Tech Champions 2022: The shortlists

In response to our call for entries for this year’s Tech Champions project, almost 300 submissions were received from FT readers, identifying European companies that are using technology to meet today’s business challenges .

FT reporters vetted them, researched the nominated companies, and helped draw up shortlists.

We are looking for nominations in ten categories this year, and have exchanged the ‘Hospitality’ sector – which was featured in 2021 after the pandemic lockdowns – for ‘Energy’, which has become the center of attention for innovators today year:

For each sector category, a shortlist of four or five companies is created and presented to our panel of judges for consideration. The winners will be announced here, and in a magazine attached to the FT newspaper, on 21 November.

IT and Software

Adaptive Systems
By using AI, smart sensors, and radar, Adaptiv allows clients to map the use of their buildings and improve the energy efficiency within them.

Benivo
Benivo’s employee relocation management platform enables greater mobility for their clients’ staff as they manage global moves.

CarbonChain
CarbonChain’s AI powered, carbon accounting platform is able to track emissions in global supply chains, giving logistics firms and financial institutions insight into the impact of their activities.

Kairos
By analyzing satellite images of the earth, Kayrros can help predict climate and environmental trends, and track activity in the energy sector, including pipeline leaks.

Synthace
The company’s digital experimentation platform allows scientists in fields as diverse as virology and climate science to more quickly test hypotheses and break new ground.

Markets and Financial Services

ComplyAdvantage
ComplyAdvantage’s sanctions tracking technology helps banks and financial services groups stay within the rules of transactions involving Russia

Economics For Environmental Consultancy — EFTEC
EFTEC’s development of “natural capital accounting” translates businesses’ reliance on nature into a digestible balance sheet format, allowing proactive decision-making.

KPMG Climate IQ
Climate IQ is a platform that allows clients to assess their climate risk and make strategic decisions based on the potential impacts they face.

NovaFori
The B2B operator builds digital marketplaces and auction platforms for its clients and embeds data science at every layer.

Plan A
The Berlin-based SaaS operator offers a platform for companies to track their carbon footprint over time, report on this trend, and set targets to move towards the Paris Climate Accord.

Professional Services

Beamery
Beamery’s AI-powered platform removes bias from the recruitment process and helps clients overcome high staff turnover, by providing personalized plans for employee development.

Kissed. AI
By using AI and blockchain technologies in the processes of attracting and retaining talent, Gigged. AI helps reduce hiring costs and cut out middle men.

KPMG
Through its ESG IQ platform, the company allows businesses to take a holistic view of ESG performance and avoid greenwashing.

For Nur
Founded by a former headhunter, Nurole has revolutionized how talent is recruited at the board level, combining smart technology and years of expertise to source qualified and diverse candidates.

Risk Ledger
As the conflict in Ukraine disrupts supply chains, the Risk Ledger platform shows organizations how well they are protecting their suppliers.

Shipping and Transportation

Ceres Power
A leader in fuel cell and electrochemical technology, Ceres’ green hydrogen solutions can reduce carbon emissions in the maritime sector by as much as 47 percent.

Container xChange
The company helps businesses navigate the complexities of international supply chains by operating a marketplace to source content, pay for it and simplify their operations.

Last drive
Sweden-based Einride aims to revolutionize the global logistics industry and reduce the size of its carbon footprint with a fleet of autonomous, electric freighters.

Ev.energy
Its vehicle charging software makes it cheaper to run an electric car and turns thousands of car batteries into storage assets.

Vector Robotics
Vector aims to combat the growing problem of wildfires by using autonomous, solar powered drones to monitor high-risk areas, aid in the early detection and prevention of wildfires.

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Geosophy
Energy’s geothermal temperature control offering has become increasingly attractive thanks to its strong green credentials and the rising cost of conventional alternatives.

HiiROC
A UK startup is developing a way to produce low-cost, zero-emission hydrogen from micro to industrial scale.

