Aberdeen-based Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) has announced eight startups selected for its 2026 TechX Accelerator, sharing £400,000 to develop clean energy technologies that speed up the transition to net zero and create new economic opportunities in Scotland and beyond.
The cohort spans innovations in geothermal baseload power, low-carbon component manufacturing and floating offshore wind simulation using machine learning. The 14-week programme kicks off today at NZTC’s Aberdeen offices.
Now in its eighth year, TechX – which receives funding from the UK and Scottish Governments – backs early-stage companies developing high-impact solutions that cut emissions, reduce costs and improve energy security. This year’s startups are focused on some of the energy sector’s toughest net zero challenges, including making floating offshore wind cheaper and faster to build, cutting emissions from high‑temperature industrial processes, producing geothermal power systems for remote locations and reducing the carbon footprint of critical components.
Meet the 2026 TechX startup cohort
- HexSeed Technology – Industrial diamonds produced from captured CO2 to tackle thermal management challenges in advanced electronics.
- Hypanode – Fuel cell technology combining the power density of a jet engine with the efficiency of a battery to deliver compact, high-performance clean power.
- ISONIK – Ultrasonic ice-prevention systems protecting wind turbines and other critical energy infrastructure in harsh environments.
- MetaSenz – Light-based nanosensor platforms enabling inherently safe, real-time hydrogen sensing to support large-scale hydrogen deployment.
- Micro Thermal Energy – Off-grid, on-site modular compact geothermal baseload power systems delivering reliable, low-carbon heat and electricity in remote or hard-to-abate locations.
- Orchid Solar – Solar thermal concentrator systems delivering high-temperature heat above 500°C without fossil fuel use to enable industrial decarbonisation.
- StrainWorks – Rotary forging systems for sheet steel manufacturing ultra-lightweight, low-embodied-carbon bearings at scale for energy and industrial applications.
- Xmoor – Machine learning-driven floating offshore wind simulation and design optimisation platforms reducing cost, improving performance and speeding up deployment.
Over 14 weeks, the startups will receive funding, mentoring and technical support, and will work with NZTC’s network of industry partners, investors and experts to validate their solutions with customers and prepare for scale-up. The programme will culminate in a Demo Day in Aberdeen, where founders will pitch to investors and industry leaders, with the opportunity to secure further funding, pilots and strategic partnerships.
“What unites this year’s cohort is a focus on the hard stuff – keeping turbines turning in harsh conditions, decarbonising industrial heat, making hydrogen inherently safe and baseload power genuinely clean,” said Mark Anderson, Chief Acceleration Officer and TechX Director at the Net Zero Technology Centre. “TechX exists to de-risk and scale exactly these kinds of solutions, so they can move quickly from lab to field and deliver real impact for industry and communities.”
To learn more about the programme and previous cohorts, visit www.netzerotc.com/TechX.