Zurich-based cloud computing company Helio has successfully raised €4.9 million in a seed funding round, led by QBIT Capital, with participation from Uebermorgen Ventures, seed+speed Ventures, Combination VC, Rockstart Energy Fund, ROI Ventures, Swisspreneur, and angel investors. The funding includes both equity and debt financing secured by the Swiss Technology Fund through ZKB. Founded in 2019 by Kevin Häfeli and Christoph Buchli, Helio plans to utilize the funds to expand its team and enhance its platform capabilities.

The startup’s focus is on optimizing carbon-aware workload scheduling, expanding its network of green data centers, and advancing 3D rendering capabilities for the VFX market. Helio employs a real-time algorithm that redirects computing tasks to underused or renewable-energy-powered data centers, aiming to improve efficiency in cloud resource allocation.

Kevin Häfeli, Co-founder and CEO of Helio, expressed the significance of the funding, emphasizing the alignment with partners who share their vision for a carbon-aware cloud. The funds will enable Helio to reduce both cloud spending and emissions for its customers, contributing to the transformation of the cloud computing industry into a model of efficiency and sustainability.

The investment was lauded by Alex Koelpin from seed+speed Ventures, highlighting the sustainable solutions developed by Helio for computationally intensive cloud rendering. The funding is expected to accelerate Helio’s market penetration, especially in areas like 3D rendering and AI, responding to the increasing demand for sustainable and efficient cloud computing solutions.

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