Grünspar GmbH

Grünspar GmbH was established in Münster, Germany, in 2010 by co-founders Sebastian Kotzwander and Gerrit Ellerwald. The company originated from Kotzwander's vision, conceived in 2009 while he was a business informatics student, to advance the energy transition by engaging consumers directly. Initially, the venture began as an e-commerce platform offering a range of about 1,500 energy-efficient products, such as LED lighting, water-saving showerheads, smart home devices, and efficient appliances, to households in Germany and Austria.

The business model evolved from a direct-to-consumer online shop to a B2B2C service provider. Recognizing the marketing budget limitations of a pure e-commerce play, Grünspar pivoted to offering its platform as a white-label solution for utility companies. This strategy allowed energy providers, including over 150 municipal utilities, to offer their own branded energy-saving shops and tariff configuration tools to their customers. Revenue was generated through both the direct sale of products on its own platform and through the setup, programming, and operation of these white-label Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for its utility partners.

In 2015, the energy supplier EWE acquired a 90% majority stake for a sum in the low double-digit millions, aiming to integrate Grünspar's platform into its own digital strategy and expand its product offerings. Following the acquisition, the company continued its focus on SaaS solutions. However, despite its initial success and a client base of over 130 municipal utilities, the business model did not achieve the success anticipated by its majority owner. Co-founder Gerrit Ellerwald departed the company in 2016, followed by Sebastian Kotzwander in 2017. In October 2018, EWE announced the liquidation of Grünspar GmbH, stating that continued operation was no longer economically viable.

Keywords: energy efficiency, white-label solutions, SaaS for utilities, e-commerce, energy-saving products, municipal utilities, cleantech, B2B2C, energy transition, smart home, resource-saving, utility customer engagement, green lifestyle, energy retail, corporate acquisition, business liquidation, German startup, Münster