Innovation powerhouse: Kraken opens UK’s first EnTech superhub in Manchester

• Octopus Energy Group’s Kraken launches R&D hub for clean tech in Manchester 

• New ‘Kraken Tech Centre’ to unleash the full power of the future smart grid

• Move aims to make Manchester the ‘Silicon Valley of Energy’ and accelerate the UK’s transformation to a clean energy superpower

Manchester, 10 July 2024 – Kraken launches the UK’s first energy tech superhub in Manchester in a move to turbocharge the green energy revolution in the UK.

[Please find images of the centre here]

The cutting-edge ‘Kraken Tech Centre’ will house engineering teams and work as a testing hub for integrating third-party devices with Kraken – the world’s fastest-growing energy platform.

Kraken connects the entire energy value chain and is the technology behind many global energy giants, including Octopus Energy, Tokyo Gas, Origin Energy and E.ON.

Kraken’s new EnTech superhub will empower partners to boost their products’ usability and expand their reach to more customers, homes and businesses by integrating with Kraken.

The powerhouse will be a melting pot of global leaders in clean tech, bringing together some of the world’s biggest names in e-mobility, EV charging, heat pump and home batteries. 

Kraken has already secured over a dozen partners for the launch, including automotive leaders BYD and Ford, battery pioneers Tesla, Enphase Energy, SolarEdge, GivEnergy, EV charge point players Indra Renewable Technologies, Hypervolt, Ohme and Myenergi, as well as heat pump providers Mitsubishi Electric and Daikin.

By integrating with Kraken, clean tech devices such as EVs and heat pumps can draw power from the grid when it is cheapest and greenest and export back when prices are higher – creating a smarter, more efficient system that slashes bills for consumers. 

The new Kraken connectivity centre is located in the historic Pariser Building in central Manchester, and takes design inspiration from the famous Hacienda nightclub. It will serve as an additional home to over 200 Kraken employees based in the city.

Devrim Celal, CEO of Kraken Technologies, said: "Our new EnTech hub is a game-changer for the UK's renewable ambitions, and will speed up the country’s transformation into a clean energy superpower. 

“Manchester is on track to becoming the ‘Silicon Valley for Energy Tech’. With this facility, we're not just laying the groundwork for a greener, smarter energy system – we’re creating a more sustainable and affordable future for all."

Octopus Energy Group first arrived in Manchester in 2020 with the acquisition of Upside Energy, now the flexibility arm of Kraken. The company’s main office in the city employs nearly 600 people across technology, flexibility and customer operations roles.

-ENDS-

Press Contacts

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About Kraken

Kraken Technologies offers a best-in-class end-to-end platform for energy supply and is operating in the UK, Japan, US, New Zealand, Australia, and most of mainland Europe. Kraken’s proprietary platform is contracted to serve 54 million customer accounts across the globe through licensees. Its first client was Octopus Energy, where Kraken manages 7.7 million retail customers globally and over 60,000 business customers (the largest of which is Arsenal FC).

Based on advanced data and machine learning capabilities, Kraken automates much of the energy supply chain to allow outstanding service and efficiency as the world transitions to a decentralised, decarbonised energy system. Kraken manages more than 38 gigawatts in utility scale assets. These span a wide range of technologies, from off-shore wind to grid-scale batteries. Kraken is also a global leader in the rapidly growing field of domestic flexibility. The platform already handles 162,000 domestic devices, totalling over a gigawatt of power.

Kraken Technologies is part of Octopus Energy Group and was developed to enable select third parties to take advantage of the technologies developed by Octopus Energy. It has already been licensed by major global players, including Origin Energy, E.ON and EDF. https://kraken.tech/