainability goals of the United Nations.

Awarded the VisionAward 2020

The Smart Solar Street, whose functionality has been demonstrated by three pilot projects in Cologne and Gelsenkirchen, has received numerous awards in recent years. Just this week, it also won the VisionAward 2020. Since 2006, the VisionAwards have been presented by an independent and interdisciplinary jury to companies that are making a mark with innovative and disruptive business ideas. Past winners include well-known companies such as Amiando (XING Events), Brands for Friends, Green City Solutions, Betterplace, Lilium, and myTaxi.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the VisionAwards 2020 ceremony for Solmove and two other start-ups took place this year only in a small circle and was broadcast online.

Jury chairman Ulrich Clef praised the Smart Solar Street and its potential for combination with other information, data, and inductive charging technologies. Studies on urban development and smart cities predict a radical transformation of road infrastructure functionality in the coming years. This is driven by ever-increasing traffic volumes and denser urban areas, the necessary reduction of emissions and decarbonization despite rising energy consumption, limited space for local renewable energy generation, and the need for data exchange between (future autonomous) vehicles and the infrastructure. According to a 2018 study by IDTechEx, the integration of smart functionality into roads has a global market potential that is expected to grow to up to US$18 billion annually over the next 10 years. The study mentions approximately 100 current smart city projects that focus on smart road surfaces. Solmove is one of the leading solution providers in this field. Further Solmove test facilities are planned soon for Kunshan near Shanghai/China and for Jülich/Germany.

Crowdinvesting campaign for the transport infrastructure of tomorrow

Solmove's current crowdfunding campaign, as well as any potential investments from the investors on the German TV show "Die Höhle der Löwen" (Shark Tank), aims to advance the product development of the Smart Solar Street to market readiness and to establish series production in Germany. Crowdfunding is a relatively new form of crowd financing. Unlike crowdfunding, the funds raised are not donations but rather investments. In crowdfunding, private investors invest in a company and receive shares or an attractive return in return.

“Solmove receives numerous project inquiries, and we are experiencing – not just in the media – significant interest in our solution. We are currently working on six projects worldwide, including two in Europe, one in the USA, one in South America, one in China, and one in the Emirates. Another project will be launched shortly,” explains Donald Müller-Judex, founder, CEO, and inventor of Smart Solar Street. “We are therefore confident of rapid growth in the coming years, once our product has reached market maturity.”

The Berlin-based company solmove GmbH has developed Smart Solar Street, an innovative, multifunctional surface for roads and other sealed areas. The modular system generates green electricity from solar energy, heat for de-icing, light for increased safety, and will enable wireless charging of electric vehicles in the future.

The advantages lie in the preservation of agricultural land, the upgrading of existing infrastructure, and the opportunity for each municipality to contribute locally to the energy transition.