Partner Moritz Stupka recently attended E-World 2026, Europe’s leading energy trade fair.
This article reflects Moritz’s key takeaways from the event, highlighting the defining themes, insights, and conversations that shaped this year’s agenda.
After a full day of high-level discussions spanning the entire energy value chain, one message came through clearly: the industry is shifting decisively from ambition to execution. What once centred on long-term vision is now focused on delivery, performance, and tangible outcomes.
Smart meters and data utilisation gain momentum
The rollout of smart meters is accelerating, but deployment is only the starting point.
The real value lies in leveraging data to create new services, optimise assets, and enable innovative market mechanisms. Data-driven models are emerging as key differentiators, transforming how energy is managed, traded, and consumed.
Flexibility is the dominant theme
Flexibility continues to define the direction of the energy transition. While technological innovation remains important, the real shift is happening on the commercialisation side.
Business models around energy storage, demand response, decentralised assets, and aggregation are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Market participants are moving beyond pilot projects toward scalable, revenue-driven structures that enable flexibility to be monetised effectively.
Grid management moves to the centre of the agenda
As electrification and bottlenecks in the grid increase across energy markets, grid management has become a strategic priority.
Grid intelligence, including digitalisation, real-time capabilities, and advanced congestion management, is no longer a future ambition. It is an operational necessity. Utilities and system operators are placing growing emphasis on technologies and services that ensure stability, efficiency, and resilience in an increasingly decentralised system.
Smart meters and data utilisation gain momentum
The rollout of smart meters is accelerating, but deployment is only the starting point.
The real value lies in leveraging data to create new services, optimise assets, and enable innovative market mechanisms. Data-driven models are emerging as key differentiators, transforming how energy is managed, traded, and consumed.
Conclusion
E-World 2026 made one thing clear: the energy transition has entered its execution phase. Capital is increasingly flowing toward businesses that can translate innovation into scalable, bankable solutions. For investors and strategic buyers alike, success will depend on identifying platforms that combine operational capability with commercial resilience in a rapidly evolving market.
What this means for M&A
From an M&A perspective, these trends are reshaping investment priorities:
- The most attractive targets are companies that combine technological capabilities, regulatory expertise, and scalable platform models
- Both strategic and financial buyers are positioning themselves along the flexibility and data value chain, seeking exposure to high-growth segments of the market
Conclusion
E-World 2026 made one thing clear: the energy transition has entered its execution phase. Capital is increasingly flowing toward businesses that can translate innovation into scalable, bankable solutions. For investors and strategic buyers alike, success will depend on identifying platforms that combine operational capability with commercial resilience in a rapidly evolving market.
Author
Moritz Stupka
Partner
Since 2017, I have been part of the Clearwater team, I have built my career on advising clients from various industries in mid-cap to transformational M&A projects. From my previous experience in the structured and leveraged finance teams with two international banks, I have gained a deep understanding of large-scale financing transactions with banks as well as in the capital markets. Outside of work, I am an enthusiastic road cyclist and a fan of my hometown football team 1. FC Nürnberg, but first and foremost, I enjoy spending time with my family.
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