Kraftblock
Kraftblock GmbH, founded in 2014 in Sulzbach, Germany, designs and manufactures modular high-temperature (up to 1,300°C) thermal energy storage systems built from upcycled steel slag. It sells project-based storage, Heat-as-a-Service, and waste-heat recovery solutions to heavy-industrial customers including Tata Steel, PepsiCo, and Eneco.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSulzbach, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kraftblock does
Kraftblock GmbH is a Sulzbach (Saarland), Germany-based industrial-technology company founded in 2014 by Martin Schichtel and Susanne König. It designs and manufactures modular, high-temperature thermal energy storage (TES) systems built around a proprietary storage material composed of up to 85% upcycled blast furnace steel slag bound by a phosphate binder. The material withstands temperatures from 50°C up to 1,300°C, is rated for 15,000 charge/discharge cycles (>40-year service life), and is delivered through a standardized container architecture of charging, storage, and discharging modules scalable from 4 MWh to GWh.
Productized configurations of the underlying platform address Net-Zero Heat (electric resistive charging from renewables), Waste Heat Recycling (350–1,300°C industrial flue-gas and process recovery), Mobile Heat (truck/rail/ship-borne thermal transport up to 4 MWh per unit), Power Generation (shaft-power via ORC/Stirling/turbines from stored heat), and Concentrated Solar Power integration above 700°C. The technology is delivered into industrial verticals — steel and metals, oil and gas, chemicals, glass and ceramics, food/beverages/pharma, and pulp/paper — with named enterprise deployments including Tata Steel (20 MWh, Jamshedpur, India, 1.5 MW charge / 1.8 MW discharge, operational May 2025), PepsiCo and Eneco (25 MW gas-boiler replacement at Broek op Langedijk, Netherlands), Buhck Gruppe, Comet Technische Keramik, and Hall-A.
Kraftblock runs a B2B, project-based enterprise sales motion with three revenue streams: capital-equipment system sales, a recurring Heat-as-a-Service model under SVP Energy Services Wim Janssen, and engineering/professional services. Pricing is project-specific, anchored by multi-year contracts. The company has raised approximately €23 million in disclosed venture funding, with the 2023 €20 million Series B led by Shell Ventures and including Finindus, TechEnergy Ventures, Future Industry Ventures, A&G, Moore Strategic Ventures, and Koolen Industries. Strategic alliances with Siemens (automation), MAN Energy Solutions, University of Twente (HERCULES), CIEMAT (COOPERANT, Spain), CERTH, and EIT Climate-KIC anchor the technology and policy stack.
Kraftblock firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kraftblock
- Legal name
- Kraftblock GmbH
- Website
- https://kraftblock.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kraftblock GmbH, founded in 2014 in Sulzbach, Germany, designs and manufactures modular high-temperature (up to 1,300°C) thermal energy storage systems built from upcycled steel slag. It sells project-based storage, Heat-as-a-Service, and waste-heat recovery solutions to heavy-industrial customers including Tata Steel, PepsiCo, and Eneco.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kraftblock industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Thermal Energy Storage Systems
- NAICS
- Heating Equipment (except Warm Air Furnaces) Manufacturing (333414), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341)
- SIC
- Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Heating Equipment, Except Electric & Warm Air Furnaces (3433)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial Process Heat TES (Steam, Kilns, Furnaces, Waste-Heat Coupling) (EUAFANAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- District Heating & Cooling Thermal Storage (Network-Integrated TES) (EUAFANAH)
Keywords
Where Kraftblock is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sulzbach
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kraftblock business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Thermal Energy Storage System Sales: Sale of complete thermal energy storage systems to industrial customers including design, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning. Systems are customized projects with significant capital investment.
- Heat-as-a-Service (HaaS): New business model where Kraftblock provides heat supply to customers without upfront capital expenditure. Customers pay for heat delivered, similar to utility model. Wim Janssen leads this business unit as SVP Energy Services.
- Professional Services: Engineering, project management, and maintenance services for thermal storage installations. Includes feasibility studies, detailed engineering, and ongoing operational support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Project-based custom thermal storage systems |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Kraftblock product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kraftblock manufactures and sells modular high-temperature thermal energy storage systems (from 4 MWh to GWh scale) that store heat between 50°C and 1,300°C for hours to two weeks using a proprietary upcycled steel slag-based storage material. Its products are delivered as customized project installations for industrial customers and include the Net-Zero Heat System, Waste Heat Recycling System, Mobile Heat System, Power Generation System, and CSP Integration, sold directly via B2B enterprise sales with optional Heat-as-a-Service recurring contracts.
Product overview
Kraftblock offers a modular thermal energy storage platform with multiple application-specific systems. The core Kraftblock Thermal Storage Platform stores heat up to 1,300°C using proprietary material made from upcycled steel slag. This platform is the foundation for specialized systems: the Net-Zero Heat System converts renewable electricity to process heat via power-to-heat, the Waste Heat Recycling System captures industrial exhaust heat for reuse, the Mobile Heat System enables transport of thermal energy on trucks, the Power Generation System integrates with turbines and generators, and CSP Integration connects with concentrated solar power plants. All systems share the same modular storage architecture with up to 98% efficiency and can be scaled from MWh to GWh capacity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kraftblock Thermal Storage Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces industrial energy costs by 30% to 150% compared to traditional process heat methods depending on region
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Kraftblock
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Kraftblock technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Kraftblock partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- MAN Energy SolutionsminorGerman manufacturing and engineering company partner. Kraftblock entered partnership with MAN Energy Solutions' gas business unit in 2020 for potential combined solutions.
