Prelude Ventures invests in and supports early-stage startups with the greatest potential to mitigate climate change. Our goal is to help build the next generation of category-defining businesses.

Prelude Ventures

A $148 million private equity fund investing in energy companies, is sponsored by NGP Energy Capital Management.

NGP Energy Technology Partners

Ajax Strategies’ business consulting, public relations and strategic marketing services provide Forward-Thinking Solutions to professional services firms that are keen on continually challenging the status quo not only to provide exceptional and unparalleled service, but also to expand their business while enhancing profitability and efficiency.

Ajax Strategies

Activate Capital is a growth equity partner to companies building smart, sustainable systems across the energy, transportation, and industrial technology markets. The firm aims to generate financial returns while contributing to this vision of the future by investing in entrepreneurial management teams in high growth companies using technology to make the world more efficient, intelligent, and sustainable. The partners have collectively invested over $1 billion across their target sectors, resulting in 30 successful exits through IPO and M&A.

Activate Capital Partners

Voltus

Voltus represents the ''potential of us'' to better manage energy through simple, cost and risk-free distributed energy resources programs. Our commercial and industrial customers generate cash by allowing us to maximize the value of their operational flexibility in energy markets. Voltus makes money when our customers make money by sharing the cash generated from working together. What's more, there are significant community benefits that accompany working with Voltus - a cleaner, more reliable energy future and dollars invested back into your business instead of being wasted on a larger energy bill. To learn more, visit www.voltus.co.

Voltus is a leading distributed energy resource (DER) software platform that connects various types of DERs, including energy storage, distributed generation, demand response, and energy efficiency, to wholesale electricity markets across the US and Canada. The company's VoltApp platform enables customers to monetize their DERs by participating in grid services programs and generating revenue. Voltus manages a portfolio of nearly 4,200 megawatts (MW) of DERs as of 2022 and helped offset 56,208 metric tons of CO2 emissions by delivering 97,175 megawatt-hours of electricity in the same year.

Voltus Launches Carbon Reporting for Distributed Energy Resources

Unlock Demand Response Revenue

Voltus Earns Top Product of the Year from Environment + Energy Leader

Voltus Expects to Provide Nearly 2,600 MW of Distributed Energy Resources to Relieve Grid Shortages Across the U.S. and Canada

Commonwealth of Virginia Selects Voltus as its Demand Response Provider

Voltus Named One of America's Best Startup Employers by Forbes

Voltus Partners with Chesapeake Energy Corporation to Deliver 10 MW of Fast-Response Grid Services to Oklahoma

Mawson Infrastructure Group Inc. Partners Voltus – Blockchainreporter

Technologies that automate and optimize building operations using data-driven insights.

Smart Building Technology

Voltus is a leading distributed energy resource (DER) software platform and virtual power plant operator that connects distributed energy resources to electricity markets. The company's technology platform automates the scheduling, bidding, dispatch, and settlement for various types of DERs, including energy storage, distributed generation, and demand response. Voltus's primary offering allows commercial, industrial, and residential customers to earn revenue by reducing or shifting their energy use in response to grid signals. As of 2024, Voltus had a portfolio of over four GW of distributed energy resources across nine wholesale electricity markets in the US and Canada.

New FERC Order expands the reach of demand response

Voltus Releases CashDash 2.0, the First Distributed Energy Resources Monetization Platform Interconnected to Every Wholesale Energy Market

Voltus Partners with Citizen Energy in Oklahoma

Voltus Raises $25M to Grow Leadership Position in Distributed Energy Resources in Financing Round Led by NGP Energy Technology Partners III

Voltus Partners with Citizen Energy to Support Electric Grid Stability in Oklahoma