Multiverse Computing
Quantum computing allows Multiverse to help clients in the energy sector predict future supply and demand, ensuring efficiency and a low carbon footprint.

He groped
By revolutionizing the performance of lithium-ion batteries Nybolt is revolutionizing the use of EVs, medical devices, and robotics.

Octopus Energy
The utility company’s new, scalable platform, Kraken, uses advanced data and machine learning to optimize energy assets, improve their efficiency, and lower costs for consumers.

Manufacturing

Coolbrook
The Finnish group’s Roto Dynamic Heater can achieve the extreme heat required in chemical and steelmaking processes using only renewable energy.

Construction Automation
With its patented brick laying robot, the company stands to improve productivity and safety in the home construction industry.

CURTAIN
The company uses optoelectronics and machine learning to monitor and track plant growth in indoor farming – growers can use these analytics to increase crop yield and nutrient density.

Kebony
Through patented wood regeneration technology, Kebony allows softwood to be used where hardwood was previously only suitable – helping to preserve hardwood forests as a carbon sink.

Spinnova
The Finnish textile innovator has unveiled a process in which any cellulose raw material, such as food waste, can be continuously transformed into spinning-ready textile fiber.

Healthcare

Kooth
The UK’s longest established digital mental health provider built on a 20 year track record to promote mental health in a time of cost of living crisis.

Exalted Care
The home care platform allows caregivers to connect with users and provide personalized and transparent care; a 2022 Government grant will enable Lifted to expand their offering.

London Borough of Newham, Connect for Health (Warwickshire) and the Young Offenders Institution, Cookham Wood, are working with Thomson Screening
Nominees have developed a digital solution that allows schools to rapidly screen children for vision and hearing problems, identify trends, and communicate with parents.

Oxeheath
An Oxford university spinout has found a way to monitor mental health patients remotely through infrared detectors and alert nurses to those who need help.

ShiftPartner
Shift’s digital platform aims to alleviate NHS recruitment difficulties by using AI and machine learning to better understand staffing needs.

Media

camouflage
Augmented reality software allows a wider audience to enjoy immersive concerts and events – even in the midst of a pandemic.

No Isolation
Founded in 2015, No Isolation began developing “warm technology” to help sick children dial into classrooms, before remote learning became the norm. It now helps different groups to reduce the risk of isolation.

Saw It
The company’s ad streaming solution allows brands to reduce the data required to reach target audiences by 40 percent, an effective way to cut energy consumption for carbon conscious brands.

The Garden
The London-based streaming platform was launched as we emerged from the pandemic, offering interactive talks from experts in various fields, to facilitate the exchange of ideas.

Zero Density
Offering real-time visual effects to clients in broadcast, live events, and e-sports, Zero Density creates immersive stories across all types of media.

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Bloom and Wild
Flower delivery pioneer Bloom & Wild is leading the industry in driving sustainable practices – it can now calculate the environmental cost of a bouquet and reduce it over time.

KeyNest
As city centers return from the collapse of lockdown, KeyNest allows high-street shops to take on a new role as “key concierge” for Airbnb hosts.

There is no limit
The London-based company allows brand advocates to find gig work as customer service agents for companies they love.

MIRACLES
The company’s business marketplace platform allows sellers to quickly build a wider online presence though a network of resellers.

Satatland
The sustainable fashion business makes clothes from recyclable materials and rents them out, as an alternative to the ‘buy and dispose’ model.

Banking and Payments

Clim8 Invest
The London-based platform allows for mass market access to bona fide green investment opportunities.

Stenn Technologies
Stenn has found a way to make trade credit available, through invoice financing, to the smallest businesses in more than 70 countries.

wisely
The digital payments group responded rapidly to the crisis in Ukraine to keep money moving for those fleeing the conflict and those left behind.

Zilch
Zilch’s buy now, pay later installment offer has found favor with those looking to spread the rising cost of energy bills over 6 weeks at zero interest rates.