In
Modena, known all over the world as the Motor Valley, there is a group of young
starter-uppers who have set their minds on solving an epochal problem: the
pollution from diesel engines. Together, they developed BiodieselKit, a
technology that makes the most polluting diesel sectors ecological. For FARE
INSIEME, Giampaolo Colletti interviewed Federico De Pietri and Rexhina Saraci,
co-founders of Refuel Solutions
by Giampaolo Colletti
@gpcolletti
Photocredit: Giacomo Maestri e Francesca Aufiero
“We were
four friends at a bar who wanted to change the world.” There we have it, if we
had to choose a soundtrack for this story, we could opt for this classic by
Gino Paoli. Because those four friends are all young engineers, starter-uppers
and visionaries. They shared a university course and the ambition of changing
the world was running through their veins. They hoped to overcome the most
polluting mobility, i.e. that of diesel engines. Their ingenious idea was to
enable diesel engines to use bio-fuel, a renewable fuel with a
practically-negligible environmental impact. But let’s slow down a little.
Everything started from that territory that has become the icon of engines all
over the world, i.e. Modena. Everything took shape quite recently. This is
where Refuel Solution came to life, as the four friends - Federico De Pietri, Adriano Cordisco, Rexhina
Saraci and Marco Di Mola – say: as typical engineers, they started with a
problem and are busy working to study solutions. “We set our minds on solving
an epochal problem: the pollution of diesel engines. These engines move the
world economy and the electric and hydrogen technology are not ready to replace
them. We immediately realised that our idea could not and should not be limited
to Italy alone, it had to become international,” explains Federico De Pietri,
one of the four co-founders.
Company
profile. Everything started in 2019 when the four were still studying at the
University of Modena. They met during TACC, an entrepreneurial project that
required students from all faculties to develop entrepreneurial skills and
think about future mobility. The four joined forces to tackle the ecological
transition projects of the circulating fleet. Together, they decided to find a
more immediate and easier alternative for companies to digest with respect to
electric and hydrogen solutions. As soon as they started talking to the first
potential clients, they understood that there was a strong market demand and
decided to focus on this project. The hardest moment? Rexhina Saraci has no
doubt about this. We need to go back to the summer of 2022 when, after working
on the project for over a year, the debts were growing as well as the corporate
risk involved. “But, during that period, we managed to find visionary and
extremely valuable entrepreneurs who married our cause and gave us the
resources to move forward. From that moment on, we saw splendid goals unfolding
before us - both small and big - which we have always enjoyed with the
pioneering spirit we still have. Our warehouse was completely painted over by
our founders and furnished with pieces and equipment won at auction to save
money. Over the past three years, we have carried out multiple jobs and did
things we would have never otherwise learned in life.”
The value of
sustainability. While everything was born at university, things grew stronger
over time as the team went from the four co-founders to over 20 people.
“Nothing is static when running a business, not to mention a start-up! When we
developed our product, i.e. the biodiesel kit, at university, we were convinced
the best thing to do was to develop it together with the big producers of heavy
vehicles and diesel engines. After less than a year, we realized that the new
vehicles sold only represented a minimal part of those circulating and that, in
order to have a wider customer base, we should have made our product available
to the aftermarket,” recalls Federico De Pietri. But what is the distinctive
element of this solution? Federico explains: “When talking about
sustainability, many expect something expensive and that hinders business
growth. In our case, it is quite the opposite. BiodieselKit represents the only
technology currently available that makes the most polluting diesel sectors
more ecological without huge investments and without compromising client
activities. From agriculture to road logistics, construction sites and
earth-moving equipment, BiodieselKit represents a turning point for companies
that want to save money while at the same time be sustainable.” Then there is
the connection with the territory, that Motor Valley envied by the whole world.
“The fact that we decided to found the business in Modena is not because it is
convenient, but because this territory and its companies boast unrivalled
skills and experience when it comes to mechanics.” After all, it is difficult
to live in Modena and not develop a passion for motors. Developing the
technology here was spontaneous: from the technical skills of engineers to the
experience of motor company consultants down to the possibility of finding
suitable suppliers only a few km away. They understand things immediately here,
says Rexhina. In the meantime, they are looking abroad, and more precisely to
the US. There is a long-term industrial plan afoot which is shared with the
investors. Full speed ahead!
https://podcast.confindustriaemilia.it/
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