Elevating the impact of solar
Solarsub has the potential to transform renewable energy, unlocking significantly more installations through favored financing.
At SolarSub, our mission is to bridge the gap cause by overheating and to enhance the performance of solar through high-performance passive cooling technology. By increasing energy output per square meter, we make solar more efficient, more durable, and more cost-competitive.
Our Team
Sebastiaan Schalkwijk
Leading SolarSub’s progression to TRL 7 through multiple grant-funded R&D programmes
Built and manages SolarSub’s Mechanical Engineering Team
Oversees testing, technical delivery, and product development with industry collaborators
Drives company and go-to-market strategy
MEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, First Class Honours
Co-Founder and CEO
James Taylor
Secured over £900,000 in dilutive and non-dilutive funding
Leading customer development and securing pilot partnerships with industry
Drives strategic partnerships to navigate toward commercial scale-up
Background in sales and business development
MA in International Relations and Quantitative Methods
Co-Founder and COO
ChairmanPaul Hughes ACA exec-MBA
30+ years C-suite and board leadership, startup through exit
Serial entrepreneur, most recently founded and scaled a Battery and SaaS business - raising $60M, trade sale
Industrial Advisor at a London-based Infrastructure VC
M&A and partnerships track record, OEM and Fortune 100 relationships
Independent board director with fiduciary oversight and ESG integration
ACA Chartered Accountant and Executive MBA
Our partners
SE SMART
Exciting News from SolarSub!
We’re thrilled to share that SolarSub has been awarded a Scottish Enterprise SMART grant and an Interface Innovation Voucher, unlocking £100,000 to accelerate the development of our cutting-edge solar cooling system!
TATA Varsity Pitch
We’re proud to share that our COO, James Taylor, recently represented SolarSub at the Tata Group Varsity Pitch Competition as the finalist in the JLR Digital and Technical category!
James’ pitch on our innovative passive cooling system for solar panels stood out among the fierce competition, showcasing how our technology can drive efficiency and sustainability in renewable energy. We’re also thrilled to share that our involvement in the TVP was featured in the below WIRED article, highlighting our mission to transform the future of solar energy.
Scottish Young Edge
Last year, we applied to Young Edge with SolarSub, it was the first competition we took part in. However, we didn’t make it back then. That moment taught us a lot about refining our approach through the feedback received.
This year, James Taylor and Sebastiaan Schalkwijk are excited to share that we’ve made it! This milestone is a meaningful step forward for us and for the progress we’ve made with SolarSub.
A huge thank you to Edinburgh Innovations for supporting us throughout this journey. Your support has been invaluable.
Converge Net-Zero Runner Up
We are delighted to announce that SolarSub has progressed to the final stage of the Converge Net-Zero Challenge! The opportunity to receive guidance and training from Entrepreneur Business School Ltd and the Converge team has been invaluable in developing Bas Schalkwijk and James Taylor as founders. To pitch at the final showcase on September 24th is a fantastic opportunity that we are very proud to have achieved.