UrbanChain

UrbanChain is a Manchester-founded CleanTech company and the UK's first provider of peer-to-peer renewable energy exchange services. Founded in 2017 by Dr. Somayeh Taheri, UrbanChain was built on the insight that the traditional wholesale energy market was structurally broken — forcing consumers to pay volatile prices based on fossil fuel markets even when cheaper, locally generated renewable energy was available nearby. The company's mission is to make energy affordable for all by creating local energy markets that directly connect renewable generators with consumers.

UrbanChain's core product is the P2P Exchange System, a platform powered by AI and blockchain that identifies a consumer's energy needs, locates compatible local renewable generators, and matches them on a half-hourly basis through secure, transparent contracts. This bypasses the traditional wholesale market entirely, delivering certified carbon-neutral bills at least 25% lower for consumers while producing at least 25% better margins for energy producers. The company works with social housing associations, local authorities, large commercial and industrial corporates, hotels, energy suppliers, and residential customers across the UK.

UrbanChain has raised £7.35 million in total funding, including a Series A led by global investment firm Eurazeo, and has received further awards from Innovate UK and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, including a £430,000 grant to expand EV charging integration. The company was named in Deloitte's UK Technology Fast 50 in 2024 and has won more than 30 industry competitions. UrbanChain's turnover pipeline has reached £22 million as it prepares for further international expansion.