The European Green Deal set an ambitious goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Germany’s Hendrik Kramer, 29, thinks his startup Fernride can help.
The Munich-based company aims to tackle both Europe’s driver shortage and the environmental impact of transportation by developing solutions for autonomous, electric trucking. Their software allows drivers to remotely control trucks from an office, effectively operating vehicles across great distances, such as from Munich to the U.K. Currently, the tech is only used on private yards, like container terminals in seaports, distribution centers (such as at logistics company DB Schenker) and big manufacturing facilities (such as at Volkswagen Wolfsburg).
LEVON BISS FOR FORBES
“We want to make our supply chains more resilient,” Kramer, Fernride’s CEO and cofounder, told Forbes. “It’s super important that when we have increasing volumes in transportation and fewer truck drivers that we solve this issue.”
The startup currently boasts $59 million in funding from investors including Munich Re Ventures, Bayern Kapital and former CEO of Siemens Klaus Kleinfeld.
Kramer’s just one of the pioneering young innovators on the 2024 30 Under 30 Europe Manufacturing & Industry list. Candidates were evaluated by a panel of judges featuring Samuel Gill, a 2022 Under 30 Europe alum and cofounder of carbon data provider Sylvera; Marie Langer, CEO of 3D printing firm EOS; Stephanie Heller Galantine, cofounder and managing partner of Bootstrap Europe; and Elizabeth Gilligan, a 2021 Under 30 alum and cofounder of low-carbon cement company Material Evolution.
This year’s list includes a colorful batch of honorees working in fields ranging from recycling plastic waste to robotic delivery networks to creating prototypes for space habitats.
Among the startups that have raised the most money is Paris-based Le Pavé. The startup boasts $12 million in funding from investors including BNP Paribas Principal Investment and MAIF Impact to turn plastic waste into versatile, durable panels used for furniture, worktops, floor coverings, interior facades and more through a novel recycling process. Cofounded by Marius Hamelot, 29, Le Pavé operates two automated plants in France, recycling 1,400 tons of plastic and completing over 1,500 projects, including crafting 11,000 bleacher seats for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
When it comes to batteries, one of the most impressive examples of entrepreneurial thinking comes from Aachen, Germany. Voltfang, cofounded by David Oudsandji, 28, and Afshin Doostdar, 29, gives a second life to electric vehicle batteries. Once an EV battery is no longer usable in a car, Voltfang turns it into a power storage system for commercial and industrial customers, like ALDI Nord and McDonalds. These clients can use Voltfang’s sustainable battery storage system to store their own solar energy, utilize it for their electric vehicle fleets or sell it on the energy market. The company has raised $7.5 million and grown its team to 70 employees.
Over in Belgium, NOOSA, cofounded by Luna Aslan, 29, is disrupting the textile industry by creating 100% recyclable fibers. Using a patented chemical recycling technology, any NOOSA fibers can be recycled endlessly – all without deterioration. NOOSA’s customers are primarily textile manufacturers who use their fibers in sportswear, home textiles and workwear, among other applications. Since its founding in 2019, NOOSA has raised $3 million in funding.
Among the hottest areas in the manufacturing and industry sector is robotics, where Etienne Louvet, 27, is making waves with his company IONA. The London-based startup tackles rural logistics inefficiencies through robotic delivery networks. Shipping companies are currently losing money on last-mile delivery, due to half-empty cargo vans operating winding routes, and driver shortages affecting services. IONA is offering autonomous systems, robotics and drones to enable low-cost deliveries for people living in remote or rural areas. The startup, which has raised $2 million, claims it can significantly reduce carbon emissions compared to traditional methods, such as trucks or car dependency.
One of the startups doing the most futuristic work in manufacturing is SAGA Space Architects, which aims to improve living conditions for astronauts in space. The Copenhagen-based enterprise, cofounded by Sebastian Aristotelis, 29, creates prototypes for space habitats and tests them in Earth’s harshest conditions, such as Europe’s first underwater habitat for astronaut training. Aristotelis projects the startup will see over $800,000 in revenue in 2024.
This year’s list was edited by Anne Bennett, Igor Bosilkovski and Elisabeth Brier. For a link to our complete 2024 30 Under 30 Europe Manufacturing & Industry list, click here, and for full 2024 30 Under 30 Europe coverage, click here.