Tampere-based industrial technology company Upheat Solutions Oy has been selected as one of 13 companies worldwide for L’Oréal’s €100 million L’AcceleratOR sustainable innovation programme. The selection was announced on 17 September 2026 and places the Finnish company in the advanced industrial processes category. Its oil-free high-temperature heat pumps recover waste heat and turn it into process heat and steam at 100 to 200 degrees Celsius.
Selection in the Advanced Industrial Processes Category
Upheat was chosen for technology that L’Oréal describes as bringing energy efficiency with novel industrial heat pumps. The global accelerator targets solutions in climate, nature and circularity, and the cohort includes participants from eight countries. Selected companies are working on areas such as sustainable packaging, ingredients, chemical recycling, green ammonia, precision fermentation and industrial water management.
Technology Built for High-Temperature Decarbonisation
Industrial process heat accounts for a large share of the fuel that European industry still burns. The European Commission’s Electrification Action Plan, presented in July 2026, estimates that around 60 percent of fuel-based energy could be replaced by electricity, with heat pumps named among the main options. Heat above 100 degrees Celsius has been the hardest range for heat pumps to serve, and that is precisely where Upheat’s machines operate.
Company Background and Practical Deployment
Upheat Solutions is based in Tampere, Finland, and was founded by engineers and business leaders with experience in the industrial air compressor and chiller markets. The company builds oil-free high-temperature heat pumps that use proprietary high-speed compressor technology to turn waste heat into process heat and steam. The units connect to existing systems and arrive tested from the factory, allowing quick installation while production continues.
Pilot Pathway and Commercial Scaling Opportunities
Following selection, Upheat will enter an intensive acceleration phase led by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership innovation team. The process is focused on strengthening pilot readiness ahead of potential deployments. Participants may also gain access to L’Oréal’s global resources to launch six- to nine-month pilot projects, with the potential for successful solutions to be scaled across international operations.
Leadership Views on Industrial Change
Upheat chief executive Timo Pulkki said, "Manufacturers have wanted to get their process heat off fossil fuel for a long time." He added that above 100 degrees there had been nothing practical available, so the company built it. Pulkki also noted that when a large company backs a new technology, the effect reaches the entire sector and drives emission reductions.
Programme Ambitions and Industry Impact
L’Oréal’s chief corporate responsibility officer Ezgi Barcenas said, "We are working to unlock new frontiers in the beauty industry through pioneering solutions." She added that the cohort reflects the ambition to bring together entrepreneurial ingenuity, scientific progress and global reach to scale breakthrough innovations. James Cole of CISL welcomed the second cohort and said the continued investment shows how foresighted brands can lead the market toward better solutions.
For the Tampere-based startup, the programme places its high-temperature heat pump technology in a setting where industrial decarbonisation can be tested at the scale of a global manufacturing operation. Upheat’s systems are designed to connect to existing infrastructure, arrive factory-tested and allow production to continue during installation. The selection highlights growing momentum behind profitable electrification of industrial heat, reflecting the company’s starting point that sustainability has to be profitable.