- SiemenscorePartnership agreed on automation systems for thermal energy storages. Siemens provides web-based process control systems for next-level process automation and monitoring of Kraftblock installations.
- EIT Climate-KICminorEuropean Union climate change innovation agency. Kraftblock is a member supporting climate innovation objectives.
- University of Twente (HERCULES Project)coreKraftblock participates in HERCULES R&D initiative led by University of Twente. Researching new hybrid thermal storage materials powered by renewable electricity.
- CIEMAT (Spain)minorSpanish research center collaborating on COOPERANT project validating new CSP-TES (Concentrated Solar Power - Thermal Energy Storage) concept at Almeria, Spain.
- Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH)minorResearch Director Dr. George Karagiannakis supports Kraftblock technology validation. Partnership in ABraytCSPFuture project with 10 European entities.
- Buhck GruppeminorGerman waste management and recycling company operating Kraftblock mobile heat system since April 2023. Pioneer in moving waste heat over streets.
- Fraunhofer ISEminorFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems provides research collaboration on thermal storage technologies.
- EnervigominorStrategic partnership with leading Polish energy transformation company to deploy thermal energy storage solutions in utilities and industries in Polish market.
- Plug and Play Tech CenterminorInnovation platform connecting Kraftblock with potential partners and customers in technology ecosystem.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kraftblock competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Antora Energy: US-based developer of industrial-scale thermal energy storage combined with thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power conversion, targeting the same hard-to-abate industrial heat and dispatchable power market as Kraftblock. Direct competitor for large industrial customers seeking low-carbon process heat.
- Rondo Energy: US-based industrial heat battery provider using solid media storage to deliver high-temperature process heat to heavy industry. Closely comparable in target customer, temperature range, and industrial decarbonization thesis.
- Brenmiller Energy: Israel-based thermal energy storage company selling its bGen system to industrial customers for steam, heat, and power applications. Direct competitor in industrial TES with global commercial deployments.
- EnergyNest: Norwegian thermal battery company using HEATCRETE concrete-based storage for industrial process heat recovery and electrification. Competes head-to-head with Kraftblock in European industrial heat decarbonization projects.
- 1414 Degrees: Australian molten-salt thermal energy storage developer (TESS) targeting industrial process heat, power generation, and renewable integration. A direct peer in high-temperature TES with a different storage medium.
Emerging players
- Malta Inc. US-based developer of pumped heat energy storage (PHES) that stores electricity as heat in molten salts and cold storage, then converts back to power. Competes in the long-duration storage and industrial decarbonization space from a different technical angle.
- Highview Power: UK-based long-duration energy storage developer using liquid air energy storage (LAES) for grid-scale applications. Adjacent competitor in the long-duration energy storage market and an alternative for utilities and heavy industrials weighing storage technology choices.
- Steffes (TSES): US-based provider of thermal energy storage systems (TSES) using electric resistance heating and solid storage to deliver industrial process heat. Emerging competitor in the same high-temperature industrial electrification niche.
Broad incumbents
- Siemens Energy: Global energy technology incumbent across power generation, transmission, and industrial solutions. Already a Kraftblock partner for automation and process control, and a broad incumbent whose industrial decarbonization portfolio overlaps with Kraftblock's industrial heat focus.
- MAN Energy Solutions: German large-scale industrial engines, turbines, and energy solutions provider; entered a co-development partnership with Kraftblock in 2020. Broad incumbent competing in industrial heat decarbonization with a much larger installed base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kraftblock social profiles
Digital presenceKraftblock financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kraftblock leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Kraftblock funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kraftblock M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kraftblock
What does Kraftblock do?
Kraftblock manufactures and sells modular high-temperature thermal energy storage systems (from 4 MWh to GWh scale) that store heat between 50°C and 1,300°C for hours to two weeks using a proprietary upcycled steel slag-based storage material. Its products are delivered as customized project installations for industrial customers and include the Net-Zero Heat System, Waste Heat Recycling System, Mobile Heat System, Power Generation System, and CSP Integration, sold directly via B2B enterprise sales with optional Heat-as-a-Service recurring contracts.
Is Kraftblock a public or private company?
Kraftblock is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Kraftblock founded?
Kraftblock was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kraftblock based?
Kraftblock is headquartered in Sulzbach, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Kraftblock make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Thermal Energy Storage System Sales are the primary driver. The others are heat-as-a-Service (HaaS) and professional Services.
Who are Kraftblock's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Antora Energy, Rondo Energy, Brenmiller Energy, EnergyNest and 1414 Degrees. Emerging players are Malta Inc., Highview Power and Steffes (TSES). Broad incumbents are Siemens Energy and MAN Energy Solutions.
Does Kraftblock have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kraftblock.
What industry is Kraftblock in?
Kraftblock's product category is Thermal Energy Storage Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAFANAI, Industrial Process Heat TES (Steam, Kilns, Furnaces, Waste-Heat Coupling), with a secondary code of EUAFANAH, District Heating & Cooling Thermal Storage (Network-Integrated TES). Its NAICS code is 333414 and its SIC code is 3585.