New Energy Challenge 2025

The New Energy Challenge (NEC) is back for its tenth edition, supporting technology focused start-ups and scale-ups that are driving the future of sustainable energy.

Find out more

New Energy Challenge

The competition for start-ups and scale-ups in renewable energy. Winners are awarded a collaboration or funding to further scale their business.

Find out more

2025 edition

This edition focuses on the decarbonisation and de-fossilisation of energy operations through advancements in hydrogen production and use, renewable methane and carbon removal.

Find out more
9JUL

Announcement of the finalists

Read more

UPCOMING

24SEP

Kick-off finals phase

Read more

The competition for startups and scaleups in renewable energy

Jointly organised by RockstartShellUnknown Campus and YES!Delft, the New Energy Challenge offers a platform for cutting-edge innovators to develop emerging technologies that promote sustainability and shape the future of the energy sector at scale. Finalists will join a variety of training sessions during an exciting accelerator programme. They will work with investors and experts during the final phase of the challenge, unlocking knowledge, contacts, and support needed to develop their company and product. The winning companies may be awarded a collaboration or funding to further scale their business.

What are we looking for?

The New Energy Challenge 2025 is seeking technologies that will contribute to the decarbonisation and de-fossilisation of energy operations. We are looking for scalable, efficient solutions that integrate into existing infrastructure and drive advancements in the following areas:

CO2 methanation to synthetic methane

Breakthrough technologies that efficiently convert CO₂ and green hydrogen into synthetic methane, even under intermittent renewable energy conditions.

Hydrogen storage, carriers and distribution

Innovative hydrogen transport and storage solutions that are safer, more cost-effective, and compatible with current infrastructure.

Renewable natural gas (RNG)

Solutions that convert biological waste into low-carbon biomethane, improving feedstock usage, methane output, and carbon circularity.

Green hydrogen production

Next-gen electrolysis technologies that reduce the cost of green hydrogen and improve efficiency, scalability, and integration into existing value chains.

Carbon removal

Technologies that actively remove Carbon from the atmosphere, including CO2 storage, geochemical conversion, and MRV systems.

the top-class premium nature of the event really blew me away. Everything was arranged for us and organized better than anything else we had ever seen at other events.
JPM Silicon, Germany
After winning the NEC, Shell became both an investor and a client. This relationship is still strong, and that started with winning the challenge.
Asperitas, The Netherlands
We have made much more progress than expected. This success is something we can give back to our investors.
RFC Power, Great Britain
The challenge gave us the opportunity to meet investors and really build our story.
NanoSUN, Great Britain
The intense preparation week was even better than we had expected, especially to meeting the other participants. Some of the others also had many years of experience and this provided meaningful insights.
EcoG, Germany

Our partners

To top