PERSEO: Iberdrola's start-up programme

Over 15 years committed to start-ups and innovation

Our PERSEO programme aims to facilitate access to the technologies and businesses of the future while fostering a global ecosystem of start-ups with a focus on sustainability.

Our firm commitment to business innovation has been structured since 2008 through PERSEO − our open innovation programme with start-ups. A tool created to introduce innovation into the company and facilitate its application in business cases that generate significant value and improve Iberdrola's sustainability. PERSEO has over €200 million invested in a portfolio of start-ups, the creation of new companies through PERSEO Venture Builder, and through the Andromeda SustainableTech Fund and GED TECH Seed Fund, as well as in funds focused on tech innovation and sustainability. 

History of PERSEO

  • 2022 Launch of Andromeda
  • 2020 Launch of Venture Builder programme
  • 2016 Creation of the programme Challenges and Pilots
  • 2013 First investment in a Silicon Valley company (STEM)
  • 2009 First investment in PERSEO
  • 2008 Start of PERSEO

Since its inception, the PERSEO programme has supported open innovation and has created synergies with start-ups that develop innovative technologies and business models. The focus is on those that improve the sustainability of the energy sector through greater electrification and decarbonisation of the economy.

PERSEO uses instruments such as venture capital investments, strategic alliances, start-up challenges and pilot projects or Proof of Concept (PoC) projects as tools to maximise the channelling of innovation into our company for continuous improvement.

Keys to the programme

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    +200 M€ invested
    in startups

    9 companies in our portfolio

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    Challenges Open Innovation Tool

    10 challenges launched annually

    + 500 proposals received each year

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    Venture Builder Program

    For creating and investing in companies

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    +7.500 start-ups in
    our ecosystem

    Increasing at a rate of 300 per year

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    Pilot projects

    Access to technology in real cases

    +25 real pilot projects per year

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    Major technological funds

    Andromeda SustainableTech Fund
    €300 M to invest in scale-ups with impact on sustainability

    GED TECH Seed Fund
    €100 M to invest in technology projects with a focus on sustainability

PERSEO's mission and strategic areas

PERSEO's mission to create added value for the company through the application of innovation in the business is divided into four complementary objectives: early identification of key trends, promotion of entrepreneurial culture, support for disruptive business models and boost of economic revitalisation. In turn, the programme is applied in a cross-sectional manner in five strategic areas for Iberdrola.

Early identification of key trends for the company's future

Foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship

Access to disruptive technologies and business models

Support industrial sectors with high potential for growth and boost economic and social revitalisation

Strategic areas

Generation

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Renewable generation: flexibility and storage

Development of solutions to enable us to integrate renewable generation into the electricity system

Distribution

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Grid of the future

Tech solutions that enable a smart, digital electricity grid that is more flexible, reliable, efficient and sustainable

Demand

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Electrification of demand

Development of new innovative products and services that enable us to accelerate the decarbonisation of demand

Cross-cutting areas

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Process innovation

Adoption of new software and hardware solutions to streamline processes and optimise activities throughout the entire asset life cycle (design, construction, operation, maintenance, decommissioning, etc.)

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Sustainability and decarbonisation

Solutions that make it possible to be more eco- and biodiversity-friendly (recycling. circular economy, carbon capture and management, etc.)

Investment portfolio: which start-ups do we invest in?

We have focused our actions on analysing business opportunities and tech collaboration with start-ups or emerging companies around the world, while participating with large tech funds to promote the next generation of disruptive companies with a positive impact on society.

Learn more about our investments

PERSEO Venture Builder − supporting the energy transition

Perseo Venture Builder is a new unit to create businesses from scratch to support sustainability in the electricity sector and in sectors that are hard to decarbonise, such as the circular economy and heavy transport. Its activity is focused on creating innovative companies with the participation of other tech and industrial groups as well as public-private partnerships.

Discover Perseo Venture Builder

What does PERSEO bring to entrepreneurs?

Pilot projects

Access to large volumes of data
Testing technology in a real environment

Investment

Between 1 and €5 million
Co-investment with companies and venture capital funds

Access to Iberdrola’s ecosystem

Access to market knowledge and key technologies