KITEMILL AS

Their core work

Kitemill AS is a Norwegian technology company specializing in airborne wind energy (AWE) — a technology that uses tethered rigid kites flying at high altitudes to generate electricity, reaching wind resources unavailable to conventional turbines. They design, build, and test autonomous kite-based power systems, with a focus on making AWE commercially viable at scale. Their work spans aerodynamic engineering, flight control systems, and power conversion for renewable energy generation. Kitemill is one of a small number of European companies actively developing rigid-kite AWE systems as a commercial product rather than a research curiosity.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Kitemill's H2020 trajectory follows a textbook SME instrument progression: a 2017 Phase 1 feasibility study (NextWind) with no recorded keywords, followed by a 2019-2023 Phase 2 scale-up project (AWE) explicitly tagged with "airborne wind energy" and "kite." The absence of keywords in the early project reflects the exploratory nature of Phase 1, while the recent project's tagging signals a consolidated, defined technology identity. The direction is clear: from concept validation to full commercial development of a rigid-kite AWE product.

Kitemill is on a commercialization trajectory — having secured €2.44M in Phase 2 funding through 2023, they are likely moving toward product launch, pilot deployments, or Series A investment, making them an interesting partner for energy companies and infrastructure investors.

How they like to work

Kitemill has acted as coordinator on both of their H2020 projects, meaning they drive the agenda rather than joining others' projects. With zero recorded consortium partners, they have operated as a solo applicant under the SME instrument — a scheme designed specifically for single companies with strong commercial ambitions. This suggests they are self-directed and technology-led; future collaborations are more likely to involve them as a technology provider or lead partner than as a consortium follower.

Kitemill's H2020 record shows no formal consortium partners — both projects were executed under the SME instrument as solo grants. Their collaboration network within EU-funded research is effectively a blank slate, which is typical for SME instrument recipients who develop technology independently before seeking industrial or research partners.

What sets them apart

Kitemill is one of very few companies globally — and likely the most advanced in Norway — developing rigid-wing airborne wind energy systems as a commercial product. Unlike university AWE research groups, they are an industry actor with a real product roadmap and commercial funding behind them. For anyone building a consortium around offshore wind alternatives, remote electrification, or next-generation renewables, Kitemill brings unique hardware expertise that cannot be replicated by software firms or generalist energy consultancies.

Highlights from their portfolio

• AWE
  At €2.44M, this is Kitemill's flagship EU grant — a full SME Phase 2 scale-up project running 2019-2023 that funded the commercial development of their rigid-kite airborne wind energy system.
• NextWind
  This €50k SME Phase 1 feasibility study was the entry point that validated Kitemill's concept and unlocked the much larger Phase 2 funding, showing a successful use of the H2020 SME instrument ladder.