Vienna-based energy tech startup expands leadership team – former N26 and Soly executive takes on overall commercial responsibility.
Vienna, 9 April 2026. Podero, the Vienna-based software company for smart energy management, announces the appointment of Christian Strobl as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Strobl brings extensive experience in the energy and fintech sectors to the role, and will play a key part in shaping Podero’s commercial strategy.
Most recently, Strobl served as Country Manager at Soly, a Dutch solar provider, where he was responsible for the company’s market entry in Austria, as well as its continued growth in Germany. Prior to that, he headed the Austrian operations of the German digital bank N26. He began his career as the founder of his own start-up in the hospitality sector and as a strategy consultant at Strategy& (PwC).
“The geopolitical situation makes it clear that the energy transition is not only a climate policy necessity, but also a matter of European security. I am therefore all the more delighted to be at Podero, a company that is playing a key role in shaping the European energy system from Vienna.”
— Christian Strobl, Chief Commercial Officer, Podero
Podero: Smart energy flexibility for the whole of Europe
Podero was founded in Vienna in 2022 by Chris Bernkopf (serial entrepreneur and Y Combinator alumnus) and Moritz Schrader. The company operates a software platform that enables European energy suppliers to intelligently control their customers’ flexible consumer devices – including, among others, photovoltaic systems with battery storage, heat pumps and electric vehicles – and to trade their fleets on the energy markets.
Podero’s partners include leading European energy suppliers such as E.ON UK and Sweden, and TotalEnergies.
Last year, Podero closed an oversubscribed seed funding round worth €5.5 million. The round was led by Planet A Ventures, a Berlin-based growth fund specialising in climate technology. Other investors include Systemiq Capital from London, Pale Blue Dot from Sweden and Push Ventures from Austria. The funds will be used for further product development and the expansion of the European sales and customer success teams.
“In Christian, we are gaining an experienced leader who has already proven his ability to rapidly develop businesses in new markets. His understanding of the energy sector and his experience with scalable sales models are exactly what we need for our next chapter of growth.”
— Chris Bernkopf, CEO and Co-Founder, Podero
New products: Intraday optimization & €200 guarantee
Podero has also recently expanded its services to include the optimisation and trading of battery storage on the intraday market, in addition to the day-ahead market, which significantly increases savings. This enables Podero to guarantee its customers savings of over €200 per year for the first time.
“This makes Podero the first flexibility provider in Europe to not only calculate savings but also contractually guarantee them.”
— Christian Strobl, Chief Commercial Officer, Podero
About Podero
Podero is a Vienna-based software company founded in 2022 that enables energy suppliers to intelligently control their customers’ flexible consumer devices and market them on energy markets. By connecting solar panels, battery storage systems, heat pumps and electric vehicles, Podero helps shift electricity consumption to times when prices are lower – with tangible benefits for end customers (up to 25% savings), energy suppliers, grids and the climate. Partners include E.ON UK & Sweden, TotalEnergies, Oekostrom and TIWAG. In 2025, Podero completed a €5.5 million funding round led by Planet A Ventures, Systemiq Capital, Pale Blue Dot and Push Ventures.
