It’s an exciting time for EIT InnoEnergy Master School alumnus Daniele Novara as the votes for the 2021 EU Sustainable Energy Awards are coming in! His start-up, Easy Hydro, is receiving some well-earned recognition for their first-ever hydropower station in a working underground mine. The three finalists in their category of “Young Energy Trailblazers”, chosen for their innovation in energy efficiency and renewable, are all anxiously awaiting the results which will be announced on October 25th during the EU Sustainable Energy Week. In the meantime, we spoke with Daniele to hear what has led him up to this point in his burgeoning entrepreneurial career!
From studies to start-up
The start-up developed from Daniele’s studies in a smooth, linear line – from his time in the EIT InnoEnergy Master school to his PhD at Trinity College in Dublin. He shares, “I am extremely happy about my time in the master school, learning how to get involved in the energy transition. The programme allowed me to spend two years living and working in different corners of Europe with classmates from all over the world. I really appreciated the many workshops and activities organised alongside regular classes and the emphasis on entrepreneurship. Then in my PhD, I developed a hydropower technology and designed and built two pilot plants located in Ireland and UK – so starting my own company was the next logical step. The network I put together during my studies was fundamental for a successful start-up, especially with Trinity College being part of the wider EIT network from which we received a lot of support, so it was an easy choice to begin my start-up here in Ireland.”
Introducing Easy Hydro
Daniele shares his vision: “I think that energy transition is an irreversible process, with very far-reaching implications in many aspects of everyday life. Italy, my home country, and Ireland have both made some steps in the right direction and are now producing a significant portion of electricity via renewable sources. However, their energy sectors are still dominated by fossil fuels so much more needs to be done – and now is the time to do it, especially with the EU’s dedication to mitigating climate change. I am determined to contribute so it can happen sooner rather than later and be economically sustainable, so that’s why I decided to create Easy Hydro. We aim to become the go-to company for hydropower energy recovery from existing water pipes, whether they are for drinking water, irrigation, or mine water supplies.
A dream come true
Daniele shares some final thoughts on his company, the competition and entrepreneurship: “Seeing this start-up evolve into a proper company is a dream come true after the years spent developing the technology during my MSc and PhD. During that time, I’ve worked with brilliant researchers; some of them are now my colleagues at Easy Hydro! So, my best advice for starting a company is to have a good and close-knit team and be patient and optimistic, especially if the results don’t come right away. But success is hopefully right around the corner.” Speaking of which, you can read more about Daniele’s mine project and vote for him here. He adds, “Just being nominated is great and a somewhat unexpected recognition of the hard work done so far. It has really boosted our morale and determination to keep developing our technology. And if we win, there’ll be a big party here in Dublin!” Best of luck to Daniele and the team at Easy Hydro – voting for the EU Sustainability awards is open until October 22nd!
EIT InnoEnergy supports ambitious students who want to develop their start-up ideas in multiple ways. One of them is the Battle of Green Talent. During this hybrid competition, students pitch their start-up ideas to Investors (business students) and advisors (professionals, venture capitalists and CEOs) to win a cash prize of €10,000.- and a voucher worth €5,000.- to benefit from start-up incubation services from EIT InnoEnergy. And this is just one of the many ways in which you can start building your dream!
Would you like to contribute to the energy transition in the heart of Europe’s largest energy ecosystem? Learn all about our programmes here.
InnoExpert: Green Hydrogen
7 December 2021. 15.00 CET. A key to meeting Europe’s net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal by 2050 is renewable or ‘green’ hydrogen. It is considered to become a fuel of the future and the opportunity for green hydrogen to be applied across a wide range of sectors means that a huge number of direct and indirect jobs will be created with an increasing demand for skilled engineers!
We invite you to join, InnoExpert: Green Hydrogen webinar with Carina Krastel, the Commercial Director of the European Green Hydrogen Acceleration Center, who will discuss the importance of green hydrogen, recent industry trends and future career opportunities!