The EIC Corporate Partnership Programme connects Europe’s most innovative startups with leading corporations to turn breakthrough technologies into concrete business collaborations. Within this framework, EIC-backed company SunOyster Systems, a pioneering SME in advanced solar technologies based in Germany, partnered with Galp, Portugal’s leading energy company. After a rigorous selection and dedicated preparation, they participated in the EIC Corporate Day held in Lisbon on 17-18 July 2024. This engagement later resulted in a deal for the installation of lightweight PV modules, demonstrating how curated innovation matchmaking can translate directly into real-world deployment.
Galp selected 15 EIC-backed startups and scaleups from 11 countries to showcase their innovative, market-ready solutions aligned with the corporation’s strategic priorities: reducing, avoiding, or removing CO₂ emissions through sustainable energy systems. These EIC-backed startups and scaleups benefited from tailored preparatory support, focused networking opportunities, and exclusive one-to-one meetings with Galp decision-makers, aimed at initiating strategic partnerships and pilot projects.
Among the selected EIC-backed companies, SunOyster Systems’ lightweight photovoltaic modules address Galp’s key challenge in deploying rooftop solar across facilities. For a corporation like Galp, operating extensive infrastructure across Portugal and beyond, this capability is strategically significant. Lightweight, adaptable modules enable scalable solar integration across constrained sites without major retrofitting, reducing complexity, downtime, and cost.
The collaboration between Galp and SunOyster highlights the essential steps of a well-structured Corporate Venture Strategy. Amelie Krahl, Head of Sales at SunOyster Systems, and Ana Casaca, Director of Innovation at Galp, shared their insights about their successful partnership.
Why SunOyster stood out: Galp’s selection journey for lightweight solar
For many energy companies, rooftop solar is an obvious lever for decarbonisation. Yet in practice, large portions of existing infrastructure remain untapped. Traditional photovoltaic systems are often too heavy, require roof penetration, or demand costly structural reinforcement. Service stations, commercial buildings, and industrial rooftops frequently face load restrictions that make conventional solar impractical.
SunOyster’s solution caught Galp’s attention for its practical alignment with Galp’s operational objectives, specifically, enabling solar deployment on roofs where traditional PV systems are constrained by load limits or installation complexity.
With dedicated support from the EIC, SunOyster prepared its pitch and presented its lightweight PV modules with a glass front that can be bonded directly to roofs without penetration. This structural advantage made the technology particularly appealing for load-restricted and hard-to-retrofit buildings, like service station roofs.
Galp responded positively to SunOyster’s cost-efficient and adaptable design, which led to a deeper technical evaluation and the initiation of a dedicated pilot. As Amelie Krahl explains: “Participation in the EIC Corporate Day with Galp began with careful preparation of our presentation with great support by the EIC team. We presented our lightweight PV modules with a glass front that can be easily glued without penetrating the roof. Galp liked the cost-efficient solution for load-restricted and other difficult roofs, having set up a meeting with SunOyster to further assess the modules and feasibility of a pilot.”
Validating solar in the real world: The Galp–SunOyster pilot
Rather than entering long procurement cycles typical of large corporates, Galp and SunOyster agreed on a straightforward pilot to validate performance in a real environment. The pilot comprised 24 lightweight PV modules (~9 kWp) installed on a rooftop in Lisbon with views of the city’s iconic bridge. Galp is now actively monitoring power generation results to inform decisions about larger rollouts. As explained by Amelie Krahl: “Negotiation of a pilot project was straightforward. After the installation, Galp is currently evaluating the modules’ power generation. As we expect positive results as in our other projects, we want to roll out the solution to many other roofs, in particular on their gas service stations.”
This practical, data-driven validation approach helped both parties manage risk and set the stage for future expansion.
Galp and SunOyster’s journey from pilot to wider adoption
The collaboration began with EIC’s structured support and Galp’s curiosity about lightweight solar. The pilot in Lisbon served as a live operational test, giving Galp real metrics on generation and deployment ease. SunOyster has already introduced its next-generation module, PVbondi, which offers improved yield and enhanced protection (water, UV, fire) to Galp, creating potential for upselling and deeper integration. As Amelie Krahl says: “We have already presented to Galp our new premium lightweight module PVbondi. This offers further advantages such as increased yield and better water, UV radiation, and fire protection.”
The relationship also opened doors to additional stakeholders beyond Galp, as explained by Amelie Krahl: “Through the EIC Corporate Days, we have also established further good contacts, including the Portuguese utility EDP, who have implemented a project using our lightweight modules. The pilot project with Galp also attracted the interest of other parties, including some from Germany. One example is the industrial company SKF, for whom we installed lightweight modules on a sheet metal facade at one of their sites.”
Ana Casaca highlighted the value of the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme and the collaboration with SunOyster: “The EIC Corporate Partnership Programme provides high-quality curation that enables corporates to focus on solutions with real business potential, rather than on exploratory noise. Through the collaboration with SunOyster, Galp is validating a lightweight PV solution for constrained environments, translating external innovation into concrete operational learning. This approach supports informed business decisions, reduces execution risk, and contributes pragmatically to the strengthening of the European innovation ecosystem and the acceleration of the energy transition.”
About the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme
The EIC Corporate Partnership Programme allows EIC-backed innovators to boost their network and do business with relevant decision-makers from the largest companies in Europe. Since 2017, the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme has organised 92 initiatives with +120 corporate partners including, ABB, Airbus, BMW, Caixa Bank, Commerzbank, Enel, Ferrovial, L’Oreal, Medtronic, Neste, Roche, Saint-Gobain, Shell, Siemens Energy, Solvay, or Telefonica.
Over 1,200 EIC-funded startups and scaleups and +2,500 corporate high-level representatives have been able to take part in these initiatives reporting a significant business impact, follow-ups, and business deals. The EIC is looking for large corporations with an open innovation spirit, interested in integrating innovations coming from start-ups, scaleups and research projects directly into their business offering, procurement, and R&D activities as well as investing in highly innovative/deep tech companies. Please find here the open application for corporations.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2026/03/eic-accelerator-company-sunoyster-systems-signs-deal-with-galp-for-the-installation-of-lightweight-pv-modules/
