Japanese startup puts hot tech to the test in subzero Finland

As winner of the King Salmon Contest for promising startups, held by the City of Helsinki last summer, Tokyo-based inQs (pronounced inx) has been rewarded with a return visit to set up a three-month proof-of-concept for its innovative energy-harvesting glass. But this time, the company will be operating in Finland’s bleakest winter conditions.

Overseeing the setup, inQs Chief International Officer Rike Wootten shields his eyes against a rare noonday sun. This isn’t the gloomy darkness he’s been promised, but the Finns knowingly suggest that he waits until 3 pm. It’s the time of year in Helsinki when the sun rises long after breakfast, vanishes before afternoon tea, and mostly stays hidden behind low-hanging cloud.

From hospital to hub

Test windows showcasing the company’s innovative SQPV glass are constructed and installed at Helsinki’s startup hub, Maria 01, as part of inQs’ proof-of-concept. The project consists of a five-window configuration, with each pane varying in shading from almost transparent to darker tones. This enables the company to test how different levels of light transmission affect the performance of the SQPV glass in Arctic conditions.

Maria 01, situated in an old sprawling hospital, is the ideal site. It houses a vibrant community of innovators, investors, startups, and other members of the ecosystem under one roof. And with almost  200 startups on campus, Maria 01 is the biggest startup community in the Nordic region – and one of the largest in Europe.

CEO Sarita Runeberg has stopped by to welcome the inQs team. She tells us: “The idea for Maria 01 from the very beginning was to bring together the smartest minds and the most scalable opportunities to help the company grow.”

Testing the limits of light

The goals for the inQs proof-of-concept include measuring how effectively the glass can harvest energy in low-light conditions, including snow light reflecting off the ground and sunlight or moonlight filtering through cloud cover. Wootten’s team also aims to evaluate the insulation efficiency of the windows in subzero temperatures, assessing how well the glass can help buildings retain heat during the coldest months of the year.

Monitoring progress at the controls are Wootten’s Japanese teammates, Machiko Wakabayashi and Kenichi Takahashi. They, measure how much light is harvested at what temperatures, and how the data compares among the five windows. All of this data is simultaneously transmitted to the inQs office in Tokyo.

The SQPV glass has been fixed between the outer and inner window panes. “So instead of double glazing, we’ve now effectively got triple glazing,” Wootten says. The heat sensors are put onto the outer glass and the inner glass.

According to Wootten, testing during the dark cold extremes of Finland’s Arctic winter will give inQs the perfect testing ground for the global scalability of their SQPV glass. “Because when you’re selling glass, people ask, ‘Sure, it works well in Tokyo, but what about the northern latitudes, or even the equator?’” he says.

By generating this kind of real-world data, the project aims to demonstrate that the technology is viable across diverse climates. Wootten’s hope is that good results in March might open doors to partnerships with Nordic and global glass manufacturers, who are keen to incorporate sustainable solutions into their products.

On the subject of sustainability, SPQV glass has been designed for the environment with easy-to-source raw materials that can be disposed of safely.  “There are no wires or harmful end-of-life substances to deal with like gallium arsenide,” Wootten says. “So when the time comes, you can simply drop the glass into the recycling bin.”

Powering possibilities in the dark

inQs is also showcasing a separate technology that Wootten sees as potentially transformative for remote, low-light arctic settings. It’s called dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) and can generate small amounts of versatile power from virtually dark conditions.

Wootten cites security applications as one promising use case for DSSCs. “For example, you could install a DSSC in a locker or safe,” he says. “If someone opens it, the light exposure would trigger the system, sending an alert, which is essentially saying: ‘My door is open now.’”

Similarly, DSSCs could be used in manhole covers to detect unauthorized access, with the technology harvesting just enough power to send a signal every few minutes. “Batteries and wiring are expensive and need constant maintenance,” adds Wootten. “DSSCs, on the other hand, just take care of themselves.”

Another compelling use case, especially here in the north, could be personal safety. “Imagine you’re stranded in a remote Arctic location, with no power and fading light. A DSSC-powered sensor could harvest just enough energy from moonlight or snow light to send an emergency signal, alerting someone miles from your location.”

Looking ahead to March

Now the test windows are up and running. The team is presenting to Helsinki city officials and the initial data looks promising. The sun has even put in another appearance. By the end of the project in March, inQs will have collected three months of data generated in various weather conditions through Finland’s coldest months. “Ideally, potential partners might even stop by the Maria 01 premises and take a look,” Wootten says.

If the glass performs well under these demanding conditions – harvesting light even on overcast days and helping retain indoor heat in subzero temperatures – it would open the way for SQPV glass to be used  in smart buildings, urban greenhouses, and energy-efficient infrastructure everywhere.

“This could open a whole new chapter for sustainability worldwide,” Wootten says.

Laurel Colless is a Finland-based sustainable business consultant and freelance journalist.