Kite powerKitekraft, spun off from the Technical University of Munich in 2019, develops flying wind turbines. The technology consists of a multicopter drone with wings connected to a ground station by a cable. This solution from the Munich-based startup enables wind energy generation using less material than conventional wind turbines, which lowers costs, reduces logistical effort, and is also less visible. Kitekraft's initial products are 100kW systems for farmers, communities, islands, and microgrids, which will be scaled up to 500kW and later to multi-MW systems for grid-level power generation.
Construction of a pilot plant
To intensify product testing and prepare for a first pilot installation, the company has secured a new test site near Munich and is working with local partners to prepare for installation in 2023. The current funding of 1.5 million euros (1.6 million dollars) will be used, among other things, for the construction of the first pilot plant. Furthermore, the young company intends to strengthen its team in the critical areas Software development and power electronics increase.
Max Isensee, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Kitekraft, said:
"This funding is a testament to what our relatively small team has achieved in a very short time. Working on such a technology is an exciting challenge, and we are well positioned to bring it to market."
Florian Bauer, Co-Founder, Co-CEO and CTO of Kitekraft, continues:
"This funding will enable us to increase the reliability and efficiency of our technology. This will bring the technology ever closer to a marketable product that can ultimately help reduce the environmental impact of energy production."
“Pure disruptive innovation”
And Umut Ertan, CEO of Swiss capital, said:
"From the very first moment, I was impressed by the technology, the smart team, and the hands-on mentality. The Kitekraft team achieved flight in all phases with very little resources and in no time. A feat that competitors required much more time and resources to achieve. This is truly impressive and pure disruptive innovation."
