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Mass EV retrofit startup Veepower wins second Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge
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From left: EnergyLab CEO & Director Megan Fisher, Veepower Founder & lead software developer Kyle Van Berendonck, and New Energy Nexus Venture Partner & EnergyLab volunteer Danny Kennedy.

Sydney, Australia, 8 November 2024 – Plug-and-play EV software control system provider, Veepower has won the second Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge with its unique technology that unlocks mass EV retrofits across thousands of potential installers and designers in Australia and overseas.

“We have a product that can enable anyone with a garage to repower any vehicle class into an EV with about the same effort as doing an engine swap – from individuals to company fleets. We’re incredibly excited to scale from what we’ve learned in the Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge and unlock rapid growth in mass EV retrofits,” said Kyle Van Berendonck, founder and lead software developer of Melbourne-based Veepower, an offshoot of Cuedo Controls.

supercharge australia innovation challenge awards nov 2024 veepower veepilot product trans

Veepower’s solution, the Veepilot.

The second annual Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge winner was selected from a cohort of 12 startups with solutions to rapidly convert half the Australian vehicle fleet to electric vehicles (EVs), equivalent to more than 10 million vehicles.

“This cohort will be the spark for an industry that could electrify half the Australian vehicle fleet and increase domestic battery demand twenty times over to 1.3TWh, while providing the skills, services and equipment to emerging markets around the world,” said Kirk McDonald, Project Manager for Supercharge Australia. “In Australia alone we have the potential to generate demand for AU$181 billion worth of Australian-made lithium batteries, targeting a replacement market of AU$700 billion in vehicle sales.”

“A vehicle retrofit industry will create a jobs and skills pathway for mechanics, auto-electricians, and advanced manufacturing workers, while also accelerating the decarbonisation of our transport sector. It’s win-win, and we’re thrilled to support startups like Veepower to scale its impact,” said Megan Fisher, CEO of EnergyLab.

supercharge australia innovation challenge awards nov 2024 full cohort

The cohort of startups who joined the SuperCharge Australia Innovation Challenge: Retrofit Nation.

In 2022 the transport sector contributed to 19% of Australia’s emissions, with trucks, buses and light commercial vehicles accounting for about 40% of the total transport figure.  The Challenge aimed to find solutions that can deploy up to 1.3TWh of batteries that would be required to reach this goal, starting with approximately 600GWh of heavy truck and bus batteries (plus up to 25GWh for  mining), 400GWh for light trucks and commercial vehicles and 260GWh for passenger vehicles. By accelerating all forms of EV uptake, both additional CO2 emissions will be avoided and grid storage expenditure reduced.

Veepower will now have the opportunity to join an expert guided visit by Danny Kennedy, EnergyLab Director and Venture Partner at New Energy Nexus Ventures, to California’s startup ecosystem, centred in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Supercharge Australia is accelerating the lithium battery value chain in Australia, and is a joint project of not-for-profit cleantech startup support organisations New Energy Nexus globally and EnergyLab in Australia and New Zealand.

Notes to editor:

The twelve startups in the second Supercharge Innovation Challenge were:

  • Australian EVS, Newcastle, NSW: light commercial EV retrofits for councils and fleets.
  • Veepower, an offshoot of Cuedo Controls, Melbourne, VIC: efficient EV software control systems for the entire retrofit market.
  • Eclass Outboards, Kiama, NSW: electric outboard and marine hybrid retrofits for pleasure craft and fishing fleets.
  • Electric Power Conversions Australia (EPCA), Hazelmere, WA: EV retrofitting mining haul trucks from 100 tonnes and up
  • Electromotiv, Canberra, ACT: EV retrofitting buses for public transport and private fleets
  • Evans Electric, Sydney, NSW: EV powertrain hardware and software developer specialising in axial flux motor development including e-axles
  • IonDNA, ACT and NSW: power electric ATVs, utility vehicles, and farm tools from electricity generated via on-site solar power infrastructure.
  • Jaunt, Melbourne, VIC: EV conversion systems for classic cars and specialist commercial vehicles.
  • Net Zero Engineering Solutions, Adelaide, SA: bi-directional EV charging solution.
  • OZ Electric Vehicles, Logan City, QLD: battery upscaling and “flat pack” EV retrofit kits.
  • “Project Midas,” Sydney, NSW: next-generation graphene anode technology, improving lithium-ion battery performance and safety.
  • REVR, Melbourne, VIC: Minimised installation requirement mass EV retrofit kits.

Media contacts:

Kirk McDonald
Project Manager, Supercharge Australia
kirk.mcdonald@newenergynexus.com
+61 412 336 848

Tristan Tremschnig
Global Communications Director, New Energy Nexus
tristan.tremschnig@newenergynexus.com
(based in San Francisco)

About New Energy Nexus

New Energy Nexus (NEX) is an international organization that strives towards a 100% clean energy economy for 100% of the population. It does this with a laser focus on diverse entrepreneurs, supporting them with accelerators, funds, skills, and networks they need to thrive.

NEX has accelerated over 1,200 startups, supported nearly 9,000 entrepreneurs, and mobilized over US$3.7 billion in investment. Celebrating 20 years since its founding in California in 2004, NEX now operates programs or advisory services in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, the UAE, Uganda, the USA (California and New York), and Vietnam. More at www.newenergynexus.com

Follow NEX on LinkedInXFacebook, and YouTube

About EnergyLab

EnergyLab is Australia’s largest climate tech startup accelerator and innovation network dedicated to reaching net zero emissions. EnergyLab connects talented founders to the mentors, advisors, partners, peers and investors they need to succeed and has so far supported over 200 startups and 140 aspiring founders through its various programs.

In addition to running 10 programs, EnergyLab operates a climate focused angel investor network with over 200 angel investors, a mentor network with over 400 experts, coworking and events space at UTS in Sydney all of these services are leveraged to support the clean energy and decarbonisation startup ecosystem in Australia.