Rewriting the future of solar energy

20 August 2026

Kickstarted by KiwiNet’s Emerging Innovator Programme, Associate Professor Nathaniel Davis is taking next-gen solar technology from the lab to the real world through advanced materials startup TwoPhold.

Originating from research at Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington, TwoPhold is developing a new generation of solar technology that could significantly improve the performance of solar panels, increasing energy capture while reducing cost.

“Since the 1960s we have known of a fundamental limitation with solar panels, where they can only capture about 32% of energy from the sun,” says co-founder A/Prof Nathaniel (Nate) Davis.

The technology aims to overcome that limit via a novel material designed for emerging printable perovskite solar cell systems, rather than traditional silicon-based cells. It uses a process called singlet fission to more efficiently harness sunlight, improving how much usable energy can be extracted from each photon.

Nate Davis and Jake Hardy holding prototype devices.

“This is a new generation of solar panels that could revolutionise energy. The science is incredibly exciting, and I wanted to be part of driving and shaping where it went next,” says Nate.

Supported by Wellington UniVentures, Nate joined the Emerging Innovator Programme to explore the commercial potential of the technology.

The programme provided funding, mentoring, workshops and upskilling across areas like intellectual property, market validation and customer discovery, while exposing Nate to industry perspectives that challenged how he viewed his research.

“The biggest shift was moving from thinking purely about the science to thinking about how my work could succeed in the real world. The Emerging Innovator Programme helped me engage with industry and gave me the tools to ask the right questions – like who the customer is, and what the market actually needs,” says Nate.

“Scale was a big one. We had feedback from industry that if it can’t be produced at scale on industry equipment, they weren’t interested.”

Nate Davis looking at a solar simulator with one of their devices under it.

Another key part of the programme was the opportunity to connect with other Emerging Innovators, alongside guidance from commercial mentor Christopher Boys.

“Having someone to bounce ideas off and learn from their experience was incredibly valuable,” says Nate.

Nate has since encouraged his former PhD student and TwoPhold co-founder, Nikita Shumilov, to join the Emerging Innovator Programme – continuing capability-building within the team. Nikita joined the programme in May 2026, becoming KiwiNet’s 193rd Emerging Innovator.

“I’d encourage any researcher with an idea to give it a go. Even if you don’t commercialise your science, it gives you an experience outside academia that opens up new opportunities,” Nate says.

For Nate and Nikita, the focus is now on progressing key technical milestones for TwoPhold as they work towards investor readiness.

Supported by PreSeed Accelerator Funding from KiwiNet, Wellington UniVentures, The Dodd-Walls Centre and the MacDiarmid Institute, the team will continue engaging with industry while refining the technology over the next 18 months, bringing a new generation of solar technology closer to market.