Chicago · Seed–Series A · 17 people tracked
Find your way into Energy Foundry
6,355 people in our graph share verified history with the Energy Foundry team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Investment thesis
Nonprofit created by Illinois law and funded via mandatory utility contributions, recycles returns into deals and connects startups with ComEd and Ameren to test technologies in regulated grid systems.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 6, 2026.
Team · 17 people
from the firm's website & curated
Founder mafia
3 people who came through Energy Foundry went on to found or lead other companies.
What they invest in
from 20 of 26 portfolio companiesCleantech ×14Energy ×11Climate Tech ×7Hardware ×7New Materials ×5Advanced Manufacturing ×3Deep Tech ×3SaaS ×3
HQs:United States×16Canada×3
Who they back
founder profiles across 12 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×72 founders×23 founders×24+ founders×1
Where their founders studiedfrom 12 founders with education data
Stanford University ×3Yale School of Management ×2
Investments · 26 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2023 · 12022 · 42019 · 16 dated
AtlasBase builds a hybrid Bio-Silicon platform that stores digital data in synthetic DNA and performs computation directly within the molecules, offering petabyte-scale archives with near-zero power and long-term durability.
BiotechData & InfrastructureDeep Tech
Co-investorsEarth FoundryAccelAlso CapitalBlackRockGreycroftMana Ventures
Azumo develops low-power display technology, specifically reflective LCD systems and front light panels that reduce energy consumption for device screens.
Advanced ManufacturingCleantechDeep TechHardwareNew MaterialsChicago, US
Mike Casper(CEO (Co-Founder))inTony(CTO (Co-Founder))Shawn Pucylowski(CFO (Co-Founder))inDr. Tony Nichol
Co-investorsAnzu PartnersDipalo VenturesEarth FoundryWestern Technology InvestmentSABIC Ventures
Dragos provides cybersecurity software, threat intelligence, and professional services to protect operational technology (OT), IT, and IoT assets in industrial environments.
CybersecurityDefense TechEnterprise SoftwareHanover, US
Robert M. Lee(CEO and co-founder)in
Co-investorsAllegisCyber CapitalBYU Cougar CapitalCanaan PartnersCyber Mentor FundDataTribeEarth Foundry+9 more
e-Zinc develops long-duration energy storage solutions using zinc-based technology for grid resilience, remote power, and renewable energy integration.
CleantechClimate TechEnergyHardwareOntario, CA
Dr. Gregory X. Zhang(Founder)James Larsenin
Co-investorsToyota VenturesAnzu PartnersEarth FoundryGraphite Ventures
Earthshot provides end-to-end support for land stewards developing and financing nature-based carbon projects, including greenhouse gas accounting, compliance with carbon standards, and project financing.
CleantechClimate TechImpact & Social GoodSebastopol, US
Troy Carter(CEO & Co-Founder)inPatrick Leung(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardMaryanna Saenko(Director)in
Co-investorsAcorn Pacific VenturesParameter VenturesTrailhead CapitalEarth FoundryFuture VenturesEarthshot Ventures+6 more
Pittsburgh-based company that turns food waste into liquid fertilizer and biogas using container-based anaerobic digesters.
Pittsburgh, US
Elliott Bennett(Cofounder)inDylan Lew(Cofounder)inKyle Wyche(Cofounder)in
BoardJudy Li(Director)
Co-investorsAvesta FundEarth FoundryEverywhere Ventures
GlidePath is an independent developer and owner of battery storage and advanced energy systems, with a portfolio of projects in operation and development across the United States.
CleantechClimate TechEnergyChicago, US
Harvest Thermal makes an all-in-one home heating, cooling, and hot water system that pairs an air-to-water heat pump with an insulated thermal storage tank and optimization software to shift electricity use to cheaper, cleaner periods.
Advanced ManufacturingCleantechClimate TechEnergyHardwareKensington, US
JanePierreKen Munson(Executive Officer, Director)inElisabeth Jane Melia(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investors37 AngelsAstiaClimate Impact CapitalCool Climate CollectiveEarth FoundryPortfolia+4 more
Co-investorsCapital Midwest FundEarth FoundryEmerald Development ManagersEvergreen Climate InnovationsPallasite VenturesWAVE Equity Partners+1 more
InVekTek develops SwayMaster, an anti-sway control system for industrial and overhead cranes that intercepts and reshapes operator commands to prevent load sway.
