Kraftblock

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.

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

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

• Thermal energy storage
• High-temperature heat battery
• Industrial process heat
• Waste heat recovery
• Industrial decarbonization

Headquarters

HQ city

Sulzbach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Professional Services: Engineering, project management, and maintenance services for thermal storage installations. Includes feasibility studies, detailed engineering, and ongoing operational support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MAN Energy SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman manufacturing and engineering company partner. Kraftblock entered partnership with MAN Energy Solutions' gas business unit in 2020 for potential combined solutions.
• SiemenscoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership 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-KICminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Union climate change innovation agency. Kraftblock is a member supporting climate innovation objectives.
• University of Twente (HERCULES Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKraftblock participates in HERCULES R&D initiative led by University of Twente. Researching new hybrid thermal storage materials powered by renewable electricity.
• CIEMAT (Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish 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)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch Director Dr. George Karagiannakis supports Kraftblock technology validation. Partnership in ABraytCSPFuture project with 10 European entities.
• Buhck GruppeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGerman waste management and recycling company operating Kraftblock mobile heat system since April 2023. Pioneer in moving waste heat over streets.
• Fraunhofer ISEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems provides research collaboration on thermal storage technologies.
• EnervigominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic partnership with leading Polish energy transformation company to deploy thermal energy storage solutions in utilities and industries in Polish market.
• Plug and Play Tech CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInnovation platform connecting Kraftblock with potential partners and customers in technology ecosystem.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct 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

• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/kraftblock
• Xx.com/KraftblockE

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors10 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kraftblock