A daily newsletter summarizing recent activity & interesting startups in the energy storage sector globally
RECENT NOTABLE ACTIVITY – BIOENERGY
- West Lafayette-based bio-chemical company Spero Energy has received a $100k USD grant from U.S Department of Agriculture. Link
- Black Mountain-based solar chemical company has raised $1.7M USD from an undisclosed investor in seed round according to SEC filing. Link
- ATEC Biodigesters, an Australian-Combodian based company has raised $7M USD in Series A equity round led by investors Foundation Ensemble, ENGIE Rassambluers d’Energies. Link
- California Ethanol & Power, a bio-ethanol manufacturer, has raised $55k and $365k USD in seed rounds according to SECD filing. The investors in these rounds have been undisclosed. Link Link
- Billington Bioenergy, a wood pellet distributor, has been sold by Drax to an AIM-listed company Aggregated Micro Power Holdings (AMPH) for $2M USD. Link
- Amyris, a biodiesel manufacturer based in Emeryville, has raised $50M USD in Post-IPO led by Royal DSM and Vivo Capital. Link
SOME INTERESTING STARTUPS FOUND
Evergreen Renewable Energy (2017, Princeton) – The company generates electricity from waste products produced from ethanol manufacturing companies. They have partnered with the sugarcane-based ethanol distillers based in Latin America who offer ethanol waste, a pollutant called “Vinasse”. They claim to have developed a new patented technology which generates electricity from this waste product. Also, the generation process produces a potassium organic by-product which can be used as a fertilizer for crops.
LEADER BOARD – BIOENERGY
Production – Horizontal
Sapphire Energy (2007, San Diego, $290M) – Produces a renewable source of crude oil from algae biomass and operates algae-to-energy facility. Backed by ARCH Venture Partners, Wellcome Trust, Arrowpoint Partners, Venrock and Department of Energy.
KiOR (2007, Pasedena, $224M) – KiOR founded by Khosla Ventures is a renewable fuels company developing a commercial process to produce cellulosic gasoline and diesel from abundant, lignocellulosic biomass. With a two-step technology platform, they convert non-food lignocellulose into cellulosic gasoline and diesel that can be transported using the existing fuels distribution system for use in vehicles on the road today.
Joule Unlimited (2007, Bedford, $190M) – Technology developer to produce drop-in fuels using waste carbon dioxide (CO2) feedstock and waste brackish water. Backed by Flagship Ventures
Production – Biodiesel
Amyris (2003, Emeryville, IPO) – Partnered with Total Oil to produce biodiesel. Backed by KPCB, TGP Growth, Khosla Ventures and DAG Ventures. Went Public in September 2010.
Renewable Energy Group (1996, Ames, IPO) – Advanced biodiesel producer and developer of renewable chemicals. Went Public in January 2012
Production – Bioalcohol – Bioethanol
Vital Renewable Energy (2008, Sao Paulo, $1.32B) – Manufactures bioethanol and generates electricity from sugarcane.
Fulcrum Bioenergy (2007, Pleasanton, $302M) – Manufactures bioethanol from MSW. Backed by Rustic Canyon Partners and US Renewables Group.
Production – Bioalcohol – Biobutanol
Green Biologics (2003, Abingdon, $87M) – It offers a fermentation platform which converts a wide range of sustainable feedstocks into high-performance green chemicals such as n-butanol, acetone.
Production – Biogas
Stormfisher (2006, Toronto, $350M) – Builds, owns and operates biogas plants. Backed by Denham Capital.
Technology Developer – Horizontal
Virent Energy (2002, Madison, $103M, Acq.) – Technology developer and manufacturer for biofuels and biochemicals. Backed by Royal Dutch Shell, Cargill, Stark Investments and Venture Investors. Acquired by Tesoro in September 2016.
Technology Developer – Biodiesel
Aurora Biofuels (2006, Hayward, $102M) – Technology developer for production of biodiesel from algae. Backed by OAK Investment Partners, Gabriel Venture Partners and Noventi Ventures.
Technology Developer – Bioalcohol – Bioethanol
Mascoma (2006, New Hampshire, $138M, Acq.) – Technology provider and licensor for Bioethanol production. Backed by Atlas Venture, Khosla Ventures, KPCB, General Catalyst Partners, Pinnacle Ventures, Flagship Ventures, GM Ventures, VantagePoint Capital Partners etc. Acquired by Lallemand in November 2014.
Technology Developer – Biomass
Renmatix (2007, Kennesaw, $152.5M) – Technology developer and manufacturer for cellulosic sugar. Backed by KPCB, Total Ventures and BASF Venture Capital.
Technology Developer – Catalyst
Rive Technology (2006, Monmouth Junction, $67M) – Catalyst technology developer for petroleum and renewable industry. Backed by Charles River Ventures, Advanced Technology Ventures and Nth Power.
Feedstock – Oilseeds
SG Biofuels (2007, Encinitas, $37M) – Biomass and plant oils manufacturer and supplier. Backed by Flint Hills Resources, McNerney & Partners and Finstere Ventures.
Leaderboard includes all the top funded, IPO and successfully running bootstrapped companies along with their location, founding year and funding amount.
For latest updates visit Bioenergy feed.