FROM CODE TO COMPANY: ENERGY TOOLS THAT POWER THE FUTURE

When to start, grow, or end — How do energy planning tools leap from academia to industry?

Join Dr. Jimeno Fonseca — co-creator of the City Energy Analyst and co-founder of Superurbana GmbH — for a candid farewell exploring what it takes to start, grow, and ultimately end an energy innovation.

The event is both a reflection and a handover—featuring a keynote, a top panel of entrepreneurs alike, and closing insights on future opportunities in energy innovation in Switzerland.

We will dive into the gritty, inspiring, and sometimes heartbreaking moments behind mostly decade-long journeys on turning academic work (open source or not) into commercial ventures.

If you are building the next big thing in energy tools, have your open source code cooking, or want to be part of any of it, this is for you.

📅 28 October 2025

🕔 17:00–21:00

📍 ETH Zurich, Main Building, Audimax Auditorium

🥂 Networking Apèro
Register for FREE only if you can 100% make it. Seats are limited, help us to avoid food waste, and give the chance to those who can attend.

Info: This keynote traces one decade long journey from academic research to entrepreneurial impact. Dr. Fonseca shares lessons learned in developing and launching the Open Source energy planning the City Energy Analyst (CEA), from making the first lines of code, to building a community around it, developing a System to last, founding Superurbana, and ultimately navigating the complex transitions that come with scaling, handing over, or shutting down while commemorating all people that made this journey possible. The talk sets the tone for the day and gives a quick view about what it takes to bring and Academic project to reality.

Info: This high-level conversation brings together energy entrepreneurs and innovators to reflect on the lifecycle of energy planning tools — from concept to company, and sometimes, to conclusion. Together, we’ll explore the critical decision points that shape not only the success of a product, but the impact of a mission. Key Themes: When to Start? Identifying the signs that your research or prototype has real-world potential. How do you validate early ideas, and what makes a tool worth building? When to Transition to Industry? Exploring the leap from lab to market: timing, signals, and strategies. Is there ever a “perfect moment”? And how do you deal with uncertainty? When to Exit (or Transform)? Letting go or moving on — whether it’s handing over, shutting down, or pivoting. What does it mean to preserve a legacy in a fast-moving field?

Info: In this closing segment, we look ahead — to the future of energy innovation in Switzerland. On the horizon: new frontiers in digital construction and smart grid operations. For Dr. Fonseca, this marks both a farewell and a handover — a moment of closure after a decade of work on urban energy systems, and a celebration of what comes next for the field, and for him.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

ETH Zürich Hauptgebäude, 101 Rämistrasse, Zürich, Switzerland