- At Ormazabal, we work to transform the electrical grid into an infrastructure for the future: more reliable, resilient, and sustainable. We design and manufacture solutions aimed at digitalizing the electrical grid to integrate more renewable energy generation, enable more sustainable mobility, and guarantee the power supply to buildings and infrastructures with critical energy needs.

- Ormazabal StartUp Switch is the Venture Client unit of Ormazabal. We follow a
standardized process to support startups in integrating and validating their products, services, or technologies in a real Ormazabal use case. Our program also assists Ormazabal business units in testing how well the startup’s solution fits their requirements and decision-making process. After a successful pilot, this can result in various forms of partnerships, including supplier-buyer relationships. Ormazabal StartUp Switch functions as an independent third party that keeps all disclosed information confidential. Startups retain their intellectual property while gaining Ormazabal StartUp Switch as a client and validating their solution in a real industrial setting.

- Ormazabal StartUp Switch is the Venture Client Unit of Ormazabal. This means that it enables Ormazabal to become a startup’s first client, even when the solution and company are not yet as mature and stable as incumbent partners. We purchase a first unit of a startup’s product, service, or technology, and through this relationship, startups obtain supplier status and receive a supplier number, a purchase order, and revenue. This model provides startups with the opportunity to integrate and validate their solution in a real Ormazabal use case, while Ormazabal becomes an early adopter of high-
potential technology. Ormazabal does not invest or ask for shares or equity, and focuses on startups that can help Ormazabal solve critical challenges across all industries and functions.

- Relevance: Your product, service, or technology must have a clear and relevant use case that can solve a critical challenge in any of Ormazabal's business divisions, including RD, services, manufacturing, IT, sales marketing, and HR.

- Product Maturity: Your startup must have a functional prototype or a working
product that is mature enough to be tested.

- Funding Status: Your startup should have graduated from an equity accelerator
program or received funding from a professional venture capitalist.

- Full-Time Team: The key positions in your startup, such as CEO, CTO, and CMO, should be held by full-time employees.

- Legal Entity: Your startup must be a legal entity.

- First Contact: To initiate the process with Ormazabal StartUp Switch, which means becoming a supplier of Ormazabal, simply send us information about your company.

We are looking for companies that can help us solve critical challenges across any business division of Ormazabal. Make sure to include your product and company deck.

- Initialization: Initially, we focus on understanding the current need of an Ormazabal business unit. We want to comprehend the underlying problem and motivation for a partnership. Your Ormazabal StartUp Switch manager will then assess the potential benefits for everyone involved as well as partnership readiness.

- Screen Connect: At this stage, we screen the market and create a longlist of potential partners, which we then narrow down to a shortlist with the Ormazabal business unit. If you are on our shortlist, we invite you for a demo meeting to discuss your solution in greater depth. You retain your intellectual property (IP) by signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with us and your potential client at Ormazabal. Next, we send you a request for proposal, specifying a pilot project or proof of concept in
which we want to apply and validate your solution. The project could involve integrating a prototype of your technology into a new Ormazabal product or service, incorporating it into Ormazabal’s IT environment, or running a pilot for a new manufacturing solution.We will ask you to review and refine your proposal. Once agreement has been reached, we can start the project. Prior to the pilot commencing, you will receive an official Ormazabal supplier number and a signed purchase order. Congratulations – you have gained Ormazabal as your client.

- Proof of Concept: You and the Ormazabal business unit will maintain close contact during the pilot to apply and validate your solution. In this phase, your Ormazabal
StartUp Switch manager will supervise the project and provide support for any non- technical challenges that may arise.

- Partnership: You and your client at Ormazabal agree that the pilot was a success?
Great! Now we can negotiate the exact structure of your partnership with Ormazabal.
This can result in various forms of partnerships, including but not limited to supplier-buyer relationships or joint development agreements. As your Venture Client unit, Ormazabal StartUp Switch will conduct regular follow-up meetings to ensure that your partnership has maximum business impact.

- Timing: The whole onboarding process can take as little as 3 months.

- Deadline: There is no deadline. We are always interested in learning about exciting solutions from startups.

- No, we are a Venture Client for leading startups. We focus on validating and integrating startups’ solutions into our business operations.

- Unlike accelerators, which typically help startups in their early stages by providing resources such as mentorship, capital, and networking opportunities, Ormazabal works directly with startups that have a functional prototype or a working product that is ready to be tested in our business operations.

We provide startups with a supplier number and purchase order, and they invoice us for their work and expenses.

Our team of engineers and managers work closely with startups to ensure the success of the
partnership.