Swift Solar
San Carlos, US · Founded 2017 · Delaware corporation · 78 employees on LinkedIn · 9 known investors
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Swift Solar develops high-efficiency solar cells using perovskite-silicon tandem technology combined with silicon heterojunction, aiming for panels that produce up to 1.5x the power of conventional silicon. It targets data centers, space, defense, and utility-scale, commercial, and residential solar markets, with manufacturing based in the US.
Also known as Swift Solar Inc.
Founders & leadership
Swift Solar was founded in 2017 by Tomas Leijtens, Joel Jean, and Kevin Bush.
Board
Investors · 9
Also in the syndicate · 1
Reported raises · per SEC filings
Form D private placements$44.6M disclosed across 6 rounds · 2018–2023
▶$24.6MraisedDec 2023 · 12 investors · Other EnergyRule 506(b)
- James FickelDirector
- Amrit JalanDirector
- Joel JeanExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
- Tomas LeijtensDirector
- Offering amount
- $33.6M
- Amount sold
- $24.6M
- First sale
- Dec 2023
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$4.2MraisedApr 2021 · 1 investors · Other EnergyRule 506(b)
- James FickelDirector
- Tomas LeijtensExecutive Officer, Director
- Joel JeanExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
- Offering amount
- $4.2M
- Amount sold
- $4.2M
- Minimum investment
- $1
- First sale
- Mar 2021
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2017
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$398.7KraisedMar 2021 · 2 investors · Other EnergyRule 506(b)
- Jean JoelExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
- James FickelDirector
- Tomas LeijtensExecutive Officer, Director
- Offering amount
- $1M
- Amount sold
- $398.7K
- Minimum investment
- $1
- First sale
- Mar 2021
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2017
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$8.2MraisedDec 2020 · 13 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Joel JeanExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
- Tomas LeijtensExecutive Officer, Director
- James FickelDirector
- Offering amount
- $9.7M
- Amount sold
- $8.2M
- Minimum investment
- $1
- First sale
- Nov 2020
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2017
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$6.6MraisedApr 2019 · 13 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Joel JeanExecutive Officer, Director
- Tomas LeijtensDirector
- James FickelDirector
- Offering amount
- $8.1M
- Amount sold
- $6.6M
- First sale
- Dec 2018
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2017
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$600KraisedJul 2018 · 1 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Joel JeanExecutive Officer, Director
- Offering amount
- $600K
- Amount sold
- $600K
- First sale
- Jun 2018
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2017
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Swift Solar is a US solar technology company developing and manufacturing high-efficiency photovoltaic cells. Its stated approach pairs mature silicon heterojunction cell technology, which it positions as its near-term production platform, with perovskite-silicon tandem cells as the next-generation product. The company states that perovskite-silicon tandems can produce up to 1.5x the power of current silicon cells.
The company frames its offering around gigawatt-scale manufacturing assets, foundational intellectual property, and leadership drawn from both research and solar manufacturing. It describes its technical targets as cell efficiency exceeding the silicon world record, 30-year equivalent lifetime stability (referencing a 2024 Nature Conference on Perovskite and Organic Photovoltaics presentation), and full-size cell efficiency within 10% of the lab record. Its founding scientific team comes from MIT, Stanford, Oxford, and NREL, and its manufacturing leadership from Meyer Burger, First Solar, and Bloom Energy. Named founders include Joel Jean (Co-Founder & CEO), Tomas Leijtens (Co-Founder & CTO), Max Hoerantner (Co-Founder & Chief Engineer), and Giles Eperon (Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer).
Business model
Swift Solar positions itself as a domestic solar cell and panel manufacturer, building manufacturing capacity in the United States around silicon heterojunction production today and perovskite-silicon tandem production as the technology matures.
Latest developments
The company published blog posts titled "Silicon Today, Tandems Tomorrow" (March 12, 2026) and a two-part series "AGI will be solar powered" (October 14, 2025 and November 10, 2025), and describes itself as recruiting for open roles.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography
Market position
The company presents itself as building a US perovskite tandem manufacturing capability, targeting supply-chain-secure domestic solar for defense, space, grid, and data center power.
Swift Solar emphasizes US-based manufacturing, a combination of proven silicon heterojunction production with perovskite tandem technology, foundational perovskite IP, and a team pairing academic perovskite pioneers with manufacturing executives who have built solar factories at gigawatt scale.
Technology
The technology combines silicon heterojunction solar cells with perovskite-silicon tandem architectures. The company cites efficiency exceeding the silicon world record, 30 years equivalent lifetime stability, and full-size cell efficiency within 10% of the lab record, and reports a patent portfolio and extensive published research from its founding scientists.
Go-to-market
The company solicits partnerships and direct contact through its website and targets multiple solar segments, from space and defense to utility-scale, commercial, and residential deployments.
Stated end markets include data centers and hyperscalers facing AI-driven power demand, space solar applications, defense and critical infrastructure, utility-scale solar projects, commercial and industrial solar, and residential and community solar.
Geography
United States; products described as "Made in the USA."
Compiled by commissioned research from 1 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.
Founder mafia
2 people who came through Swift Solar went on to found or lead other companies.
Competitors · 5
by search overlap
Companies competing with Swift Solar for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.
Non-dilutive funding · 3 SBIR/STTR awards
Federal grants — no equity taken| Agency | Phase | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Science Foundation | Phase II | 2021 | $1M |
| U.S. NavyNavy | Phase I | 2020 | $140K |
| National Science Foundation | Phase I | 2019 | $225K |
Source: SBIR.gov award data (U.S. Small Business Administration). SBIR/STTR awards are competitive federal R&D grants and contracts — non-dilutive capital alongside any venture rounds above.
Legal entities · 1
corporate structureIn the news
▸Research sources · 1
primary sources listed
- Swift Solarswiftsolar.com · web
1 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Swift Solar do?
- US solar manufacturer combining silicon heterojunction cells with perovskite-silicon tandem technology.
- Who founded Swift Solar?
- Swift Solar was founded by Tomas Leijtens, Joel Jean, Kevin Bush in 2017.
- Who are Swift Solar's investors?
- Swift Solar's investors include Fontinalis Partners, Good Growth Capital, Safar Partners, Toba Capital, BlueScopeX, Climate Capital, Eni Next, Stanford University.
- How much funding has Swift Solar raised?
- Swift Solar has disclosed $44.6M raised across 6 rounds.
- Where is Swift Solar headquartered?
- Swift Solar is headquartered in San Carlos, US.