Advanced ManufacturingHardwareRoboticsWaukesha, US
Co-investorsEarth Foundry
NanoGraf develops a silicon-based high-energy-density anode material intended to replace graphite anodes and improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries.
CleantechEnergyNew MaterialsChicago, US
Samir Mayekar(Director)Francis Wang(Executive Officer, Director)inConnor Hund(Executive Officer)inErik Birkerts(CEO)inKara Rodby(Chief Strategy Officer)inJia Chow(VP of Manufacturing)
Co-investorsEarth FoundryEmerald Technology Ventures AgEvergreen Climate InnovationsMaterial ImpactHyde Park Angels
Network Perception offers NP-View, software that generates and maintains network maps to help organizations assess risk, verify network segmentation, and evaluate the security posture of their environments.
CybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareSaaSChicago, US
Robin Berthier(Chief Executive Officer, President, & Director)Ted Greene(Chief Operating Officer)inWilliam Sanders(Director)
BoardJeff Bocan(Director)Steve Westly(Director)inRobert Schultz(Director)in
Co-investorsEarly Light VenturesEarth FoundryEnergy Impact PartnersIllinois VenturesOkapi Venture CapitalSerra Ventures+2 more
NxLite develops sustainable coatings and glazing solutions for building windows and glass to improve energy efficiency and reduce heating/cooling energy loss.
CleantechConstruction TechNew MaterialsToronto, CA
David Matherin
Co-investorsACT Venture PartnersBackwards CapitalCreative VenturesEarth FoundryNew Climate VenturesTop Corner Capital+1 more
Omnidian provides post-installation care and performance protection for solar and clean energy investments, focusing on the service experience after systems are installed.
AI & Machine LearningCleantechClimate TechEnergySaaSSeattle, US
Mark Liffmann(Founder & CEO)inMark Liffman(Executive Officer, Director)Caroline Bec Cox(Executive Officer)in
BoardRick Viton(Director)Tom Groos(Director)Abe Yokell(Director)
Co-investorsACTIVATE CAPITAL PARTNERSB Capital GroupB4 CapitalBlue Bear Capital PartnersBridges Fund Management Ltd.City Light+11 more
Oxylus Energy develops electrolyzers that convert captured CO2 into low-carbon methanol using renewable power, which can be further upgraded into sustainable aviation fuels.
CleantechClimate TechEnergyNew Haven, US
Perry Bakas(Chief Executive Officer | Co-Founder)inHarrison Meyer(Cofounder)inConor Rooney(Chief Technology Officer | Co-Founder)in
Co-investorsAzolla VenturesConnecticut InnovationsEarth FoundryToyota Ventures
Recurve provides a unified software platform for utilities and their partners to manage demand-side energy programs by integrating data from multiple systems and using AI analytics to improve program performance and decision-making.
AI & Machine LearningCleantechData & InfrastructureEnergySaaSSan Francisco, US
Zach Robin(Chief Executive Officer)in
Co-investorsCity LightEarth FoundryFuture matters Venture CapitalPrelude VenturesQuantum Energy Partners
EnergyCovina, US
Matthew Golden(Executive Officer, Director)Zach Robin(Executive Officer, Director)inJeff Soplop(Director)Michael-Kevin O'Connell(Director)
BoardRob Meister(Director)Ben Mendelson(Director)
Sistine Solar develops SolarSkin, a customizable overlay for solar panels that lets the panels match a roof's aesthetic or display custom designs.
CleantechEnergyHardwareSomerville, US
Senthil Balasubramanian(Executive Officer, Director)Lisa Khanna(Director)Tom Dinwoodie(Director)
Co-investorsThin Line Capital
SPAN develops smart electrical panels that provide real-time home energy monitoring and control, enabling homeowners to track and optimize energy consumption at the room and appliance level to reduce energy bills.
CleantechHardwareIoTSan Francisco, US
Arch Rao(Founder & CEO)in
Co-investorsAngeleno GroupArcTern VenturesCollaborative FundCongruent VenturesDesigner FundEarth Foundry+15 more
Tank Utility offers an LTE-connected tank monitoring device and mobile app that tracks fuel levels and alerts users before they run out, helping fuel delivery operators reduce the number of deliveries needed.
