A daily newsletter summarizing recent activity & interesting start-ups globally
RECENT NOTABLE ACTIVITY – ENERGY EFFICIENCY
- CIMCON Lighting, a global street lighting and smart city solution developer, raises $15M Series B funding round led by Energy Impact Partners (EIP). Link
- Energy efficient microprocessor technology developer Minima Processor raises $6.2M in two-stage seed funding. Link
- Illumitex, a LED grow light fixtures manufacturer raises $4M funding from WP Global Partners and NEA. Link
- Smart building SaaS software Entic receives investment from Blackstone. Link
- Bluon Energy, a developer of energy-efficient replacement refrigerant for existing HVAC-R systems added Bionatus and Greg Ellis of CACC as investors. Link
SOME INTERESTING STARTUPS FOUND
Curie Labs (2016, Delhi, $50k) – Curie Labs provides IoT-enabled energy analytics solutions. The sensor-based system offers real-time monitoring of energy consumption pattern.
Alsen (2016, Merced) – Alsen is a developer of AI-based HVAC management system. The system uses machine learning models to predict occupancy and comfort requirements for controlling HVAC units.
LEADER BOARD – ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Products – Lighting – Material & Component Manufacturers
Bridgelux (2002, Sunnyvale, $219M, Acq.) – LED chip manufacturing company. Backed by El Dorado Ventures, VantagePoint Capital Partners, Craton Equity Partners and Passport Capital. Acquired by China Electronics Corporation in 2015.
Products – Lighting – Finished Products – LED
Lighting Science Group (2004, Melbourne, IPO) – Manufactures different shapes of LED bulbs and invented biologically corrected lighting. Backed by Riverwood Capital and Pegasus Capital. Went public in 2008.
Cree (1987, Durham, IPO) – Manufactures LED components, and semiconductor products for power and radio-frequency (RF) applications. Went Public in 1993.
Products – Lighting – Finished Products – OLED
Novaled (2003, Dresden, $35M, Acq.) – Provides organic materials and complementary technologies for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) in display and lighting. Acquired by Samsung in 2013.
Products – Thermal Energy – Insulation
Aerogel (2001, Northborough, IPO) – Provides thermal management and energy conservation insulation solutions. Backed by Mount Royal Ventures, Arcapita Ventures, Lehman Brothers, RockPort Capital Partners, Reservoir Capital Group, Tenaya Capital.
Products – Thermal Energy – HVACR – Heating
System Heat (2012, Moscow, $500k) – Energy efficient radiators which helps in reducing energy consumption and increasing savings. Backed by Genezis Capital.
Products – Thermal Energy – HVACR – Cooling
TAS Energy (1999, Houston, $60M) – TAS Energy manufactures energy efficient chilling and cooling systems. Backed by KPCB and Element Partners.
Products – Construction – Pre-Fabricated
View Dynamic Glass (2007, Milpitas, $546M) – Smartglass on which tint level can be modified by the user using smartphone to admit only light and reject glare. Backed by Khosla Ventures, DBL Investors, Sigma Partners, Navitas Capital, The Westly Group.
Energy Management Systems – BEMS
GridPoint (2003, Arlington, $294M, Acq.) – Energy management systems using big data analytics to monitor and manage energy-consuming assets, such as HVAC and lighting systems. Backed by Goldman Sachs, Skypoint Capital, Advantage Capital Partners, Craton Equity Partners. Acquired by TFC Utilities in 2015.
Distech Controls (1995, Brossard, $37M, Acq.) – Building energy management system that provides integration of HVAC, lighting, access control, CCTV, energy management, and other building systems. Backed by Export Development Canada, Enertech Capital. Acquired by Acuity Brands in 2015.
Energy Management Systems – IEMS
Energy and Power Solutions (2001, Costa Mesa, $50M, Acq.) – Energy Management System with real-time information collected at the equipment level, across a customer’s entire enterprise. Backed by NGEN, Robeco, Altira Group. Acquired by Ameresco in 2011.
Energy Management Systems – HEMS
There Corporation (2009, Helsinki, $5.8M) – Home energy management system. Offer smart boiler control, dual fuel control for air and gas heated houses, comfort control. Backed by VNT Management.
Device Level Management Systems – HVAC Management – Residential – Thermostats
Nest Labs (2010, Palo Alto, $80M, Acq.) – Provides thermostats for monitoring home energy consumption. Backed by KPCB, Google Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Shasta Ventures. Acquired by Google in 2014.
Tado (2011, Munich, $57M) – Smart AC management devices for homes. Backed by Target Partners, Shortcut Ventures, BayBG, Siemens.
Device Level Management Systems – HVAC Management – Commercial
Optimum Energy (2005, Seattle, $36M) – Provides data-driven cooling and heating optimization solutions for enterprise facilities.Backed by Columbia Pacific Advisors.
Device Level Management Systems – Lighting Control Systems – BLCS
Enlighted (2009, Sunnyvale, $83M) – Provides network platform with wireless sensor to collect and analyze data to intelligently adapt the lighting level. Backed by Intel Capital, KPCB, RockPort Capital Partners.
Device Level Management Systems – Lighting Control Systems – SLCS
Sensity Systems (2010, Sunnyvale, $74M, Acq.) – Offers a high-speed, sensor-based, open networking platform to connect lighting systems for improving the experience. Backed by Mohr Davidow Ventures, Cisco Investments, Acuity Brands and Simon Venture Group. Acquired by Verizon in Sep, 2016.
Device Level Management Systems – Power Management Systems – Data Center Management
SynapSense (2006, Folsom, $46M, Acq.) – Wireless cooling and data center asset monitoring solution. Backed by Sequoia Capital, Crosslink Capital, Frontier Venture Capital, Aeris Capital, Nth Power, Robert Bosch Venture Capital and American River Ventures. Acquired by Panduit in 2014.
Energy Monitoring Systems – Residential & Commercial
Encored (2013, Seoul, $17M) – Energy tracking through app using disaggregation technologies. Backed by Formation 8, Stonebridge, LG U Plus.
Energy Monitoring Systems – Residential
Bidgely (2010, Sunnyvale, $25M) – Home energy management up to appliance level without using any plug-level monitors. Backed by Khosla Ventures, Plug and Play Tech Center, E.on, RWE Global and Constellation Technology Ventures.
Sense (2013, Cambridge, $19M) – Device to monitor appliances and track energy usages using electronic signatures. Backed by Charles River Ventures, Capricorn, Bolt, Shell Global, Prelude Ventures and Energy Impact Partners.
Energy Monitoring Systems – Commercial & Industrial
Verdigris (2011, Moffett Field, $15.7M) – Energy analytics for better management of facilities using disaggregation techniques. Backed by Data Collective, Founder, Jabil, Verizon Ventures, StartX.
Service Providers – As-a-Service Providers
UrbanVolt (2014, Dublin, $33M) – Lighting as a Service to install and maintain LED lights without any upfront cost. Backed by SUSI Partners.
Service Providers – Finance Providers
Ygrene Energy Fund (2009. Santa Rosa, $185M) – Offers clean energy financing solutions for residential and commercial properties. Backed by Lightyear Capital, New Energy Capital, Virgo Investment Group.
Service Providers – Project Management
Thermondo (2012, Berlin, $32M) – Energy efficient residential heating system installer. Backed by Holtzbrinck Ventures, E.on, IBB, Global Founders Capital, Rocket Internet.
Leader board includes all the top funded, IPO and successfully running bootstrapped companies along with their location, founding year and funding amount.
For latest update, visit Energy Efficiency feed.