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Top 20 Waste-to-Energy startups in USA
Jul 27, 2025 | By Alexander Gillet | 21 |
1
Funding: $430M
Vanguard Renewables is a national leader in the development of organics-to-renewable energy projects.
Vanguard Renewables is a national leader in the development of organics-to-renewable energy projects.
2
Funding: $281.2M
Fulcrum Bioenergy converts household garbage into low-carbon transportation fuels, including jet fuel, diesel, and ethanol.
Fulcrum Bioenergy converts household garbage into low-carbon transportation fuels, including jet fuel, diesel, and ethanol.
3
Funding: $94.9M
Zeno is developing next-generation radioisotope power systems that generate carbon-free, resilient power for decades. It also has an Air Force contract to build a satellite powered by nuclear waste
Zeno is developing next-generation radioisotope power systems that generate carbon-free, resilient power for decades. It also has an Air Force contract to build a satellite powered by nuclear waste
4
Funding: $90M
Sierra Energy’s blast furnace heats trash to 4,000 degrees and then harvests the gas to make plastics and fuel.
Sierra Energy’s blast furnace heats trash to 4,000 degrees and then harvests the gas to make plastics and fuel.
5
Funding: $64M
M2X Energy has developed a technology to capture methane from gas flare sites and convert it to liquid methanol, which can then be transported and used in low-carbon fuels and other materials.
M2X Energy has developed a technology to capture methane from gas flare sites and convert it to liquid methanol, which can then be transported and used in low-carbon fuels and other materials.
6
Funding: $38.3M
Raven is a producer of green hydrogen and synthetic fuels using organic waste.
Raven is a producer of green hydrogen and synthetic fuels using organic waste.
7
Funding: $28.7M
WasteFuel Agriculture is focusing on ways to create a waste-to-energy infrastructure where farmers can tap new business opportunities.
WasteFuel Agriculture is focusing on ways to create a waste-to-energy infrastructure where farmers can tap new business opportunities.
8
Funding: $22M
Enexor BioEnergy developed a small-scale, renewable energy system that converts organic and biomass waste into clean electricity as well as hot and chilled water. This combined heating and power system has broad applications for commercial, industrial and institutional use.
Enexor BioEnergy developed a small-scale, renewable energy system that converts organic and biomass waste into clean electricity as well as hot and chilled water. This combined heating and power system has broad applications for commercial, industrial and institutional use.
9
Funding: $13.5M
A carbon removal and storage company delivering negative emissions energy. Arbor’s innovative system generates clean electricity transforming plentifully available organic waste—like overgrown brush, crop residues, and food waste—into fuel for an engine.
A carbon removal and storage company delivering negative emissions energy. Arbor’s innovative system generates clean electricity transforming plentifully available organic waste—like overgrown brush, crop residues, and food waste—into fuel for an engine.
10
Funding: $10M
SGH2's technology uses high-temperature plasma torches to incinerate recycled waste, producing hydrogen as a byproduct.
SGH2's technology uses high-temperature plasma torches to incinerate recycled waste, producing hydrogen as a byproduct.
11
Funding: $7M
Inventure Chemicals develops an ethanol and biodiesel conversion process by using a variety of raw materials including algae and agribusiness waste.
Inventure Chemicals develops an ethanol and biodiesel conversion process by using a variety of raw materials including algae and agribusiness waste.
12
Funding: $5.3M
Ecotone Renewables has developed the “Seahorse”, which reinvents the food and plant waste disposal system, taking food that would otherwise be wasted and turning it into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertilizer, through the process of anaerobic digestion.
Ecotone Renewables has developed the “Seahorse”, which reinvents the food and plant waste disposal system, taking food that would otherwise be wasted and turning it into renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertilizer, through the process of anaerobic digestion.
13
Funding: $4.3M
Vespene Energy wants to convert landfill methane emissions to electricity for bitcoin mining. It sequesters methane and burns it to power the microturbines, which in turn generate electricity.
Vespene Energy wants to convert landfill methane emissions to electricity for bitcoin mining. It sequesters methane and burns it to power the microturbines, which in turn generate electricity.
14
Funding: $4.1M
Renewell Energy created a mechatronic conversion system called Artemis Prime as an energy storage solution. This "fancy regenerative winch" aims to take inactive oil and gas wells that leak pollutants and use them for energy storage.
Renewell Energy created a mechatronic conversion system called Artemis Prime as an energy storage solution. This "fancy regenerative winch" aims to take inactive oil and gas wells that leak pollutants and use them for energy storage.
15
Funding: $2.5M
Ways2H develops technology to convert waste into clean hydrogen fuel. Wasy2H takes waste, that does not contain metal or glass, anything from medical supplies, wood or even plastic litter, and through a patented thermochemical process (not burning), converts it into a gas, from which it then extracts the hydrogen.
Ways2H develops technology to convert waste into clean hydrogen fuel. Wasy2H takes waste, that does not contain metal or glass, anything from medical supplies, wood or even plastic litter, and through a patented thermochemical process (not burning), converts it into a gas, from which it then extracts the hydrogen.
16
Funding: $1.8M
REVOLUTION Turbine Technologies is developing a compact, emissions-free turbine that generates power using only waste gas pressure.
REVOLUTION Turbine Technologies is developing a compact, emissions-free turbine that generates power using only waste gas pressure.
17
Brightmark is on a mission to "reimagine waste" with its groundbreaking plastic renewal technique. Brightmark collects plastic materials and processes them into pellets through shredding. These pellets are then placed in an oxygen-starved container, providing an eco-friendly alternative as low-grade fuel.
18
Funding: $24K
GELF Energy has redesigned the anaerobic digestion process with the development of a system called the Microbial Energy Device, which produces higher quality methane in one-tenth the time, at doubled efficiency, with nature-based carbon capture technology.
GELF Energy has redesigned the anaerobic digestion process with the development of a system called the Microbial Energy Device, which produces higher quality methane in one-tenth the time, at doubled efficiency, with nature-based carbon capture technology.
19
Funding: $10K
Facet Power’s revolutionary technology is optimized to produce clean, green, high purity streams of hydrogen from biomass and organic waste.
Facet Power’s revolutionary technology is optimized to produce clean, green, high purity streams of hydrogen from biomass and organic waste.
20
EthosGen develops eco-friendly, renewable energy systems by converting waste heat into renewable energy or by developing solar projects.
