Great Technology, Little Attention: The Communication Challenge Facing Many Cleantech Companies
Public Relations
Posted 29 May 2026
There seems to be no shortage of cleantech companies. From machines that remove CO₂ directly from the air to digital energy systems that reduce dependence on traditional power markets, innovation is happening rapidly across the sector. Yet many of these companies remain surprisingly invisible. Unlike AI startups, which generate headlines almost daily, cleantech businesses often struggle with a different challenge: their technologies are highly complex, difficult to communicate clearly, and harder to turn into compelling public narratives.
The result is more than just a lack of visibility for forward-looking solutions. It can also mean losing public trust, investor attention, and broader societal relevance. That is why communication is becoming an increasingly strategic issue for many companies in the cleantech space.
A look at two companies from the industry illustrates this perfectly: Climeworks and 1Komma5°. Both operate in cleantech, yet their communication approaches could hardly be more different.
Climeworks, the Swiss company specializing in carbon removal technology, primarily communicates from the perspective of science and global climate infrastructure. Its messaging focuses on technological precision, climate urgency, and international scalability. This creates credibility, especially among experts and policymakers, but it can also make the technology feel abstract and difficult to grasp for broader audiences. Terms such as “Direct Air Capture” or “High-Quality Biochar Credits” are highly relevant but not immediately accessible outside specialist circles.
1Komma5°, by contrast, takes a different route. The company’s core offering is the intelligent integration of energy generation, consumption, and storage systems to provide customers with affordable, sustainable energy. Instead of focusing heavily on technical details, the company emphasizes energy independence, smart homes, and a vision for a new energy future. As a result, its communication feels more dynamic, emotional, and closely connected to everyday life. The emphasis is not on deep tech itself, but on the lifestyle and experience of a modern, intelligent energy world.
The two examples are intentionally very different, yet they reveal a broader communication pattern across the cleantech industry: technological excellence alone does not determine visibility. What matters just as much is the ability to translate complex innovation into stories that people understand and relate to. In other words, the real question is whether companies want to explain the future or make people feel part of it.
Technological depth and accessible communication are not mutually exclusive. In fact, both play an important role in a strong communication strategy. Precise, science-driven messaging builds credibility with investors, regulators, and industry experts. But on its own, it is rarely enough to reach wider audiences, create societal relevance, and generate the level of attention that turns technology companies into recognizable brands.
Public perception is not driven by specifications, but by images and narratives. Energy independence instead of infrastructure. Personal benefit instead of technical parameters. A tangible vision of the future instead of system architecture. Companies that master this language create narratives that work across media, social platforms, and public discourse, helping them build trust, attract investment, and secure long-term relevance.
For cleantech companies, the key is therefore not to take their technology less seriously, but to communicate it in a way that makes others want to take it seriously too.
Every year, the “smarter E Europe” trade fair in Munich showcases just how dynamic the cleantech industry has become. Thousands of companies present technologies shaping the future of energy, from battery storage solutions to intelligent infrastructure systems. But the event also highlights another reality: great technology alone is no longer enough to stand out.
In a market where innovation competes for attention, communication determines which companies become visible and which remain overlooked despite strong solutions. Especially in cleantech, this requires clear narratives, understandable messaging, and positioning that goes beyond simply explaining technology.
That is exactly where we at HBI come in. We help technology and innovation companies translate complex topics into compelling stories, build thought leadership, and create visibility through communication across media, markets, and key stakeholder groups. To learn more: vibes@hbi.de
Communication Advisor at HBI Communication Helga Bailey GmbH
Kilian Schätzke has been supporting HBI in the areas of PR and marketing since 2024.
As a Communication Advisor, his responsibilities include the creation of professional articles and the conceptualization of social media postings.
Furthermore, Kilian is involved in directly assisting our client work.
