Jodok Betschart on why execution, ecosystems and capital will define the next decade of clean power

In an exclusive Agrospectrum interview, Jodok Betschart, Co-Founder & CEO of Cloover GmbH, explains why Europe has reached a critical inflection point for decentralized energy as AI-driven demand, electrification and grid instability converge. He outlines how Cloover is positioning itself as the operating system for energy independence by solving the sector’s biggest bottleneck—financing—through embedded, asset-first credit and AI-led risk assessment.

Betschart also highlights the significance of Cloover’s $1.2 billion institutional financing commitment as validation of distributed energy as a new infrastructure asset class. Looking ahead, he details the company’s installer-centric ecosystem strategy and its ambition to become the global backbone for decentralized energy over the next decade.

The Infrastructure Moment

You describe Cloover as building the operating system for energy independence. Why is this moment—marked by AI-driven demand growth, grid instability, and electrification—the inflection point for such a platform?

The current moment represents a critical inflection point for the European energy sector. Several converging megatrends are creating this “infrastructure moment”:

Rising Energy Demand and Grid Instability: The European energy landscape is entering a “defining decade”. Demand is surging, driven by increasing electrification and new, energy-intensive technologies like AI data centers. Simultaneously, centralized power grids are struggling to keep pace, leading to instability and uncertainty

Accelerated Electrification: The rapid adoption of electric mobility is exposing deep structural weaknesses in the existing infrastructure. Households and businesses are seeking ways to secure their energy supply and control costs, driving exponential interest in decentralized solutions like solar, batteries, and heat pumps

The “Missing Link”: While demand is exploding, the scalable infrastructure to deploy these technologies efficiently is absent .

Cloover is this “missing link”—an operating system that connects all stakeholders on a single platform . It is built on the core principles of being asset-first and using automation to replace manual processes, creating a financial and procedural infrastructure that enables the transition to a resilient, independent energy grid.

Financing as the Bottleneck

Your thesis is that financing, not technology adoption, is the biggest constraint in residential energy. What structural failures in traditional banking does Cloover’s embedded finance model address?

The thesis that financing is the primary bottleneck is based on the insight that technology adoption is hindered by structural weaknesses in the traditional financial system. Our model addresses these shortcomings:

Fragmentation and Lack of Specialization: Unlike mature markets like automotive, the decentralized energy asset class has few specialized lenders. Traditional banks are often ill-equipped to underwrite loans at the required speed and granularity

High Upfront Costs: The significant initial investment for solar, heat pumps, or batteries is a major hurdle for many households, with long payback periods deterring adoption

Outdated Credit Metrics: Banks rely on traditional credit scores. Our model, in contrast, is asset-first, focusing on the project’s future energy savings as a key evaluation factor, which allows us to serve customers who might not otherwise qualify

Installer Cash Flow Constraints: Small and medium-sized installers suffer from severe cash flow problems, having to purchase expensive equipment upfront. Our principle of embedded financing solves this by integrating working capital and financing directly into their workflow, transforming it from a hurdle into a seamless feature.

AI in Credit and Risk Assessment

Cloover uses AI-powered underwriting focused on long-term energy savings rather than traditional credit metrics. How do you balance innovation in credit models with risk management and regulatory expectations?

Balancing innovation with robust risk management is at the core of our strategy. Our philosophy is that AI’s role is to reduce friction, not to replace human judgment. This balance is achieved through a multi-layered approach:

Augmented, Not Automated, Judgment: We use AI to structure complex data, automate repetitive tasks, and provide data-driven recommendations. This augments the expertise of our team, allowing for faster, better-informed decisions while maintaining human oversight. For example, our AI-powered underwriting supplements, rather than replaces, traditional credit metrics

Streamlining Point-of-Sale Processes: AI automates standard checks during the application process. This allows installers to manage higher demand and provide immediate, reliable feedback to customers at the point of sale, a critical step in reducing friction

Data-Driven Risk Analysis: Our platform continuously collects and analyzes real-time performance data from installed assets. This allows for dynamic risk monitoring and proactive management, enabling us to detect and address potential issues early

Asset-Backed Security: The financed energy assets are real, tangible assets, providing an additional layer of security beyond the borrower’s credit profile. This positions them as a transparent, “impact-aligned infrastructure asset class” for investors

Partnerships with Regulated Institutions: Our model is validated and backed by a $1.2 billion debt facility from a major European bank and a guarantee from the European Investment Fund (EIF), ensuring adherence to the highest regulatory and risk management standards.

The $1.2 Billion Commitment

The scale of this financing commitment is unusual for a company at this stage. What does this signal about institutional appetite for distributed energy as an infrastructure asset class?

