Anaerobic digestion pioneer wins opportunity to collaborate with Shimizu Corporation

SEaB Energy and others enter commercial discussions with Japanese construction giant following UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme reverse pitch

SEaB Energy, the developer of a pioneering anaerobic digestion system that produces energy from organic waste, has won the opportunity to forge a partnership with Shimizu Corporation, one of Japan’s largest civil engineering, construction and architecture companies. Representatives of SEaB Energy are now invited to Shimizu’s NOVARE innovation facility in Singapore to explore collaboration arrangements with the corporation.

This was the outcome of a reverse pitch held in London, involving 10 UK scaleups vying to solve a ‘net zero building’ challenge posed by Shimizu. It was organised by the UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme, which helps high-growth technology companies to explore and secure commercial opportunities in the APAC region.

At the start of the event, representatives from Shimizu set out their plans to collaborate with UK tech companies to advance the corporation’s ‘Vision of 2030’ sustainable business strategy. Each of the 10 companies – carefully selected from among the UK’s leading sustainability tech startups – then presented how its technology could support Shimizu’s vision, before participating in a Q&A session.

Shimizu selected SEaB Energy as the winner because of its innovative, compact, easy-to-install anaerobic digestion systems housed in shipping containers. The systems are already being installed globally, both by SEaB Energy directly and through distribution and licensing agreements.

Sandra Sassow, SEaB Energy’s CEO, said: “We’re thrilled that Shimizu recognised the value creation opportunity of using sustainable energy and reducing CO2 emissions via our waste-to-energy technology. Our various sized platforms and the significant reduction in emissions they deliver will help Shimizu win new construction orders and further promote the use of electricity derived from renewable energy sources. This aligns with the corporation’s ‘Vision of 2030’ to realise a sustainable society."

Shimizu has also invited three of the other participating companies to progress commercial discussions. They are:

• Faradai: a supplier of artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems for energy and emissions tracking
• Low Carbon Materials: a climate-tech company that develops product innovations for the decarbonisation of emission-intensive construction materials such as concrete and asphalt
• re:sustain: a supplier of an energy optimisation technology that works with any building management system and uses calibrated digital twins to deliver scalable carbon and energy cost savings for commercial buildings.

Daisuke Kato, Head of the Acceleration Group at Shimizu’s NOVARE facility, said: “Our focus on sustainability is strong, especially in Southeast Asia where we have a long history in construction. We were therefore delighted explore the solutions on offer in the UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme’s reverse pitch.

“The event was incredibly insightful and we were impressed by the advanced technologies and expertise showcased by the UK companies in the field of net-zero buildings. They highlighted that UK sustainability efforts are a few steps ahead of Japan, which is valuable knowledge as we strive to close the gap in APAC. It was inspiring to see so many UK tech companies aligned with our goals for a sustainable future in Asia Pacific.”

Dr Lian Hutchings, Head of Growth at Low Carbon Materials, said: "It was an honour to be selected to present our net zero construction solutions to Shimizu. As a climate tech startup with ambitions to expand into new geographical markets, including the APAC region, we very much look forward to continuing our discussions with the corporation.” 

The UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme provides free and subsidised support to technology companies aspiring to enter one or more of 11 markets: South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. It is delivered on behalf of the government by international business development consultancy Intralink.

Companies can apply to participate here.

Jeremy Shaw, who leads UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme, said: “Initiatives such as this are just some of the ways the Programme highlights the latest UK technologies to potential customers and partners in Asia Pacific. The fact that Shimizu has decided to continue discussions not just with the winner but with three of the other participating companies is confirmation of the huge interest in UK technology.

“We congratulate SEaB and the other participants and look forward to supporting them on the next stage of their journey into the APAC region.”

About Intralink

Intralink is an international business development consultancy. The firm helps companies to expand overseas, corporations to harness the power of global innovation, and governments to grow their exports and attract foreign investment. Founded in 1990, the company has offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Singapore, Boston, Silicon Valley, LA, Oxford, London, Paris, Poznan and Tel Aviv. For more, see www.intralinkgroup.com