Leading the Charge in Grid-Scale Battery Storage: Our Commitment to terralayr
At Picus Capital, we aim to empower entrepreneurs to build transformative companies that reshape industries and unlock significant future value. Today, we are excited to announce that we doubled down on our initial investment in terralayr, a pioneering company at the forefront of grid-scale battery energy storage solutions in Europe. Since our initial partnership, we have witnessed the terralayr team make remarkable strides in capturing vast opportunities in the energy storage market, establishing themselves as a key player in an industry ripe for disruption.
The Journey with terralayr: A Shared Vision Paired with Exceptional Talent
Our collaboration with terralayr began with a shared ambition to redefine the energy storage landscape. From our first conversations with founders Philipp Man and Ludwig Wurlitzer, we were inspired by their clarity of purpose and entrepreneurial vision. They sought to do more than launch another energy company; they aimed to establish a bold solution for energy flexibility that could transform how we manage power grids and large-scale renewable energy storage.
The Team is perfectly positioned to leverage macro trends driving the demand for energy storage. Their commitment to making energy flexibility accessible at scale aligned seamlessly with Picus’s investment thesis. We recognized the urgent need for a novel, albeit capital-intensive, scalable solution in the energy sector, making our decision to support terralayr both strategic and conviction-driven.
Why We Chose to Partner with terralayr
A Growing Demand for Flexibility: The energy landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. The demand for flexibility in our energy systems has never been greater, spurred by increasing renewable energy integration and unpredictable consumption patterns — from the electrification of various sectors to the rise of data centers. Energy storage solutions are crucial to this transformation. terralayr’s innovative approach, offering “flexibility as a service” through a proprietary cloud-like platform, resonated deeply with our vision at Picus. We see providing flexibility through grid-scale batteries as not just a technical necessity, but a significant business opportunity — one that requires visionary entrepreneurs and cutting-edge technology.
An Exceptional Team: The founders’ expertise in business development, fundraising, and taking calculated risks was precisely what terralayr needed to execute its bold business model in a rapidly evolving and highly regulated market. We knew we had to be there as soon as they were ready to found the company. The team is complemented by industry experts with backgrounds such as battery optimization, power trading and PPA origination, as well as project development and execution, coming from companies including Limejump, Fluence, RWE and NextKraftwerke.
A Unique Value Proposition: Investing into EnergyTech companies for years, terralayr’s vision stood out. Their roadmap to aggregate both proprietary and third-party battery storage assets allows for scalability, offering energy stakeholders — such as power producers, grid operators, and major consumers like data centers — access to flexible services ranging from minutes to years. The ambition to become the “AWS for batteries” was evident from the outset, and we were eager to support this vision.
Doubling Down on terralayr: A Bright Future Ahead
We are thrilled with terralayr’s progress over the past two years.
Market Leadership: terralayr is poised to become a dominant force in the burgeoning grid-scale battery storage market. With the market still fragmented, their first-mover advantage is evident in their aggressive capture of valuable grid connection points — assets critical for decades to come that are building the foundation of a true moat. Securing these points in the next 3–5 years will establish a strong foundation for long-term leadership.
Exceptional Execution and Strategic Growth: The terralayr team has showcased remarkable execution by forming strategic partnerships and attracting top talent. They have already secured development agreements for over 5GW through their in-house team and partners. Notably, their first asset, trlyr1, has been operational since May 2023, generating significant revenues while serving as an in-house testing ground for innovative products.
A Transformative Approach to Energy Storage: Initially a vision, terralayr’s platform now enables aggregation, meta-optimization, and advanced product offerings across the energy ecosystem, redefining energy storage economics. As the demand for renewable energy surges, their capability to aggregate and optimize assets will become increasingly valuable.
Capturing a Multibillion-Dollar Opportunity: With limited battery storage supply and escalating demand, terralayr’s unique platform has garnered substantial interest from financiers, paving the way for sustainable growth. Their innovative strategy positions them to capture a significant share of this multibillion-dollar market.
Looking Ahead: A Future Built Together
We are excited to announce our continued support as part of terralayr’s recent funding round, alongside RIVE, Creandum, Earlybird, and Norrsken.
As the energy storage market expands, we believe terralayr will not only emerge as a key player but also shape the future of energy storage deployment and optimization on a global scale. Our decision to double down reflects our unwavering confidence in both the team and the opportunity they are pursuing. With strong customer demand, a robust project pipeline, and accelerating momentum, terralayr is well-positioned to seize the market and create a lasting impact.
To the entire terralayr team — thank you for allowing us to be part of this remarkable journey. We look forward to many more years of innovation, growth, and success as we continue to build the future of energy storage together.
