SolarBridge Technologies
AcquiredSan Jose, US · 8 known investors
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SunPower provides residential solar systems, installing monocrystalline solar panels on homeowners' roofs to lower electricity bills and reduce carbon emissions. It serves homeowners seeking greater energy independence.
Also known as SmartSpark Energy Systems · SolarBridge Technologies, Inc.
Founders & leadership
Investors · 8
Also in the syndicate · 5
Reported raises · per SEC filings
Form D private placements$205.6M disclosed across 2 of 5 rounds · 2010–2014
▶$42MraisedMar 2014 · 25 investors · Energy ConservationRule 506(b)
- William J. RabbExecutive Officer
- William MulliganExecutive Officer, Director
- Jason SchoettlerDirector
- Gabriel KraDirector
- Joshua RuchDirector
- Patrick ChapmanExecutive Officer
- Philip T. KreinDirector
- Offering amount
- $44.7M
- Amount sold
- $42M
- First sale
- Feb 2014
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$163.7MraisedFeb 2012 · 1 investors · Other EnergyRule 506(b)
- Eric BranderizExecutive Officer
- Howard J. WengerExecutive Officer
- Christopher S. JaapExecutive Officer
- Pat Wood IIIDirector
- Betsy S. AtkinsDirector
- Denis GiornoDirector
- Bernard ClementDirector
- Dennis V. ArriolaExecutive Officer
- W. Steve AlbrechtDirector
- Jerome SchmittDirector
- Marty T. NeeseExecutive Officer
- Arnaud ChaperonDirector
- Humbert de WendelDirector
- Jean-Marc OteroDirector
- Douglas J. RichardsExecutive Officer
- Thomas H. WernerExecutive Officer, Director
- Thomas R. McDanielDirector
- Offering amount
- $163.7M
- Amount sold
- $163.7M
- First sale
- Jan 2012
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026SolarBridge Technologies, Inc. was an American clean-energy company that developed solar microinverters, power conversion and energy management systems for residential and small commercial photovoltaic systems. Its module-integrated microinverters convert the direct current generated by an individual solar panel into grid-compatible alternating current, optimizing and monitoring output at the module level rather than through central or string inverters. Factory-integrated into a panel's junction box, the design produced a "roof-ready" AC module that could be installed as a single piece, removing the need to mount or assemble additional components on the roof or the side of a home.
The company's TrueAC module system combined the Pantheon microinverter with a Power Manager and Power Portal for monitoring. SolarBridge stated the microinverter's design life exceeded 25 years, matching the lifetime of solar modules and enabling module manufacturers to offer 25-year warranties on AC modules. The Pantheon microinverter received Underwriters Laboratories 1741 certification via the Canadian Standards Association in early 2011. SolarBridge also developed a universal PV dock for integrating power converters with PV modules, work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative through the Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems - AC (SEGIS-AC) program.
SunPower Corp. acquired SolarBridge in November 2014 to develop next-generation microinverters optimized for its high-efficiency panels; terms were not disclosed. SunPower sold the former SolarBridge microinverter business to Enphase Energy in June 2018.
Founding story
The company was established in 2004 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign under the name SmartSpark Energy Systems, with the goal of commercializing power electronics technologies developed at the university for photovoltaic systems. It was co-founded by Patrick L. Chapman, a professor of electrical and computer engineering who served as initial chief technology officer, and Philip T. Krein, also a professor and power electronics specialist. The company initially operated from Champaign, Illinois, focusing on distributed power conversion to address shading losses and panel output mismatch.
Business model
SolarBridge manufactured and sold microinverters and associated monitoring hardware and software, supplying module manufacturers and the residential and small commercial solar channel with components that could be factory-integrated into panels to form AC modules.
Sales of microinverter hardware and the associated TrueAC module system components (Pantheon microinverter, Power Manager and Power Portal), complemented by U.S. Department of Energy grant funding for technology development.
Traction
By 2013 SolarBridge ranked third among U.S. microinverter suppliers by revenue according to IHS estimates, and it had begun international expansion in 2013 with some success in Australia. Following the SunPower acquisition, SolarBridge-derived microinverters were used in SunPower's AC module and Equinox home solar systems, which accounted for over 80% of residential sales by early 2018.
