ecop: From EIT Award Winner to Pioneering Heat Pump Innovator

ecop, the innovative Austrian company previously known as REHEAT, has achieved a significant milestone in its journey towards revolutionising the industrial heating sector. 

Celebrated for its high-temperature heat pump technology, ecop’s success story is a testament to the power of innovation and impact of the right support at the right time from the European institutions. 

In 2022, ecop was the winner of the EIT Awards (Innovators Award), which recognised the company’s contributions to clean technology. This acknowledgment marked a significant moment for ecop, reflecting its commitment to sustainable solutions and its potential to improve energy efficiency and address climate change. Guided by its mission to help industrial companies and heat manufacturers achieve climate targets, operate sustainably, and save costs, ecop enables the production of efficient, CO2-free, sustainable industrial heat, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and supporting the global shift towards a greener future.

I am very thankful to the EIT and EIT Innoenergy to nominate us to this great award … we have a really bright future

Bernhard Adler, CTO of ecop

Indeed, the future looked promising, as just two years later, ecop has recently been awarded EUR 8.5 million in funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator. This funding, which includes both grant and equity investment, will significantly accelerate the company’s efforts to scale up the production of its novel rotation heat pump technology. Among nearly 1 000 submissions from across the EU, ecop stood out as the only Austrian company selected for funding, securing EUR 2.5 million in grant and up to EUR 6 million in equity investment from a competitive pool of 68 finalists.

ecop’s heat pump technology stands out for its ability to recover and reuse waste heat with impressive efficiency. Capable of delivering direct output temperatures up to 200°C, the system is ideal for a range of industrial processes and district heating applications. Its unique rotating design utilises a 100 per cent climate-friendly and non-toxic working medium, offering exceptional flexibility and performance. By adopting ecop’s technology, users can cut their reliance on fossil fuels and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 2 500 tons annually per heat pump system.

ecop’s story is not just about technological advancement, but also about the critical early support that helped drive its success in sustainability and efficiency. The EIT Awards provided initial recognition of ecop's potential, highlighting the company as a leader in clean technology. Following this, EIT InnoEnergy offered invaluable network support, helping ecop on its path toward internationalisation. As Bernhard Adler, CEO of ecop, explained, ‘InnoEnergy was a boost for us in the direction of internationalisation. We benefited greatly from the active support and the network, specifically in the search for sales partners and in communication, but also through strategic inputs and the exchange in the circle of investors’. This combination of early recognition and network support laid the foundation for ecop's growth, which was further accelerated by later-stage funding from the EIC Accelerator. This journey demonstrates how the EIT and the EIC provide crucial, targeted support at each stage of development, turning visionary ideas into impactful, real-world solutions that address some of our most pressing global challenges.

The EU’s innovation ecosystem has been an integral source of support as ecop has developed our technology and our business.

Fabian Sacharowitz, CEO of ecop