Empa spin-off Perovskia has launched perovskite solar cells that can be used in smartwatches, keyboards etc. Perovskia Solar has specialized in custom-made solar cells for electronic devices, and has recently acquired more than ten companies from the Internet of Things (IoT) industry as new customers and received over two million Swiss francs from an international coalition of business angels and early-stage funds.
“Energy harvesting for IoT devices is a rapidly growing market with a potential of several billion dollars,” said Anand Verma, founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Perovskia. “Our easy-to-integrate designer solar cells either eliminate the need for batteries or extend their lifespan, opening up the possibility of powering any device with solar energy.”
“We can print innovative perovskite solar cells in any size – and at low cost. With their high efficiency, they can power almost any indoor electronic device in bright home and office lighting,” added Verma. Anand Verma therefore spent five years at Empa researching printing processes for perovskite solar cells before setting up the company in 2020.
“Our energy harvesting technology has been developed over several years at Empa, which has enabled us to launch a market-ready product that powers next-generation devices for industrial and residential applications,” commented Tobias Meyer, founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Perovskia.
Perovskia Solar now supplies several international companies with customized solar cells for IoT applications and for consumer electronics devices. The Empa spin-off is now supported by Kickfund from Venture Kick and the venture capital company D&FG Elements as well as an international coalition of business angels led by Nils Hagander and Beda Rohner.
The Empa spin-off recently set up a factory in Aubonne in the canton of Vaud. One million perovskite elements are to be printed there every year.
