How n0de is making Net Zero a reality for businesses

Rob Brimblecombe and Scott Ferraro met while working together at Monash University, on a project to get the Melbourne institution to Net Zero emissions.

Now, they’re combining — and digitising — their learnings with n0de, where they are on a mission to help power businesses with clean, renewable energy to get them to Net Zero.

They are building a software platform that provides businesses with a tailored strategy to reach Net Zero, starting with the most cost-effective and impactful solutions for them.

Their business customers know which actions to take, and are supported to work with leading suppliers and share their progress as they go.

For Rob and Scott, it’s important that business owners see Net Zero as something that’s not only good for the environment, but good for business.

“Sustainability is a selling point for customers, investors, shareholders and even employees,” Rob notes.

“And climate regulations are coming down the track. Some large enterprises are already bound by requirements that include reporting on suppliers’ emissions.”

“Whatever the main reason for moving towards Net Zero, n0de is designed to find the best pathway for individual businesses.”

Fierce lessons and accelerated success

It was through Monash that n0de was referred to LaunchVic’s CivVic Labs program, a pre-accelerator that applies startup thinking to public sector challenges.

For these founders, who were completely new to the startup world, the program gave them a crash course in everything from business plans to customer journey mapping to refining the very goals of their enterprise.

“The really fierce lesson that we got was that you need to do one thing really well to survive,” Rob notes.

“You’ve got to narrow down and focus on delivering defined value for your customer. Solve one thing first, rather than trying to solve everything at once.”

During the challenge, run in collaboration with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), n0de developed a concept for using the recently launched consumer data right (CDR) for energy; technology that would allow them to access customers’ energy data more quickly and easily, helping facilitate a cost-effective transition to renewables.

As part of the CivVic Labs program, n0de secured an initial $15,000 of seed funding. After the conclusion of the program, n0de secured an Energy Market Ready Grant from DEECA, which provided an additional $25,000 of funding.

“It sped us up,” Scott says.

“[The program] enabled us to work back-to-back with the team at DEECA and build a good relationship with them.”

That relationship has helped boost n0de’s credibility — something that has been invaluable for a small startup.

“Having people within government advocating for us has been super helpful.”

The right place at the right time

The CivVic Labs program also brought Rob and Scott a sense of community. The founders found it incredibly valuable to connect with others in the startup industry working in the same space, or solving similar problems.

Between that community support, government support and a strong desire from businesses to move to Net Zero, Rob and Scott believe Victoria is the right place for n0de to flourish.

“Melbourne has the right combination of demand, business, culture and international drivers to make it happen, and the political backdrop,” Rob says.

“If we can solve this problem here, and get enough traction here, then we know the solutions will translate everywhere.”