New and recently funded Energy Startups
1
Country: USA | Funding: $1.5B
TerraPower is developing compact modular nuclear reactors with a closed fuel cycle. Its goal is to make nuclear energy safer and cheaper, while also minimizing radioactive waste. It was co-founded by Bill Gates and partners with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. Its sodium-cooled fast reactor, Natrium has capacity up to 345 MW, has a molten salt heat storage system and uses innovative liquid metal cooling. Its advantage is its flexible power output, allowing it to respond to fluctuating demand when combined with renewable energy sources. It uses liquid sodium as a coolant and highly enriched uranium (HALEU) as fuel (although the company is experiencing supply issues). The demonstration reactor project is expected to be operational by 2030.
TerraPower is developing compact modular nuclear reactors with a closed fuel cycle. Its goal is to make nuclear energy safer and cheaper, while also minimizing radioactive waste. It was co-founded by Bill Gates and partners with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. Its sodium-cooled fast reactor, Natrium has capacity up to 345 MW, has a molten salt heat storage system and uses innovative liquid metal cooling. Its advantage is its flexible power output, allowing it to respond to fluctuating demand when combined with renewable energy sources. It uses liquid sodium as a coolant and highly enriched uranium (HALEU) as fuel (although the company is experiencing supply issues). The demonstration reactor project is expected to be operational by 2030.
2
Country: USA | Funding: $798.3M
Electric Hydrogen develops electrolyzer technologies to enable abundant, low-cost, and clean hydrogen to replace fossil fuels.
Electric Hydrogen develops electrolyzer technologies to enable abundant, low-cost, and clean hydrogen to replace fossil fuels.
3
Country: USA | Funding: $532M
Lunar Energy manufactures battery storage systems and installs solar panels for homeowners in California, Georgia, and Washington. Lunar can use its fleet of batteries, available in 15- and 30-kilowatt-hour modules, to feed power into the grid as needed. Its virtual power plant (VPP) software can also manage electric vehicle chargers and appliances, allowing for simultaneous power supply and demand reduction. Lunar helps users save money - each day, the app creates a unique plan for maximum energy savings. The company monitors the weather, monitors power consumption spikes, such as when charging your electric vehicle and uses this data to develop this personalized daily plan. Lunar AI tracks rapidly changing energy prices, optimizing and automating home power system to reduce bills.
Lunar Energy manufactures battery storage systems and installs solar panels for homeowners in California, Georgia, and Washington. Lunar can use its fleet of batteries, available in 15- and 30-kilowatt-hour modules, to feed power into the grid as needed. Its virtual power plant (VPP) software can also manage electric vehicle chargers and appliances, allowing for simultaneous power supply and demand reduction. Lunar helps users save money - each day, the app creates a unique plan for maximum energy savings. The company monitors the weather, monitors power consumption spikes, such as when charging your electric vehicle and uses this data to develop this personalized daily plan. Lunar AI tracks rapidly changing energy prices, optimizing and automating home power system to reduce bills.
4
Country: USA | Funding: $1B
Helion Energy uses fusion energy to provide pure, safe electricity. Helion's fusion generator elevates fusion (Deuterium and helium-3) fuel to ultra-high temperatures to achieve plasma conditions and directly obtains electricity with a high-efficiency pulsed approach. Magnets confine the plasma in a Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) and speed up two FRCs to 1 million mph from opposite ends of the generator. When the FRCs collide in the center of the system, they are further compressed by a strong magnetic field until they reach fusion temperatures greater than 100M degrees Celsius (150M already achieved). At this temperature, the deuterium and helium-3 ions are moving fast enough to surpass the forces that would otherwise keep them apart, and they fuse. This emits more energy than is consumed by the fusion process. As new fusion energy is generated, the plasma enlarges.
Helion Energy uses fusion energy to provide pure, safe electricity. Helion's fusion generator elevates fusion (Deuterium and helium-3) fuel to ultra-high temperatures to achieve plasma conditions and directly obtains electricity with a high-efficiency pulsed approach. Magnets confine the plasma in a Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) and speed up two FRCs to 1 million mph from opposite ends of the generator. When the FRCs collide in the center of the system, they are further compressed by a strong magnetic field until they reach fusion temperatures greater than 100M degrees Celsius (150M already achieved). At this temperature, the deuterium and helium-3 ions are moving fast enough to surpass the forces that would otherwise keep them apart, and they fuse. This emits more energy than is consumed by the fusion process. As new fusion energy is generated, the plasma enlarges.
5
Country: France | Funding: €3M
EPYR creates industrial power systems that convert electricity from renewable energy sources into high-temperature heat. These are comprehensive solutions integrate equipment, intelligent energy management and financing. The Epyr system captures electricity from the grid at its lowest cost and converts it into heat using resistive heaters. Thermal energy is stored in high-efficiency refractory bricks and released as air or steam on demand for industrial processes. Thanks to fast and precise control, the system is easily integrated into production processes. Epyr also offers a "heat-as-a-service" model that requires no upfront capital investment - the company builds, owns and operates the system for an annual fee.
EPYR creates industrial power systems that convert electricity from renewable energy sources into high-temperature heat. These are comprehensive solutions integrate equipment, intelligent energy management and financing. The Epyr system captures electricity from the grid at its lowest cost and converts it into heat using resistive heaters. Thermal energy is stored in high-efficiency refractory bricks and released as air or steam on demand for industrial processes. Thanks to fast and precise control, the system is easily integrated into production processes. Epyr also offers a "heat-as-a-service" model that requires no upfront capital investment - the company builds, owns and operates the system for an annual fee.
