Neuchâtel-based CleanTech startup LightSeeds has obtained €162k (CHF 150k) from Venture Kick to accelerate the commercialisation of its dedicated vertical solar system, with a strong focus on business development – enabling LightSeeds to move from early market traction to scalable commercial deployment.
Operating in the fast-growing global solar market, the company focuses on unlocking the potential of vertical infrastructure by turning unused surfaces along roads, railways, and commercial and industrial buildings into scalable energy assets at competitive cost.
“Venture Kick has been a key support for LightSeeds. Beyond the funding, the process helped refine the business model, validate the target market, and accelerate the move from technology to commercial deployment,” says CEO Laure-Emmanuelle Perret.
Within the funding activity in 2025-26, LightSeeds sits within a wider flow of funding into solar and adjacent clean-energy businesses.
Comparable examples include Solarock in Paris, which raised €7 million to expand its residential and SME solar offering through a franchise network; enshift in Zug, Switzerland, which secured €18.5 million to scale integrated energy-transition solutions and stands out as the clearest same-country comparator; GRYD Energy, which raised €1.1 million to grow its subscription-based solar and battery model; feld.energy in Munich, which raised more than €10 million to scale Agri-PV systems; Alight in Stockholm, which secured €46 million to finance a solar park in Finland; and TerraSpark in Luxembourg, which raised over €5 million for space-based solar applications.
Taken together, these rounds amount to over €87 million, showing that capital has continued to move across multiple parts of the solar market, from infrastructure and utility-scale projects to Agri-PV and alternative delivery models.
Against that backdrop, LightSeeds’ funding is modest in size but consistent with an early-stage commercialisation round aimed at moving a specialist solar technology from initial traction towards broader deployment.
Founded in 2024 by Laure-Emmanuelle Perret and Pierrick Duvoisin, who bring over 30 years of combined experience in photovoltaics, industrial design, and public-private innovation, the CleanTech startup has assembled experts in technology, industrialisation, and business development to scale its solution internationally.
According to the company, conventional solar panels rely on heavy, fragile glass modules that are prone to breakage and costly to install. These limitations restrict their use, particularly on vertical surfaces such as roads, railways, and industrial building walls.
As a result, large areas remain unused for solar energy generation, while installation and maintenance costs continue to limit broader adoption.
LightSeeds looks to address this challenge by developing ultra-light, unbreakable photovoltaic systems designed for vertical deployment. Its integrated solution combines glass-free modules with a modular mounting and anchoring system, enabling fast installation with minimal tooling.
By reducing weight, complexity, and breakage risk, the technology reportedly lowers total installation costs and carbon footprint while opening new applications for solar energy in urban environments.
The startup targets the global vertical solar market, with a potential exceeding €433 billion (CHF 400 billion) across infrastructure, industrial, and commercial applications. Its dual strategy serves B2B clients, including industrial buildings, warehouses, agricultural operators, and installers, and B2G projects, such as highways, railways, and urban infrastructure, with ongoing projects and a growing pipeline in Switzerland and early European markets.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2026/04/swiss-solar-startup-lightseeds-secures-e162k-from-venture-kick-for-vertical-pv-rollout/