EnergyHardwareIoTSomerville, US
Nicholas Mashburn(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inAmos Epstein(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inDavid Gagnon(Executive Officer, Promoter)
BoardSara Hochman(Director)Harris Brody(Director)
Co-investorsBullpen CapitalEarth FoundrySerra VenturesShorooq Partners
UpSolv (Polystyvert) develops a plastics recycling technology based on dissolution and purification to produce custom purified resins from thermoplastics such as polystyrene, HIPS, ABS, and polyolefins (PE, PP, PC), removing contaminants while retaining additives.
Circular EconomyCleantechNew MaterialsQuébec, CA
Co-investorsEarth FoundryCycle Capital
Volexion develops cathode active material encapsulation technology and drop-in composite materials for lithium-ion battery manufacturing, improving cycle life, power density, temperature range, and voltage window.
CleantechClimate TechDeep TechEnergyNew Materials
Damien Despinoy(Co-Founder, President and COO)inJoseph X. Adiletta
Co-investorsClean Energy VentureEarth FoundryClean Energy Ventures
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companies
Harvest · circlevilleherald.com · Aug 27, 2026
Atlas · trysignalbase.com · Aug 7, 2026
NxLite · axios.com · Jul 18, 2026
SPAN · latitudemedia.com · Feb 2, 2026
Recurve · finance.yahoo.com · Oct 3, 2025
Volexion · battery-tech.net · Aug 27, 2025
Omnidian · finsmes.com · Apr 24, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Energy Foundry made?
- Energy Foundry has 23 tracked investments, 1 of which have exited via acquisition or IPO.
- What stage does Energy Foundry invest at?
- Energy Foundry invests at the Seed, Series A stages.
- What is Energy Foundry's typical check size?
- Energy Foundry typically writes checks of $1M – $5M.
- What sectors does Energy Foundry focus on?
- Energy Foundry focuses on AgTech, AI & Machine Learning, Cleantech, Climate Tech, Cybersecurity, Deep Tech, Energy, Hardware, Impact & Social Good, New Materials.
- Where is Energy Foundry located?
- Energy Foundry is headquartered in Chicago, US.
- Does Energy Foundry lead rounds?
- Energy Foundry typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
- Who does Energy Foundry co-invest with?
- Energy Foundry most often shares deals with Earth Foundry, Anzu Partners, City Light, among 71 tracked co-investors.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the teamETS@chicago Introduction: Jason Blumberg Energy Foundry CEO
Zpryme · Jason Blumberg
Images
Co-investors · 9
National Grid Partners is the venture capital unit of National Grid plc, a major investor-owned energy utility company. The firm invests in innovative energy-related technologies and business models.
Congruent Ventures is an early-stage venture firm backing North American teams innovating across hardware, software, and business models, with a focus on climate and sustainability.
City Light is an impact-focused investment firm that partners with experienced teams to build scalable companies addressing challenges in education, safety and care, and the environment.
Anzu Partners is an investment firm backing breakthrough clean tech, industrial, and life science technologies, working alongside founders through a team of investors, operators, scientists, and engineers.
Bullpen Capital is an early-stage venture firm that has funded over 100 companies, focusing on businesses that have found product-market fit but are overlooked by other investors.
WIND Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Copec, part of Copec's innovation ecosystem, focused on transforming the energy, mobility and convenience/retail sectors across Latin America and the US.
Acorn Pacific Ventures is an early-stage investment firm focused on Silicon Valley and Asia Pacific technology companies, continuing a decades-long legacy and network across the Pacific Rim.
MaRS IAF is one of Canada's most active early-stage investors that backs ambitious founders building breakthrough technology companies with a strong presence in Ontario, from first cheque through growth stage.
Firms observed investing alongside Energy Foundry, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Energy Foundry's recorded portfolio.
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Everywhere Ventures is an early-stage venture firm, backed by a community of founders and operators as LPs, that writes early checks (including pre-seed) into startups across many sectors and geographies.
Innovobot is an investment and innovation platform focused on deep tech, combining a venture fund (IRV), an innovation studio (Innovobot Labs), and engineering services to foster technologies that address social, industrial and environmental challenges.
DCVC (Data Collective) is a deep tech venture capital firm that backs entrepreneurs using computational approaches to solve large-scale real-world problems across many industries.
Maverick Ventures Israel is an early-stage venture capital firm founded by entrepreneurs, backing Israeli technology startups across diverse industries with capital and operational support.