From Black Box to Blueprint: How Tibo Energy Is rewiring energy management

The global energy market is rapidly changing. Companies are increasingly pressured to reduce their carbon footprint and comply with ever-tightening regulations.

In every industry, there is a point where the tools no longer match the task; where legacy systems start to hold progress back rather than drive it forward. For Tibo Energy, that moment came early, when they realised that most energy management systems (EMS) were outdated and fundamentally misaligned with modern businesses' operations.

These systems were rule-based, rigid, and notoriously complex to implement. What should have been smart tech felt like heavy machinery. And yet, energy, one of the most significant cost and carbon drivers in business, remained under-optimised.

In this edition of our Meet the Founder series, we speak with Remco Eikhout, co-founder and CEO of Tibo Energy, about how his team is building faster, clearer, and more scalable energy intelligence. From early risks to big lessons learned from traditional industries, the conversation reveals how visibility and velocity can help shift an entire sector.

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The Interview: Inside Tibo Energy

Q: What “aha” moment made you realise this was the right problem to solve?

“When we entered the energy space, we assumed management systems would be advanced. We found rule-based EMS that were slow, expensive, and hard to maintain,” Remco shared. “Customers kept telling us the same thing; implementation was a headache.

That complexity became our new challenge. We started by optimising just three assets behind the meter. Today, we manage entire energy hubs and smart grids.”
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Q: Can you share a recent success story where your technology created real value?

“Absolutely. One example is how our Grid-builder tool recently helped a large industrial client deploy a smart grid across multiple sites. By creating a digital twin of their energy system, we could simulate and optimise performance before making any physical changes. That removed the guesswork and cut their implementation time by over 80%. It also built trust, because they could see exactly how the system would behave in different scenarios before committing. As a result, they accelerated their rollout and started capturing energy savings and flexibility revenues much faster than planned.”
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Q: What is the biggest risk you have taken so far—and how has it shaped your journey?

“We never took reckless risks, but like many startups, we sometimes sold features we had not built yet,” Remco admitted. “That meant we had to move fast. It pushed our product forward and kept us sharp. We involved the product team directly, it created urgency, not chaos. In the end, those moments shaped how we deliver. They taught us where to stress the system and where to grow.”
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Q: What unexpected lesson have you learned from working with traditional industries?

“Honestly, I was not surprised that many were risk-averse. But I was shocked by how much fear of failure shuts down innovation,” he said. “In many companies, making a mistake can cost someone their job. That culture blocks progress. People are willing to let innovation stall to avoid even small, manageable failures. We need to rethink that. Risk should be allowed, if it is smart, structured, and teaches you something.”
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Q: What are the broader ripple effects if your technology is widely adopted?

“The biggest shift is awareness,” Remco explained. “Most companies have no idea how much energy they use or where it goes. They just see the invoice. When we give them visibility, everything changes. When we start to control and do smart things, this changes their way of thinking. They can cut waste, lower costs, and reduce emissions. But it starts with data. You cannot fix what you cannot see.”

‍About Tibo Energy

Tibo Energy was founded in 2022 with a single goal: to accelerate the energy transition with smart solutions that help businesses overcome energy challenges. Every day, we work towards a world where companies can efficiently manage and optimise their energy use, incorporating more green energy.

Their software leverages advanced AI and Machine Learning technologies to enable real-time, dynamic decision-making. Tibo’s solutions are designed to seamlessly integrate with existing infrastructure, enabling accurate simulations and effective energy management. This empowers companies to lower energy costs, optimise the use of renewable energy sources, and achieve their sustainability goals.

To explore how Tibo Energy is changing the way companies understand and use power:

Visit their website: www.tibo.energy

Read more about Tibo Energy and why we invested on our website:  https://www.kompas.vc/portfolio/tibo-energy

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