6
Country: Germany | Funding: $4.3M
HyperHeat is developing the HyperHeat system, which utilizes renewable energy sources for high-temperature heating required in heavy industries such as steel production, cement and chemical processing. HyperHeat system is based on a low-cost industrial gas heater that utilizes oxide ceramics for ultra-high-temperature resistive heating. It can be installed in existing furnaces (instead of fossil-fuel burners) and achieve temperatures close to flame temperature - up to 2000°C. HyperHeat systems connect directly to standard industrial medium-voltage networks, scaling from hundreds of kilowatts to several megawatts, ensuring easy integration and maximum efficiency.
HyperHeat is developing the HyperHeat system, which utilizes renewable energy sources for high-temperature heating required in heavy industries such as steel production, cement and chemical processing. HyperHeat system is based on a low-cost industrial gas heater that utilizes oxide ceramics for ultra-high-temperature resistive heating. It can be installed in existing furnaces (instead of fossil-fuel burners) and achieve temperatures close to flame temperature - up to 2000°C. HyperHeat systems connect directly to standard industrial medium-voltage networks, scaling from hundreds of kilowatts to several megawatts, ensuring easy integration and maximum efficiency.
7
Country: USA | Funding: $10M
Zero Industrial implements thermal energy storage projects for industrial heat and steam generation. The company offers a full range of project development services in the US and Canada, including technology selection, design and development of each thermal energy storage system. The company's TES systems can release the stored energy as electricity, heat, or steam at any temperature. Zero Industrial also fully finances each project and sells the clean heat or steam to its clients under a long-term "Heat as a Service" contract, eliminating the need for upfront capital investment.
Zero Industrial implements thermal energy storage projects for industrial heat and steam generation. The company offers a full range of project development services in the US and Canada, including technology selection, design and development of each thermal energy storage system. The company's TES systems can release the stored energy as electricity, heat, or steam at any temperature. Zero Industrial also fully finances each project and sells the clean heat or steam to its clients under a long-term "Heat as a Service" contract, eliminating the need for upfront capital investment.
8
Country: Sweden | Funding: $23.6M
SaltX Technology has developed an electric CO2 separation technology for direct CO2 capture from air in high-temperature industries, including quicklime and cement production. This electric calcination technology uses electric plasma to replace fossil-driven heating with renewable electricity. The mineral solution used in direct carbon dioxide capture (DAC) is carbonated after binding with CO2 from the air. This carbonate solution can be regenerated during the electric calcination process, separating and isolating the CO2 for further use or geological storage. The EAC (electric arc calciner) is adaptable to various industries. Through seamless integration into DAC systems it makes the release and collection of pure CO2 more efficient. The company has already launched a 1.4 MW pilot plant producing 17 tons of carbon per day.
SaltX Technology has developed an electric CO2 separation technology for direct CO2 capture from air in high-temperature industries, including quicklime and cement production. This electric calcination technology uses electric plasma to replace fossil-driven heating with renewable electricity. The mineral solution used in direct carbon dioxide capture (DAC) is carbonated after binding with CO2 from the air. This carbonate solution can be regenerated during the electric calcination process, separating and isolating the CO2 for further use or geological storage. The EAC (electric arc calciner) is adaptable to various industries. Through seamless integration into DAC systems it makes the release and collection of pure CO2 more efficient. The company has already launched a 1.4 MW pilot plant producing 17 tons of carbon per day.
9
Country: USA | Funding: $12M
Found Energy is developing aluminum-based fuel for industrial applications. Found Energy's thermal energy technology converts any aluminum into an energy-dense fuel by breaking down the oxide layer, allowing the aluminum to rapidly and completely oxidize upon contact with water in a process called fractal exfoliation. This highly exothermic process releases the energy stored in the aluminum as a combination of heat and hydrogen (or superheated steam). The system generates superheated steam at the highest temperatures required by modern industry. Aluminum fuel can be used to produce hydrogen on-site, on-demand (meaning aluminum fuel is cheaper and safer to transport than hydrogen).
Found Energy is developing aluminum-based fuel for industrial applications. Found Energy's thermal energy technology converts any aluminum into an energy-dense fuel by breaking down the oxide layer, allowing the aluminum to rapidly and completely oxidize upon contact with water in a process called fractal exfoliation. This highly exothermic process releases the energy stored in the aluminum as a combination of heat and hydrogen (or superheated steam). The system generates superheated steam at the highest temperatures required by modern industry. Aluminum fuel can be used to produce hydrogen on-site, on-demand (meaning aluminum fuel is cheaper and safer to transport than hydrogen).
10
Country: USA | Funding: $900M
Pacific Fusion is developing a high-gain pulsed magnetic fusion system. Pulsed magnetic fusion involves rapidly compressing a fuel in a container with a powerful magnetic field created by passing high, rapidly increasing electric current through it. This compression heats and inertially holds the fuel, converting hydrogen into helium and releasing massive amounts of energy. The company has eliminated the magnetic system to simplify the system and its maintenance requirements. The system is highly modular, enabling affordable manufacturing and rapid iteration. It uses commonly available materials, simplifying supply chains. The modular pulser can be optimized for a wide range of target designs.
Pacific Fusion is developing a high-gain pulsed magnetic fusion system. Pulsed magnetic fusion involves rapidly compressing a fuel in a container with a powerful magnetic field created by passing high, rapidly increasing electric current through it. This compression heats and inertially holds the fuel, converting hydrogen into helium and releasing massive amounts of energy. The company has eliminated the magnetic system to simplify the system and its maintenance requirements. The system is highly modular, enabling affordable manufacturing and rapid iteration. It uses commonly available materials, simplifying supply chains. The modular pulser can be optimized for a wide range of target designs.
