Co-funded by the
European Union
EIT InnoEnergy invests in deeptech start-up Geolinks specialised in the detection of natural resources and underground energy storage.
EIT InnoEnergy, the innovation engine for sustainable energy supported by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union (EU), invests in French deeptech start-up Geolinks. Originating from research done at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Geolinks has developed a patented geophysical subsurface monitoring technology to be applied in key areas of the energy transition. By generating dynamic imagery of the subsoil, Geolinks enables the detection and extraction of key battery raw materials like lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese or graphite, helps to identify and monitor underground energy storage facilities, e.g. for CO2 or hydrogen, and prevent risks associated with underground fluid movements. The investment comes with a capital injection of 1,5 million euros from lead investor EIT InnoEnergy as well as from other private investors, to support services to accelerate Geolinks time-to-market, drive its international expansion and grow its team by ca. 10 employees over the next 12 months.
Karine Vernier, CEO of EIT InnoEnergy France commented
“Our investment in Geolinks and its cutting-edge technology perfectly complements our portfolio of sustainable energy start-ups and is in line with our recent announcement of the “EBA Strategic Battery Materials Fund ”. This strategic investment also meets the objectives of the European Green Hydrogen Acceleration Center (EGHAC), an initiative led by EIT InnoEnergy to build and structure the green hydrogen value chain in Europe. The Geolinks solution drastically reduces the cost and increases the time efficiency of projects involving natural hydrogen, CO2 storage, geothermal energy and the detection of materials for batteries. We are convinced that Geolinks has the potential to become a key player in underground energy management”.
Connecting to a powerful ecosystem
To facilitate Geolinks’ commercial breakthrough, EIT InnoEnergy will mobilise its multidisciplinary expert teams and provide access to its ecosystem of over 1,200 partners across Europe including its venture capital community of European cleantech investors.
Jean-Charles Ferran, co-founder and Chairman of Geolinks added
An exlucive patent
Headquartered in Paris, the French startup was founded in 2020 by three geophysicists. Holding exclusive exploitation rights to a CNRS patent, Geolinks generates a dynamic vision of the geological subsoil, through precise mapping of fluid flows. Over the past few years, Geolinks has successfully carried out three demonstration projects to prove the relevance of its solution, the first in the field of gas storage in the Gers region of France, the second in risk prevention at the world’s largest open-pit mine in southern Africa, and finally in helium and hydrogen exploration in France.
