HammerDrum

HammerDrum AG is a cleantech company focused on making geothermal energy more accessible and affordable, particularly in urban areas. The firm was established by a team of four founders: Nicola Nyffeler, Oliver Rau, Duarte Santos, and Giovanni Cerfeda. The initial concept for the technology originated with Nicola Nyffeler during his work on a percussion mechanism for tunneling, which was then significantly developed with co-founders Duarte Santos and Oliver Rau.

The founders bring a diverse range of expertise to the venture. Duarte Santos holds an MSc in Aerospace Engineering from ETH and was formerly the Head of Engineering at Aeris, which exited to iRobot. Nicola Nyffeler has a BSc in Mechanical Engineering and previous experience as a product developer at Menzi Muck AG. Oliver Rau holds an MSc in Business Strategy and previously worked as a Category Development Manager at Digitec.

HammerDrum's core business revolves around its proprietary drilling technology. The company has developed what it calls the world's first fully automated geothermal drilling robot. Unlike conventional drilling methods that require large surface-level construction sites, HammerDrum's machine operates entirely within the borehole, moving down like a worm. This approach dramatically reduces the physical footprint required for drilling to as little as 25 square meters, a significant advantage in dense urban environments. The system is designed for deep drilling, targeting depths between 500 and 3,000 meters.

The business model involves renting these drilling rigs to construction companies and franchising the model in non-strategic markets. The company also plans to sell the necessary accessories and materials for creating deep geothermal probes. This addresses a major challenge in the energy market, where 60% of buildings in Europe and the USA still rely on fossil fuels for heating, and transitioning to renewable sources is difficult for large urban properties. By automating the process and simplifying operations, HammerDrum aims to reduce drilling costs by up to 80% and decrease the required workforce to just two people per machine.

Key milestones include the successful deployment of their drilling robot, achieving a test depth of approximately 20 meters, and building the first drilling robot capable of creating a borehole while fully submerged. The company has secured support from private investors and the Swiss Climate Foundation and has established partnerships with industrial players and research institutes in Switzerland and Germany.

Keywords: geothermal drilling, cleantech, urban energy solutions, automated drilling robot, deep geothermal probes, renewable thermal energy, sustainable heating, energy independence, small footprint drilling, construction technology, renewable energy hardware, geothermal energy systems, subsurface technology, energy infrastructure, automated construction, robotics in construction, alternative energy, drilling automation, civil engineering technology, energy efficiency