Urbio

Urbio is an AI-powered software platform purpose-built for district heating network planning. Adopted by over 200 energy industry actors across Europe, the platform enables utilities, consultants, network developers, and municipalities to design, deploy, and densify heat networks faster and more profitably — from first site identification through to bankable feasibility study.

Founded in 2020 as a spinoff from a pan-European research programme involving EPFL, EDF, EIFER, and the University of Nottingham, Urbio combines scientific rigour with real market needs. Its core capabilities include a plug-and-play Data Factory covering building and energy data across Europe, an intuitive digital twin with heat density mapping and building-level filters, and an AI-powered Generative Design engine that automatically optimises pipe layouts and computes key financial metrics — CAPEX, OPEX, IRR, heat price, and CO₂ savings — across multiple scenarios simultaneously.

Urbio also bridges the gap between technical and commercial teams through open API integrations with CRM platforms, interactive customer-facing calculators, and automated stakeholder reporting. Customers including Romande Energie, CKW, and EKT have used the platform to shorten sales cycles, increase heat sales, and deliver feasibility studies in a fraction of the time previously required.