Manie, a Portuguese startup that helps users avoid overpaying for energy while becoming more energy literate, aims to soft launch in Spain in Q4 2025 – building on its track record of helping more than 13,000 users in Portugal save over €12 million, all in less than a year.
The company, which earlier this year closed a pre-seed investment round of €1 million with backing from Shilling VC, Bynd Venture Capital, and HEARTFELT_, was born out of the realization that many users stay with the same electricity and gas supplier year after year, even when better offers are available, simply due to a lack of knowledge.
Misconceptions include the belief that switching is complicated and risky, or could cause a power outage, leaving an estimated 80% of Portuguese consumers overpaying for energy, according to Manie.
However, co-founders André Pedro, João Melo, Francisco Val Ferreira, and José Sá, want to help as many people as possible avoid the challenges they personally faced from not understanding energy bills, the options available when it comes to suppliers, and how switching between them helps save money.
“We believe energy should be transparent, simple, and empowering – something people feel they can manage and optimize (and automate), not fear or avoid,” Pedro, the company’s CEO, told Portugal Startup News in an interview.
The Lisbon-headquartered company is realizing this mission through an intuitive app that offers personalized deals based on the user’s invoice in a few seconds, always guarantees the best price on the market, and lets the user change their contract in one step. Manie is paid by energy suppliers for each contract signed, so the service is free for users.
With the new AutoSwitch feature, users can turn on autopilot and let Manie automatically take care of everything. The feature offers a free basic plan, while those with higher consumption who want more advanced and personalized options to maximize their savings can choose from paid plans.
Manie is also working on launching the Personal Area within its app, which will give users full visibility into their current contracts, estimated savings, switch history, and real-time updates – offering greater transparency and control over their energy choices.
But their mission goes well beyond this, as they want to become “the user’s trusted energy co-pilot,” expanding into broader areas of the energy ecosystem.
“In the future, we want a fully onboarded user with Manie to be able to buy and sell electricity from neighbors, participate in an energy community, optimize their EV charging to non-peak hours, and maybe even earn rewards for adapting consumption to balance the grid. We are working in that direction at full speed,” Pedro added.
Read the full interview below to learn more about common myths around energy consumption, Manie’s mission, how you can benefit from their services, and their growth plans.
Pedro also discusses their relationship with suppliers, ways to improve the energy market in Portugal, and how they stay agile in a heavily regulated sector.
You say, “Our mission is to change the way the world looks at energy.” How do you think people around the world – and in Portugal in particular – look at energy today, and how do you hope that perception will change?
Today, most people still see energy as a passive, opaque utility – something you simply pay for without much understanding or control. In Portugal, that’s especially true. Consumers rarely switch suppliers (remnants of a monopolized/nationalized market that was only opened around 20 years ago), even when they’re overpaying, and many don’t understand their bills.
The electricity is the same across providers, and there’s no risk in switching – yet most people stick with what they know. At Manie, we want to flip that dynamic. We believe energy should be transparent, simple, and empowering – something people feel they can manage and optimize (and automate), not fear or avoid.
How would you summarize the personal experiences and events that led to the launch of Manie?
My co-founders and I have experience in price comparison platforms, fintech, and consultancy, and we’ve all seen how poorly some markets serve the average consumer, especially the energy market.
The idea for Manie came from our own personal frustrations: we couldn’t understand our electricity bills – there were calculation errors in taxes and fees, for example, which should be a given. Even better, one of us was paying for gas that didn’t even show up on the gas meter. These challenges opened up an opportunity to build something that simplifies energy for everyone.
Is there a story behind the name you chose for the company?
Yes – “Manie” comes from “money” in English, written in a more Portuguese way. We were inspired by a famous Portuguese beer brand that uses the same kind of phonetic spelling in Portuguese airports. The “money” inspiration mostly comes from the positive impact on our savings and because the original idea was something directly related to personal finance as a whole.
You estimate that 80% of Portuguese consumers are overpaying for energy. What specific market failures or information gaps have created this situation?
There are a few key issues. First, there’s a lack of transparency – contracts and bills are often hard to understand. Second, suppliers don’t reward loyalty. In fact, long-time clients often pay more than new ones (old clients finance the acquisition of new clients).
And finally, there’s inertia: many people simply don’t switch because they don’t know it’s possible, think it’s too complicated, or are afraid of having a power outage because of the switch (by the way, this never happens). The result is a market where suppliers win by keeping users uninformed.
You recently raised €1 million to expand in Portugal and Spain. What will be your top priorities during this next phase of growth?
Our focus is threefold. First, we are scaling our user base in Portugal with more automation, better onboarding, and improvements to our app. Second, we are launching and localizing the product for Spain. Third, we are strengthening the product, especially around autoswitching, community solar access, and user tracking tools. We’re also investing in our customer support team to ensure quality as we grow.
How are traditional energy suppliers in Portugal responding to digital disruptors like Manie? Are you seeing more collaboration or resistance?
