The Offshore Wind Spin-in competition, led by Advance Northumberland, funded through the North of Tyne Inward Investment Capacity Fund, is now in full delivery and is supporting two businesses.
Through a competitive interview process, Pulcea and Kavaken are being announced as the competition finalists, one of which will have the opportunity to win £10,000 to support the development of their business and its growth journey in the North East of England’s offshore wind sector.
The competition, which was launched at Wind Energy Hamburg in 2022, and received a number of applications from businesses looking to open an operational base in the North of Tyne (North East England) so that they could work and develop in the vibrant offshore wind cluster that the region is well-known for. The competition offered businesses the opportunity to receive fully funded support to develop their product, make connections with the local ecosystem, develop their networks and attend flagship offshore wind events in the UK.
Kavaken, with offices in Newcastle and Istanbul, uses their unique A3I (Artificial, Automated, Augmented Intelligence) technology on wind farms to increase production and operational efficiency, while reducing downtimes and risks. The SaaS platform delivers automated insights for asset owners to take action quickly to improve performance or prevent potential break downs. Led by Co-Founder and CEO, Bora Tokyay, the company is experiencing rapid success in the sector, working with companies such as Eksim, Polat and Aydem.
Pulcea, based in Stirling, Scotland are experts in marine physics and are developing an effective mitigation strategy to protect EPS is required from all operators causing intense noise during their activities. New to the sector, the team led by Ian Armstrong is working with offshore wind operators to protect marine mammals and fish safely and effectively, in and around offshore wind farms. The company are focused on developing their innovative solution to reduce noise pollution from piling operations at depths of up to 100m.
Leading on the Offshore Wind Competition, Dr Alan Lowdon OBE, Offshore Wind Sector Specialist said,
“The North of Tyne offshore wind innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem is world-renowned. It’s important to continue to remain ahead of the pack by attracting new talent to the region. In Pulcea and Kavaken, the Offshore Wind Spin-in Competition has identified two high-quality, very complementary, offshore wind-focussed business that will add to the richness and diversity of the region’s offshore renewable energy cluster.”
The Inward Investment Capacity Fund, which is funded by The North of Tyne Combined Authority, seeks to bring more jobs to Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside through inward investment.
Deputy Northumberland County Council Leader and NTCA Lead on Green Investment, Richard Wearmouth said “The purpose of the Inward Investment Capacity Fund is to bring provide high quality jobs for residents across the North of Tyne, so it’s great to see the Offshore Wind Spin in competition supporting businesses from outside of the region to grow and develop in our vibrant offshore renewables sector.
“Businesses operating in the green energy are key in supporting us on our drive to net zero and we’re pleased to see the fund encouraging more companies to invest in the North of Tyne.”
The competition winner will be announced during the North East’s leading offshore wind and renewable energy event, Offshore Wind North East, at The Beacon of Light, Sunderland, in November 2023.
To learn more about the inward investment support available from North of Tyne Combined Authority for businesses looking to locate into Northumberland, Newcastle or North Tyneside visit: www.northoftyne-ca.gov.uk/projects/inward-investment
If you would like to find out more about Kavaken head to: www.kavaken.com
If you would like to find out more about Pulcea head to: www.pulcea.com