Matchmaking
ROM InWest had the honour of hosting this first Energy Investor Day of 2026. We chose the ETCA As a location: a place with a strong focus on enabling the energy transition. A broad investor community came together here with promising startups and scale-ups active in the energy transition. Six companies were given the opportunity to pitch their innovations to a room full of investors, including two companies from North Holland, PowerGoodies and Chapter.works. Investors immediately indicated after the pitches which entrepreneurs they wanted to speak with. Experience shows that this often leads to follow-up meetings and ultimately to valuable investments.
Have a look inside
The day began with a programme for the Energy Investor Community. AquaBattery and Thorizon, both alumni of previous Energy Investor Days, presented their growth stories and spoke about the development they have undergone. Both companies are also located at the ETCA. This was followed by an interesting tour of the high-quality facilities and amenities at the ETCA, where innovation and collaboration go hand in hand. Here, the attending investors also took a look inside Thorizon's lab, which is capable of converting nuclear waste into safe, sustainable energy with their innovative molten salt reactor. At the lab on the ETCA, Thorizon conducts hands-on, non-nuclear tests. Thorizon is one of the companies we've invested in, so that made us extra proud!
Power of North-Holland
According to Robin van Beijnum, Business Developer Energy Transition at ROM InWest, the tour of the ETCA illustrated the strength of North Holland when it comes to the energy transition: “Our region is home to a wide diversity of innovative companies and initiatives, which together form a dynamic and versatile ecosystem. As ROM InWest, we play a connecting role in this. By actively building ecosystems and bringing parties together, we help to accelerate innovation and facilitate funding. We do this not only through investments, but also by supporting entrepreneurs with programmes focused on venture development and investment readiness.”
The urgency is clear
Current geopolitical developments underscore the urgency of the energy transition. Increasing dependencies and uncertainties make it clear that acceleration is necessary. Robin van Beijnum observes that these developments also lead to a more challenging investment climate, particularly in the early stages of innovation. “Raising capital has become more complex, making collaboration more important than ever. In this context lies the value of the Energy Investor Day: the event facilitates meetings between entrepreneurs and investors, and between investors themselves. This strengthens mutual connections and stimulates concrete collaborations to keep investments flowing, even in these times of uncertainty.”
Towards a sustainable future
With a high turnout of investors and strong representation from innovative companies, this edition of the Energy Investor Day can rightly be called a success. Robin looks back on the event with pride: “It was wonderful to see that the conviction that accelerating the energy transition is a must, and that venture capital is needed to enable innovations, was widespread. As ROM InWest, we will continue to commit ourselves to further strengthening the innovative power of North Holland around the energy transition. Especially in times of uncertainty, building strong networks and ecosystems is essential for a sustainable future.”
Energy Investor Day in brief
- Energy Investor Day is organised by the Top Sector Energy Funding Desk and KplusV.
- The Energy Investor Day is a matchmaking event, where up to six entrepreneurs can pitch their investment offerings to investors.
- In addition, there is a separate networking session for the Energy Investors Community.
- The event takes place quarterly and is hosted by a Regional Development Agency (ROM).
- The next edition is on 8 July, in collaboration with ROM Utrecht.
Is your company developing an innovation within the energy transition and would you like to know how ROM InWest can support you with this? Please contact Robin van Beijnum.