Good question. Mostly resistance for now. Some suppliers are open to exploring new distribution models, but the majority are still focused on customer retention through opaque pricing and aggressive call centers.
That said, we believe pressure from consumers, and eventually regulators, will push the market toward more transparency and collaboration. The market will change – either with Manie or other players. It will become more digital, clients will switch more often, and energy suppliers will have to improve their pricing and operations. We are here to help with that too.
Beyond price optimization, how do you see Manie evolving the relationship between consumers and energy providers?
We want to become the user’s trusted energy co-pilot. That means going beyond switching to help users understand their consumption, access community solar, install batteries or EV chargers, and even participate in demand response.
We see energy as an ecosystem – and we want to help consumers navigate it intelligently. In the future, we want a fully onboarded user with Manie to be able to buy and sell electricity from neighbors, participate in an energy community, optimize their EV charging to non-peak hours, and maybe even earn rewards for adapting consumption to balance the grid. We are working in that direction at full speed.
What are the three biggest challenges to Manie’s further expansion in Portugal?
Regulatory complexity is a major challenge because the market isn’t always friendly to innovation. On top of that, many people still don’t know that switching suppliers is possible, so consumer awareness remains low. Additionally, suppliers often resist changes since it doesn’t serve their short-term interests to support tools that empower users.
What is your estimated target date for launching Manie in Spain?
We’re aiming for a soft launch in Q4 2025, with full AutoSwitch capabilities going live in early 2026.
As you expand into Spain, what cultural or regulatory differences are you preparing for?
Spain has a more fragmented market and stronger public awareness of energy issues, but also more regulation around brokerage and consent. We’re working closely with legal advisors to ensure full compliance while adapting the user experience to local expectations, such as showing savings with VAT included and clearly explaining dual-tariff structures.
What’s coming next on the product roadmap – especially with the upcoming Personal Area feature?
The Personal Area, through our app, will give users full visibility into their current contracts, estimated savings, switch history, and real-time updates.
We’re also working on integrations with the electricity distributor E-REDES in Portugal and energy community solar providers, as well as preparing tools for users to simulate solar installations or battery storage based on their consumption. Decentralized energy is a big part of our future.
How do you differentiate from other energy comparison platforms? What makes the Manie experience unique?
Most platforms are comparison tools that leave the heavy lifting to the user. Manie goes further: we automate the switch, monitor your contract continuously, and switch you again when better offers appear. We’re a full-service platform, not just a one-time comparison engine. And we speak the language of normal people, not energy jargon.
Over 13,000 users and €12 million in consumer savings since September 2024 is impressive growth. What has been your primary user acquisition strategy – especially for reaching older users who may not be very tech-savvy?
We’ve grown through a mix of word of mouth, organic media exposure, and trust-building. Our customer support team is key – we often onboard clients by phone or WhatsApp. For older users, we prioritize simplicity, clear language, and real human help. We also design the product with a mobile-first but low-tech-friendly approach.
What user segments have surprised you the most so far? Any unexpected adoption stories or demographics?
We expected early adopters to be mostly young and tech-savvy, but many of our most engaged users are retired or semi-retired homeowners who want to reduce their monthly bills. We’ve also seen strong adoption in rural areas, where access to clear energy advice is more limited.
People just want clarity – and when they find it, they stay. Some funny and amazing stories we love include people coming to our office with their energy bills for a live scan and switch. That really makes all of us happy.
Would you please share how you’re investing in energy literacy and empowerment for everyday people (for example, through educational materials, campaigns, or other initiatives)?
Right now, we publish blog articles, short videos, and newsletters explaining how the market works in plain language. In the future, we want to offer one-on-one support and run workshops with community groups. We believe that the more people understand energy, the more they take control – and that benefits everyone.
Aside from user growth and the €1 million in funding, what have been some of the biggest milestones for Manie since launching?
Some key moments include getting our first switch fully automated, launching the first version of our tracking page, and onboarding the first 1,000 clients without call centers. Each step proved that we could scale without compromising our values. The next milestone will be the Manie app fully live to all AutoSwitch users.
How do you keep your startup agile and continue pushing for innovation, despite the heavy regulations in the energy sector?
We focus on user problems, not industry constraints. That mindset forces us to be creative. We work in small, fast iterations, keep close contact with real users, and build with a lean team that isn’t afraid to challenge norms. Compliance is critical, and within those rules, we look for ways to innovate and work with the regulator to innovate even more.
If you could change one thing about how the energy market works in Portugal – apart from the transparency issue – what would it be?
I would create stronger incentives for innovation and user-centric tools. Right now, incumbents have little reason to improve, and new players face high entry barriers. A fairer regulatory playing field would make a huge difference.
Is there anything else you’d like to add, André?
Energy doesn’t have to be boring or intimidating – it will be way more fun in the future. With the right tools, anyone can take control and save, and we’re here to help make that happen.
Featured image: The team behind Manie helps users save money on electricity by making it easy to compare suppliers, switch contracts, and understand their energy consumption. (Photo courtesy of Manie)
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