Emerging Platform Business Models Disrupting Utilities

Episode Summary

In the energy industry, evolving customer demand, accelerating technology innovation, and the rollout of progressive regulations and policies point to a transformation well underway. Linear value chains supporting one-way power flow from centralized generation to end customers are already giving way to a digital, integrated and dynamic energy ecosystems supporting two-way power flows. Customer choice, innovation, and agility are the new reality utilities are faced with offering both new opportunities and challenges to traditional utilities worldwide.

In this episode Steffen Funck from Statkraft Ventures GmbH shares his insights on the platform business model and how it is changing utility strategies and mindsets. You will find out how a platform strategy can be leveraged to address key strategic and operational challenges facing utilities in the energy sector today. It will cover a variety of platform business models for utilities and offer unique insights from a VC perspective.

What are platform and multi-sided platform models
Innovation vs transaction platforms
Benefits of a platform model for utilities
Examples platform business models in the energy sector
Recommendations for utilities

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Speaker

Steffen is an Investment Manager at Statkraft Ventures GmbH. He believes that the current situation in the energy sector constitutes a once in a lifetime opportunity for growing ambitious start-ups.

Steffen has extensive experience in market positioning & strategy, B2B sales and management of start-ups targeting the energy sector. Prior to joining Statkraft Ventures he was an entrepreneur and the COO/CMO of Venios GmbH, a smart-grid- and distributed-energy-analytics company. Steffen started his career in energy at RWE's corporate strategy department. He holds an MSc in Physics from Imperial College London.