Scania’s recently launched corporate venture capital fund Scania Growth Capital has made its first investment. The fund will become one of the owners of Enersize OY, which through its proprietary software for data acquisition and analysis, achieves significant energy savings in industrial compressed air systems.
“We see great potential in the company and its ability to develop in the global market for energy-efficient and sustainable industrial production, which also promotes Scania’s continued development and growth and is in line with our vision of taking the lead in sustainable transport solutions. Enersize’s solution can contribute to a significant reduction in energy consumption at Scania’s industrial facilities and service workshops,” says Daniel Wedberg, Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Management and Venture Business, Scania.
Through its proprietary software for data acquisition and analysis, Enersize achieves energy savings of up to 30 percent in industrial compressed air systems. Industrial compressed air represents 5 percent of the entire world’s electricity consumption, and is used in 90 percent of all factories. Enersize shares the energy savings with the customer, which does not need to pay anything for the solution but merely shares the revenue from the savings achieved. Enersize’s existing customers include one of the world’s largest flat-screen manufacturers and also well-known producers of vehicles and steel. The company’s head office is in Helsinki, Finland, and it has a development office in Lund, Sweden.
“We are very pleased that Scania Growth Capital has chosen to invest in Enersize. Scania has a solid experience in the automotive and manufacturing industry, and its enthusiasm for both our business model and technology pleases us. With industrial owners on board, we strengthen our global network and strategic knowledge,” comments Christian Merheim, Chairman of Enersize Oy.
Scania Growth Capital is a corporate venture capital fund, which in invests in high-growth companies with strategic relevance to Scania and its ecosystem in the transport- and automotive industries.The fund invests in companies that enable the transformation to a more environmentally friendly transport system and in efforts to detect disruptive technologies and business models. Scania Growth Capital also creates a platform on which Scania can support motivated entrepreneurs with access to a large ecosystem, and broad and deep industry expertise. The fund is managed by an external investment company consisting of a team with extensive experience in both investments and the automotive industry. Venture capital veteran Lars-Olof Gustavsson is the chairman of Scania Growth Capital and also acts as chairman of the external investment company.
Scania Growth Capital Capital evaluates investment proposals broadly. They may include companies with products, solutions or services in digitalisation, autonomous vehicles, connectivity, hybridisation, renewable fuels and smart factory.
Scania is already active in several partnerships that drive the shift towards sustainable transport systems, both with customers, academia and other tech-companies. Scania Growth Capital will reach a segment of complementing companies, giving Scania an opportunity to tap into or promote early development and innovation that is industry-relevant, but outside its own core operations.