Latest developments
SunPower sold the former SolarBridge microinverter business to Enphase Energy in June 2018 for $25 million in cash plus 7.5 million Enphase shares, with Enphase becoming the exclusive supplier for SunPower's X Series modules using the IQ 7XS microinverter. SunPower filed for bankruptcy in August 2024 and its assets were acquired by Complete Solaria, which continues the SunPower brand; Enphase provides ongoing support for affected systems. The SolarBridge brand was discontinued, and in 2025 a separate, independently operated entity took the name SolarBridge Technology Inc.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
IHS Technology estimated SolarBridge was the third-largest microinverter supplier in the United States by revenue in 2013, in a market segment where microinverters were expected to account for more than 40% of inverters shipped to the U.S. residential segment in 2014. The company positioned itself as a leading provider of AC module technology; the segment was described at the time as dominated by a single supplier.
SolarBridge promoted the AC module approach, in which the microinverter is embedded in the module junction box before shipment with no DC connections, rather than a standalone microinverter. This reduced on-site installation time because module and inverter are installed as one piece, cutting soft costs such as labor and permitting, and the inverter's 25-year design life matched module lifetimes.
Technology
Module-level power electronics: a microinverter mounted directly on, or integrated into, a solar panel that converts DC to AC at each module instead of using a central or string inverter. The Pantheon microinverter carried a design life in excess of 25 years and achieved UL 1741 certification through CSA in early 2011. Supporting products included the Power Manager and Power Portal monitoring platform and a universal PV dock for integrating power converters with PV modules.
Go-to-market
Sold through module manufacturers and solar installers, with capital raised in 2014 earmarked for expanding sales and marketing as the company scaled its customer base across North America and Australia.
Residential and small commercial solar customers, reached via solar module manufacturers and installers integrating AC modules.
Geography
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with earlier operations and continued R&D in Champaign, Illinois. The company began expanding into international markets in 2013, with reported traction in Australia, and served customers across North America and Australia.
History
Founded in 2004 as SmartSpark Energy Systems in Champaign, Illinois, the company rebranded to SolarBridge Technologies in May 2009 and relocated its headquarters to Austin, Texas, while retaining an R&D presence in Champaign. It raised successive venture rounds between 2010 and 2014 and received U.S. Department of Energy grants in 2011 under the SunShot Initiative and ARPA-E. In November 2014 SunPower Corp. acquired the company for undisclosed terms; in June 2018 SunPower sold the former SolarBridge microinverter business to Enphase Energy for $25 million in cash plus 7.5 million Enphase shares, and the SolarBridge brand was subsequently discontinued. A separate, independently operating entity adopted the name SolarBridge Technology Inc. in 2025.
Risks & controversies
SunPower cited financial challenges and high research and development costs in divesting the SolarBridge-derived microinverter business in 2018. SolarBridge ceased to exist as an independent entity following the 2014 acquisition, and the acquiring company, SunPower, filed for bankruptcy in August 2024. A separate company now using a similar name operates independently of the earlier business.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 7
launches, deals, and filingsSunPower sold the SolarBridge-derived microinverter business to Enphase Energy for $25 million in cash plus 7.5 million Enphase shares, making Enphase the exclusive supplier for SunPower's X Series modules.
$25M source ↗
SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) acquired SolarBridge Technologies, Inc. to expand its residential product portfolio and develop next-generation microinverters optimized for its high-efficiency panels. Financial terms were not disclosed.
SolarBridge began expanding into international markets, with some success in Australia.
Received a $1.75 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy program to enhance production processes for photovoltaic systems.
$1.8M source ↗
Awarded $2.3 million through the DOE SunShot Initiative to develop cost-effective module-integrated inverters.
$2.3M source ↗
The Pantheon PV microinverter achieved Underwriters Laboratories 1741 certification via the Canadian Standards Association.
The company rebranded from SmartSpark Energy Systems to SolarBridge Technologies and moved its headquarters from Champaign, Illinois to Austin, Texas, retaining R&D in Champaign.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- SolarBridge Technologiessunpower.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does SolarBridge Technologies do?
- SolarBridge Technologies developed module-integrated microinverters for roof-ready AC solar panels; acquired by SunPower in 2014.
- Who founded SolarBridge Technologies?
- SolarBridge Technologies was founded by Dick Swanson, Will Anderson, Dave Anderson, Patrick Chapman, Philip T. Krein.
- Who are SolarBridge Technologies's investors?
- SolarBridge Technologies's investors include Ecosystem Integrity Fund, Prelude Ventures, Rho Ventures.
- How much funding has SolarBridge Technologies raised?
- SolarBridge Technologies has disclosed $205.6M raised across 2 of its 5 known rounds.
- Where is SolarBridge Technologies headquartered?
- SolarBridge Technologies is headquartered in San Jose, US.