The Toyota Startup Accelerator program, supported by the ISDI, supports five new companies this year. Awarded to start-ups in the sustainability and mobility sectors, the five finalists have been handpicked from approximately 150 applications across over 40 countries. The companies chosen to present to executives, media and investors have all been deemed innovators in their field.
German mobility pioneer, Revolve Air, has created a compact foldable wheelchair for use on public transport, primarily planes. Due to the size of conventional designs, often wheelchair users must check-in their chairs hours prior to their flight and there is a risk of breakages in the process. Users often also require assistance from airport staff in the time surrounding their flight. When folded, the Revolve Wheel takes up to 60% less space and fits in standard cabin luggage spaces. According to their CEO and inventor, Andrea Mocellin, this provides “A total new independence to commute and travel every day.”
The French researchers have developed a method for storing hydrogen in conventional liquids. Current methods of storage primarily rely on hydrogen remaining in its gaseous form, they are inefficient and so cannot withstand transport over long distances. HySiLabs technology allows hydrogen to enter larger-scale infrastructure, creating a realistic alternative to fossil fuels. Co-founder Pierre-Emmanuel Casanova says, “We aim to revolutionise the hydrogen value chain and decarbonise mobility […] Our liquid carrier is a game changer in this because hydrogen can be transported via the existing infrastructures.”
Danish engineers’ technology purifies toxic air for use in buildings. Indoor exposure to unclean air causes 3.8 million deaths a year. Gases such as NOx (nitrogen dioxide), Sox (sulphur dioxide) and VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) originate from various fossil fuels, household appliances etc. Particularly affecting the lungs and heart, they can have adverse effects on the body. PurCity’s panels capture toxic air and purify it, then release the clean air into the building.
Spanish recharging facilitator CargaTuCoche makes installing and managing a communal EV charging system easier. With the push for electric vehicles comes the necessity for change in infrastructure to accommodate the technology, a problem that is causing issues for confidence in the industry. The Spanish start-up aims to bring EV charging to the masses, assisting them to install the correct charging port for their needs for both electric and hybrid vehicles. They run a collaborative charging programme to allow customers to share their charging point with others. This allows more reliable access to charging ports when travelling.
Swiss scientists establish a method of reusing hard-to-recycle materials and create useful by-products. In a bid to decarbonise industries and reduce pollutants, recycling of materials has become increasingly common. Some materials are, however, challenging and/or inefficient to recycle. This final start-up utilises microwave energy to depolymerise (breakdown) materials such as plastic, rubber and bio waste. They create monomers and useful materials such as recovered silica and sought after materials such as graphite and synthetic diamonds.
It is hoped that the expertise from companies like Toyota, combined with the innovation from the start-ups will bring new solutions for society.