The financing commitment of over $1.2 billion is exceptional and sends several powerful signals:

Validation of Distributed Energy as an Asset Class: It confirms that institutional capital now views distributed energy systems not as a niche product, but as a scalable, stable, and attractive infrastructure asset class.

Confidence in the Platform Model: Investors are backing the “operating system” that makes this asset class legible and investable. Our platform provides the transparency, performance data, and risk management needed to deploy capital at scale into thousands of decentralized projects.

Shift to Infrastructure Capital: The deal structure, combining venture equity with a massive debt facility, is typical of mature infrastructure companies. It signals that Cloover has successfully bridged the gap between the tech world and the capital-intensive world of infrastructure finance.

A Precedent for the Industry: This deal sets a new benchmark for the industry, proving that it is possible to mobilize the capital required to meet Europe’s ambitious climate goals.

The Installer-Centric Growth Model

Cloover positions itself as an enabler—not a competitor—to installers. How critical is this alignment to scaling decentralized energy, and what lessons have you learned from working with thousands of SMEs?

Aligning with installers as an enabler is the single most critical factor for scaling decentralized energy. The energy transition rests on the shoulders of tens of thousands of small and medium-sized installation businesses. A model that empowers them leverages the industry’s greatest resource.

The crucial lesson is that scaling is an ecosystem problem. Success depends on equipping these key players with the right tools. Our platform was designed to solve their core frustrations: fragmented software, manual processes, and crippling financing bottlenecks.

By providing workflow automation, embedded financing, and working capital, we become an indispensable growth engine for them. This creates a powerful win-win situation: installers grow their revenue by an average of 30 per cent, and Cloover grows with every project enabled on the platform. This symbiotic relationship, built on trust, is the engine for scalable growth.

From Software to Ecosystem

You’ve compared Cloover to the “Shopify of Energy.” What does ecosystem leadership mean in energy—and how do you ensure interoperability across manufacturers, installers, investors, and households?

The “Shopify of Energy” comparison means that Cloover provides the core infrastructure for others to operate on. We do not own the value chain; we enable it.

Ecosystem leadership is defined by the distinct roles each participant plays on this shared infrastructure. Interoperability is ensured through our API-first and modular architecture, which allows all players to connect and collaborate efficiently:

Installers use the platform to sell and manage their projects

Manufacturers connect their hardware and associated data streams

Investors access standardized project and asset information for the deployment of capital

End Customers receive simple, financed access to clean energy

Cloover is the shared, interoperable layer that aligns these diverse players, ensuring they can collaborate to deliver decentralized energy at scale.

Economics for End Users

Homeowners reportedly see 20–30 per cent energy cost savings, while installers generate 30 per cent incremental revenue. How do you sustain these economics as you scale across markets with different subsidy and regulatory regimes?

Sustaining these economics relies on a dynamic, software-driven platform, not static subsidies. The core principle is ensuring the monthly savings for a homeowner exceed the financing costs . We achieve this through:

Adaptable Software: Our platform is designed to flexibly integrate different regulatory frameworks and subsidy programs. Our ability to pre-finance public subsidies is a key advantage, reducing complexity and improving the offer for the customer.

Economies of Scale: As we grow, we negotiate better procurement terms, passing those savings on to installers and homeowners.

AI-Powered Optimization: Post-installation, our Energy Management Systems (EMS) use AI to optimize energy generation, storage, and consumption, maximizing savings for the household over the system’s lifetime.

Portfolio Diversification: Expanding across multiple European markets reduces our dependence on any single regulatory environment and diversifies risk .

Global Ambition and the Road Ahead

With expansion planned across Europe and ambitions beyond, what must Cloover get right over the next 24 months to become the global backbone for decentralized energy ?

To set the course for global leadership, we must focus on three core areas:

Excellent Execution in Geographic Scaling: This requires meticulously managing our expansion into new markets like France, Italy, and the UK . We must prove our platform can adapt to local regulations and needs while maintaining core efficiency. A “one-size-fits-all” approach will not work.

Strategic Deepening of the Platform: We must continue to advance our core AI capabilities in underwriting, risk management, and energy optimization. The “AI Finance Co-Pilot” must become an indispensable tool for every installer . Furthermore, expanding post-installation services like EMS and VPP integration is crucial for maximizing long-term value.

Aggressive Expansion of the Ecosystem: This involves deepening partnerships with manufacturers, broadening our base of institutional investors, and relentlessly strengthening the network effects that create a powerful moat against competitors.

As our investor from MMC Ventures noted, our success has been defined by “execution” . Maintaining that focus on execution across these three areas will be the key to establishing Cloover as the global backbone for decentralized energy.

—- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com)