Deep Tech: Re-Inventing the Wheel

by Mark Miller

When the lights went out across Portugal, Spain, Andorra, and parts of France during the “Great Iberian Blackout” in April 2025, it exposed a real issue: an aging and brittle grid infrastructure.

And this isn’t just a European problem. We’ve seen similar grid failures during heatwaves in Texas, New York, and California – a challenge that’s only growing with AI’s soaring power demands.

While tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft invest billions into private power generation and storage, smaller businesses need solutions that work today – without waiting for massive public infrastructure upgrades.

One of the most interesting answers DID require reinventing the wheel.

The Flywheel

Teraloop Oy has recreated the flywheel in carbon fiber. The result? A compact, ultra-reliable power management and back-up system with a lifespan of up to 30 years without degradation – far longer than typical battery solutions.

I recently spoke with founder and CCO Ted Ridgway Watt to learn more about how an ancient idea is being made new again.

The Teraloop Solution

Today, Teraloop produces a 250 kW system, with a 1 MW solution to be released next year. Both fit in less than a square meter and can be installed permanently or delivered as a “solution in a container” – a complete system ready to deploy at factories, work sites, or in larger arrays.

The flywheels are hub-less, using magnetic levitation for low friction, minimal maintenance, and long life. With up to 30 years of use without degradation, the ROI is compelling, even if the upfront cost looks higher than traditional batteries.

As a Power Backup

Compared to batteries and supercapacitors, flywheels shine in speed and durability:

– Superior response times (~10ms compared to 110ms-several seconds for batteries)

– Handle rapid charge/discharge cycles from fluctuating grid power – batteries degrade rapidly under these conditions.

Since flywheels eventually wind down, they’re often paired with batteries, extending the latter’s lifespan and ensuring resilience during longer outages.

Interesting Use Cases

The versatility of Teraloop’s system opens doors to diverse applications:

– Grid Buffering – Smoothing the power fluctuations from the grid protects sensitive industrial, compute, and smart building installations, extending equipment life and reducing downtime.

– Power Regeneration – Those absorption properties also make the Teraloop solution ideal for cranes, elevators, and even smart buildings.  The power capture/discharge can help make the most out of power consumed from a public utility or other source.

– Electric Vehicle Recharging – Valuable especially in remote locations with low-voltage connections.  The flywheel spins-up with whatever power is available, and then rapidly discharge to a vehicle.  And not just for your Tesla or BYD – think heavy industrial equipment in remote locations (e.g. mining haulers).

Global Reach

Teraloop’s recent partnership with Arteche, the Spanish multinational power services company, marks an important step in scaling globally – and positions the company strongly for its next funding round.

Why We’re Watching Closely

Solutions like Teraloop’s highlight the type of deeptech innovation that can fundamentally reshape Europe’s infrastructure resilience. At Ventures.eu, we track these pioneers closely because they represent exactly the kind of breakthrough opportunity where private capital can make the difference.

👉 If you’re an investor who wants exposure to startups tackling global challenges with scalable solutions, this is why you should be talking to us.