Fundraising Fox

Quaise Energy

Houston, US · Founded 2018 · Delaware corporation · 74 employees on LinkedIn · 12 known investors

Quaise Energy develops superhot geothermal drilling technology using millimeter-wave powered drilling to access deep geothermal energy sources at unprecedented depths and temperatures for large-scale clean power generation globally.

Also known as Quaise · Quaise Energy Inc.

Founders & leadership

Quaise Energy was founded in 2018 by Carlos Araque and Matt Houde.

CACarlos Araque
Carlos AraqueinCo-founder
MHMatt Houde
Matt HoudeinCo-founder and Chief of Staff

Board

CCColleen Calhoun
Colleen CalhouninBoard MemberInvestor at BURNT ISLAND VENTURES
VK
Vinod KhoslaBoard director
WR
William RestrepoBoard director
FA
Frohman AndersonBoard director
MCMark Cupta
Mark CuptainBoard directorManaging Director at Prelude Ventures
ADAnn DeWitt
Ann DeWittinBoard directorGeneral Partner at The Engine Ventures
CSCraig Shapiro
Craig Shapiroin𝕏Board directorFounder and Managing Partner at Collaborative Fund
AA
Ali AzadBoard director

Investors · 12

Reported raises · per SEC filings

Form D private placements

$262.4M disclosed across 5 rounds · 2020–2026

$179.3MraisedSep 2026 · 49 investors · Other Energy
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Carlos AraqueExecutive Officer, Director
  • Colleen CalhounDirector
  • Vinod KhoslaDirector
  • William RestrepoDirector
  • Frohman AndersonDirector
  • Mark CuptaDirector
  • Ali AzadDirector
Offering amount
$180.1M
Amount sold
$179.3M
First sale
Jun 2026
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
$13.1MraisedDec 2023 · 9 investors · Other Energy
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Jill WatzDirector
  • Carlos AraqueExecutive Officer, Director
  • Ann DeWittDirector
  • William RestrepoDirector
  • Kevin BonebrakeExecutive Officer
  • Mark CuptaDirector
  • Colleen CalhounDirector
  • Frohman AndersonDirector
Offering amount
$25M
Amount sold
$13.1M
First sale
Nov 2023
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
$52MraisedJun 2022 · 26 investors · Other Energy
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Carlos AraqueExecutive Officer, Director
  • Arunas ChesonisDirector
  • Mark CuptaDirector
  • Jill WatzDirector
  • Ann DeWittDirector
  • Colleen CalhounDirector
  • William RestrepoDirector
Offering amount
$52M
Amount sold
$52M
First sale
Jan 2022
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2018
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
$12MraisedAug 2021 · 1 investors · Other Energy
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Carlos AraqueExecutive Officer, Director
  • Ann DeWittDirector
  • Colleen CalhounDirector
  • Craig ShapiroDirector
Offering amount
$12M
Amount sold
$12M
First sale
Jul 2021
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2018
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
$6MraisedJun 2020 · 5 investors · Other Energy
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Ann DeWittDirector
  • Carlos AraqueExecutive Officer, Director
  • Craig ShapiroDirector
Offering amount
$6M
Amount sold
$6M
First sale
May 2020
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2018
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗

Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.

Company profile

researched Aug 2026

Quaise Energy is a geothermal energy company developing an ultra-deep drilling platform intended to access superhot rock and convert its heat into electricity. The approach combines conventional rotary drilling to reach basement rock with high-power millimeter waves, generated by a surface-mounted gyrotron, that vaporize rock to extend the borehole further. Standard oil-and-gas tubing serves as a waveguide to carry the millimeter waves downhole, and a purge gas lifts vaporized rock back to the surface, leaving a vitrified borehole and avoiding complex downhole equipment.

The company states its drilling target is depths of up to 20 km and temperatures up to 500° C, conditions it says would make geothermal accessible in most locations rather than only in shallow high-heat regions. Quaise frames higher temperatures as increasing power density to a level compatible with reusing existing fossil-fired power infrastructure, and points to the transferability of oil and gas workforce skills, rigs and supply chains as a way to scale without building new industrial capacity. It also cites low land and materials intensity relative to other renewables.

Quaise's lead development project is Project Obsidian in Central Oregon, described as a superhot geothermal power plant with an initial 50 MW always-on phase and a design that supports adding 200 MW as further wells are developed, for 250 MW total, targeting commercial operation in 2030.

Business model

Quaise develops proprietary millimeter-wave drilling technology and is applying it to its own geothermal power projects, beginning with Project Obsidian in Central Oregon, indicating a project-development path to revenue from electricity generation.

Traction

Company timeline lists a first full-scale hybrid drilling rig combining conventional rotary and millimeter-wave drilling in 2025, first thermal energy from a superhot enhanced geothermal system in 2026, and commercial operation of Project Obsidian in 2030.

Latest developments

In July 2026 Quaise announced a $134 million first close of a Series B round to fund construction of its first superhot geothermal power plant.

Full profile — market position, technology, geography

Market position

Positions itself in deep or superhot geothermal, arguing that geothermal at sufficient depth and temperature offers the power density and scalability of fossil fuels and can be developed near population and industrial centers worldwide.

Technology

A gyrotron-powered drilling platform derived from fusion research. Conventional rotary drilling is used to reach basement rock, after which high-power millimeter waves vaporize rock to extend the well. The gyrotron remains at surface; standard oil-and-gas tubing acts as a waveguide to convey the waves over long distances, and a purge gas transports vaporized rock to surface, producing a vitrified borehole without downhole drilling hardware. The stated objective is drilling to 3–20 km and temperatures of 300–500° C.

Geography

Lead project, Project Obsidian, is under development in Central Oregon, United States; the company frames its technology as globally deployable.

Compiled by commissioned research from 1 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.

Key figures

latest reported
Project Obsidian initial phase capacityJan 202550 MW
Project Obsidian total designed capacityJan 2025250 MW
Target downhole temperatureJan 2025500 degrees Celsius
Target drilling depthJan 202520 km

Company-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.

Timeline · 2

launches, deals, and filings
Jul 2026
Quaise Energy raises $134 million in first close of Series B

Press release announcing a $134 million first close of a Series B round to build what the company describes as the world's first superhot geothermal power plant.

$134M source ↗

Jan 2025
Project Obsidian under development in Central Oregon

Quaise is developing Project Obsidian, a superhot geothermal power plant in Central Oregon, with an initial phase targeting 50 MW of always-on power and a system design allowing an additional 200 MW as further wells are drilled; commercial operation is targeted for 2030.

source ↗

Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.

Legal entities · 1

corporate structure
Quaise EnergyDelaware

In the news

Research sources · 1

primary sources listed

1 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.

Frequently asked questions

What does Quaise Energy do?
Quaise Energy is developing millimeter-wave deep drilling technology to tap superhot geothermal energy for baseload power.
Who founded Quaise Energy?
Quaise Energy was founded by Carlos Araque, Matt Houde in 2018.
Who are Quaise Energy's investors?
Quaise Energy's investors include Collaborative Fund, Fine Structures Ventures, Helium-3 Ventures, Prelude Ventures, TechEnergy Ventures, Xplorer Capital, 8090 Industries, Idemitsu Kosan and 4 more.
How much funding has Quaise Energy raised?
Quaise Energy has disclosed $262.4M raised across 5 rounds.
Where is Quaise Energy headquartered?
Quaise Energy is headquartered in Houston, US.