ELIoT Energy
Cluster Connect Partipant
ELIoT Energy
ELIoT Energy is an Australian technology startup making smart energy usage more accessible. The company develops AI-powered plug-and-play battery systems that can be installed without electricians and occupy minimal floor space. By transforming everyday commercial appliances into smart load-shifting assets, ELIoT Energy is helping businesses cut electricity costs, reduce emissions, and participate in the energy transition at scale.
Business Type
Founded
Location
Enterprise Scale
Target Market
Focus
Background
ELIoT Energy was founded by David Hauser, an experienced engineer and product developer with a track record in innovation and complex manufacturing solutions. The company began with the goal of bringing European plug-and-play battery technology to Australia. Early plans focused on residential energy storage, but regulatory restrictions made that market challenging.
A turning point came when Coca-Cola’s venture fund highlighted the energy burden of retail coolers and vending machines worldwide. This insight prompted a strategic pivot: instead of trying to navigate residential hurdles, ELIoT Energy would focus on commercial appliances where energy savings were high, deployment was simpler, and impact could be realised immediately.
This pivot transformed a regulatory challenge into a high-impact opportunity.
The Challenge
The commercial refrigeration market posed its own set of challenges. Small and medium businesses often spend more than half of their electricity bills on cooling, yet few have the time, expertise, or resources to actively optimise their energy usage. Industrial demand-response programs exist, but they largely target large warehouses, leaving smaller operators without support.
ELIoT Energy recognised a clear opportunity: to deliver cost savings and emissions reductions at the appliance level without adding operational complexity. The challenge was to design a system that could be installed by staff, operate autonomously, and scale across multiple sites while meeting real-world business needs.
What They Changed
ELIoT Energy developed plug-and-play, AI-powered batteries designed for commercial appliances. The system allows staff to plug a refrigerator, vending machine or other cooling appliance into the battery, which then plugs into a standard powerpoint – no electricians or major infrastructure changes required.
Once installed, the batteries manage charging and discharging automatically via 4G connectivity, optimising energy use based on solar generation, pricing signals, and operational requirements. The modular design allows batteries to be redeployed across multiple sites, while minimal floor space requirements make installation feasible in even small retail environments.
This approach adapts European “balcony power plant” technology to the Australian commercial market, where regulatory restrictions currently prevent residential use. By targeting businesses with refrigeration-heavy operations, ELIoT Energy found a niche where their technology could deliver immediate cost and environmental impact.
Program Experience
ELIoT Energy has leveraged startup and industry programs to refine their approach and expand their reach. Participation in Startupbootcamp through the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program provided connections and mentorship that helped validate both technology and market strategy. Co-funding from Powering Australia (the Australian Government’s clean-tech Industry Growth Centre) enabled larger-scale pilots, allowing the team to validate performance in real-world commercial operations.
Partnerships with major supermarket chains and beverage manufacturers provided further deployment opportunities and market validation. The company also engages with universities, and through student internships, providing hands-on experience in energy transition technology while supporting workforce development in this emerging sector.
Outcomes So Far
Early pilots have delivered significant, measurable results. Businesses using ELIoT Energy’s batteries have seen up to 72% reductions in electricity costs while cutting 89% of emissions associated with refrigeration. The plug-and-play design allows staff to install the systems themselves, providing a 100% hassle-free experience with no electricians required.
Major industry players, including PepsiCo, Asahi, and Nestlé, have confirmed the need for this type of solution, providing market validation. Operators can track performance and optimise energy use through AI-powered dashboards, further reducing effort and risk. These results confirm that ELIoT Energy’s technology delivers measurable financial and environmental benefits at scale.
Sector Impact
ELIoT Energy is changing how small and medium businesses manage refrigeration. By turning everyday coolers, vending machines, and display fridges into smart load-shifting energy assets, the company helps operators slash electricity costs and cut carbon emissions – without disrupting daily operations.
The technology also opens opportunities for agri-product exporters, who can use renewable-powered refrigeration to reduce their carbon footprint and prepare for future carbon border adjustment regulations. Internationally, ELIoT Energy shows how proven battery technology can be adapted (and improved on) for Australian conditions, providing a model for targeted, high-impact energy solutions that combine innovation with practical business outcomes.
Goals & Vision
ELIoT Energy envisions a future where every business thrives on decentralised, sustainable energy. Over the next two years, the company aims to deploy 10,000 batteries across Australia, with a five-year plan to reach 100,000 installations managing 1 gigawatt-hour of energy storage.
By doing so, the company expects to reduce carbon emissions by 300,000 tonnes annually while generating $50 million in revenue. Central to this growth is expanding partnerships with food and beverage producers, grocery retailers, and other businesses with point-of-sale refrigeration – helping them cut costs, reduce environmental impact, and participate in the energy transition.
Advice for Other Startups
Building a startup is a process of learning every day. David reflects:
“If someone had put all the things I didn’t know in front of me one year ago, I would’ve done something else!”
His key lessons include:
- Focus on practical problems that customers care about
- Build a strong, multidisciplinary team to navigate technical, commercial, and regulatory challenges
- Use partnerships, pilots, and programs to validate technology and accelerate deployment
- Keep systems simple to maximise adoption.
By combining innovative technology with a pragmatic, market-focused approach, ELIoT Energy demonstrates that everyday commercial appliances can become cost-saving, low-carbon assets – helping small businesses participate in the energy transition, without the hassle.