
Swiss startup expands internationally
exnaton, a Swiss AI startup for utilities billing, has partnered with TotalEnergies Power & Gas Belgium to roll out dynamic electricity tariffs in Belgium.
TotalEnergies implemented exnaton’s AI-driven platform to launch a dynamic electricity offer, becoming the startup’s first customer in Belgium. The collaboration was first announced publicly during a joint pitch presented by the two companies at VivaTech in Paris last Friday.
The partnership stems from new opportunities – and expectations – for today’s electricity providers to go beyond simply supplying power. As the energy transition progresses, there is rising demand for flexible, customer-centric services to stay competitive. This includes dynamic tariffs, which offer the opportunity to make the electricity market more flexible and efficient by shifting energy pricing for consumers based on changes in demand.
However, implementing them can be complex: Unlike traditional tariffs, dynamic tariffs require the processing of around 35,000 data points per customer per year – a major shift for traditional IT and billing systems. These tariffs also demand clear, user-friendly visualisation of pricing and consumption data to help consumers stay plugged in and make informed decisions about their energy usage.
TotalEnergies chose exnaton’s AI-powered software as a platform to offer its dynamic tariffs to Belgian customers. exnaton’s platform processes real-time smart meter data, providing hourly updates on current and forecasted electricity prices. Price signals can be shared with smart devices like EV chargers and home energy management systems, allowing them to automatically shift energy usage to cheaper times.
The technology supports a reduction in grid congestion resulting from mass electrification, allows consumers to maximise savings on their energy bills and, ultimately, empowers utility companies to innovate their offerings in line with the energy transition.
exnaton first connected with TotalEnergies, one of the largest energy companies worldwide, as part of the firm’s international startup accelerator, TotalEnergies On, last summer. After showcasing the potential in its technology, exnaton began collaborating with TotalEnergies before the end of the year.
With a proven track record in the DACH region working with the likes of Elli (Volkswagen Group Charging GmbH), eprimo, Enersuisse, and Naturstrom, the collaboration marks the start of exnaton’s expansion into Belgium. It’s the fourth country in which the AI startup has assured long-term partnership agreements with utility companies.
Anselma Wörner, Co-Founder and COO of exnaton, said: “This project marks a major milestone for us as we move into a new market with our technology. We’re now focused on building on this success and establishing exnaton on the international stage as we aim to make energy retail smarter and more sustainable for everyone.”
Gilles Borremans, Head of Customer Value Proposition at TotalEnergies Power & Gas Belgium, added: “The energy landscape is developing quickly and it’s vital for utility retailers to move just as fast in order to maintain a competitive edge and support the clean energy transition. We needed a smart, end-to-end solution which would integrate seamlessly into our existing systems and enable us to offer dynamic tariffs to our customers in our way. exnaton was able to apply its tech to suit our requirements with agility and flexibility.”
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