In the pursuit for sustainable agriculture, this is through utilizing renewable energy inputs in agriculture and farming. Voltiris, founded in Lausanne, Switzerland by entrepreneurs Nicolas Weber and Dominik Blaser with partner Jonas Roch has taken the lead. Greenhouses have already been given this groundbreaking solution, without interfering with any plant growth yet to meet any environmental or cost challenges facing this modern agriculture in its bid toward sustainability.  

Greenhouses are crucial for growing a wide range of crops in controlled environments that improve yield and quality. They, however, consume much energy, which is mainly supplied by electricity, through lighting, heating, and cooling systems. 

Traditional solar panels can produce renewable energy for such operations but tend to block critical light wavelengths needed for photosynthesis, which can negatively affect crop growth. There is, therefore, a problem: how can greenhouses produce renewable energy without compromising crop productivity?

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Voltiris’s Innovative Solution

Voltiris has addressed this challenge with its proprietary solar modules designed specifically for greenhouses. These modules use a large reflector system that selectively filters light wavelengths.

Photosynthesis-essential light passes through to the plants, while unused wavelengths are redirected to generate solar energy. This design ensures that crops receive the necessary light for optimal growth while enabling the greenhouse to produce renewable energy, effectively balancing agricultural productivity with sustainability.

Funding detail

In January 2025, Voltiris successfully closed a €5.07 million seed funding round. The round was co-led by EquityPitcher Ventures and 3M Ventures, the venture capital arm of 3M. Climate tech venture capital fund Satgana and several family offices also joined the round. This investment is expected to spur the commercialization of Voltiris’s technology as well as facilitate its entry into key agricultural markets.

Investor Insights

Co-founder Nicolas Weber of Voltiris said: “This is an incredible milestone and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with investors who offer not only capital but deep expertise in areas like industrialization, energy-as-a-service models, scaling hardware in agriculture, and strategic alignment with our mission.” 

Sascha Horrig, Founding Partner at EquityPitcher, added, “With this new round of financing, Voltiris is ready to significantly expand its activities. Together with 3M, we will take the integration of agronomy and solar energy to a new level.”

Strategic Partnerships and Pilot Projects

Voltiris has already demonstrated the efficiency of its technology through 12 commercial pilot projects across Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Through the pilots, the company tested its spectral filter technology, which was proven to be able to increase greenhouse sustainability without reducing crop yield. 

As well, Voltiris entered strategic partnerships with energy distributors Elektra Baselland and Romande Energie-both taken a step closer towards market domination.

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Capital Utilization and Future Plans

The €5.07 million funding will be used to expand Voltiris’s presence in key agricultural regions and implement large-scale projects. The investment will also speed up the commercialization of the technology and support efforts to achieve market-leading production costs, including through a partnership with 3M for production. 

Nicolas Weber said, “This funding enables us to speed up commercialization, improve our solution and execute our secured pipeline of projects in key markets such as Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium.”

Broader Impact on Sustainable Agriculture

Voltiris’s technology represents the next generation in the incorporation of renewable energy into agriculture. It makes it possible to feed a greenhouse, thereby reducing carbon emission and excessive energy consumption within the farm. 

Ultimately, this will significantly reduce production cost to the grower, but its implications are also greater for the battle against climate change as a step towards the reduction of fossil fuel use worldwide.