Optimizing the future of energy with software solutions

Energy Optimization & Management Software

Former FERC Chairman, Neil Chatterjee, Joins Voltus As Strategic Advisor

Voltus is a leading distributed energy resource (DER) software platform that connects various types of DERs, including energy storage, distributed generation, demand response, and energy efficiency, to wholesale electricity markets across the US and Canada. The company's VoltApp platform enables customers to monetize their DERs by participating in grid services programs and generating revenue. Voltus manages a portfolio of nearly 4,200 megawatts (MW) of DERs as of 2022 and helped offset 56,208 metric tons of CO2 emissions by delivering 97,175 megawatt-hours of electricity in the same year.
In February 2023, Voltus launched real-time, site-level carbon emissions avoidance reporting in VoltApp, allowing customers and partners to track avoided carbon emissions through their DER program participation. The company has established partnerships with various organizations, including the University of California, Berkeley, and Mawson Infrastructure Group, to enroll their facilities and resources in DER programs.
Voltus has also been recognized for its technology and achievements, receiving the Top Product of the Year Award from Environment + Energy Leader in 2022 for its VoltApp platform. In March 2022, the company was named one of America's Best startup Employers by Forbes.
In June 2022, Voltus announced its preparedness to provide nearly 2,600 MW of DERs to support grid reliability and address anticipated supply shortages across various regions, including Texas, New England, and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) territory. The company expanded its available programs to customers, offering nearly 60 programs in 2022, including quick-response programs activated across seven power markets.

Verkada is a leading provider of a cloud-based physical security platform designed to protect people and assets. The company offers an integrated suite of solutions comprising video security cameras, door-based access control, environmental sensors, alarms, visitor management, and mailroom management. Verkada's hybrid cloud architecture leverages edge-based processing and cloud computing capabilities to deliver real-time insights and seamless remote access.
Verkada's innovative camera lineup includes a wide range of models suitable for indoor and outdoor deployments, with resolutions ranging from 2MP to 4K and onboard storage capacity of up to 365 days. The cameras feature powerful analytics like people and vehicle detection, enabling users to search and filter footage based on various attributes.
Verkada's Command platform serves as a centralized, user-friendly interface for managing and monitoring all devices across multiple locations. It offers advanced features such as face search, cross-camera tracking, and proactive alerts, empowering organizations to streamline investigations and enhance overall security posture.
As of June 2024, Verkada's platform is trusted by over 24,000 organizations worldwide, including several Fortune 500 companies. The company has continually expanded its product offerings and capabilities, introducing solutions like a multisensor camera, advanced air quality sensors, and a 16-door access controller in November 2022 to meet evolving customer needs.

Verkada

Cloudastructure is a cloud-based video surveillance provider that offers an artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) powered platform. The platform utilizes proprietary technology to enable real-time monitoring, detection, and analysis of video footage. It offers features such as facial recognition, age and gender prediction, vehicle detection and color recognition, license plate recognition, object counting, and firearm detection. Cloudastructure's solution operates on a scalable cloud architecture, eliminating the need for on-premises hardware and associated costs.
The platform provides advanced search capabilities, customizable alerts and notifications, and integrates with various security systems. In January 2022, Cloudastructure acquired Visionful, a smart parking technology solution, to enhance its offerings with parking management and analytics capabilities. The company also announced plans to acquire Infrastructure Proving Grounds (IPG), an IoT cybersecurity monitoring service, to strengthen its cybersecurity offerings.
As of January 2022, Cloudastructure reported an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of over USD 1.3 million, representing a 1400% growth from the previous year. The company's sales pipeline grew from USD 60,000 in January 2021 to USD 10.5 million by January 2022, reflecting significant market traction.
In March 2023, Cloudastructure integrated remote guarding capabilities into its platform, enabling real-time intervention and deterrence of suspicious activities through virtual patrols, voice-down alerts, and escalation to law enforcement when necessary. The remote guarding feature has become a key differentiator, included in over 75% of the company's proposals as of August 2023.

Cloudastructure

Faceter is a computer vision surveillance technology that leverages a decentralized fog network of miners to provide smart security solutions for households and businesses worldwide. Their facial recognition technology, which has been independently tested and proven to have a 99.78% accuracy rate, enables users to set up their own CCTV systems using old smartphones or IP cameras. By activating facial recognition on these devices, Faceter allows users to detect potential threats and monitor their premises effectively.
The Faceter platform operates on a token economy, where users can contribute their GPU power to the decentralized network and earn FACE tokens in return. These tokens can then be used to pay for the computing power required to run the facial recognition and surveillance capabilities. Faceter's technology offers a range of features, including facial recognition, age detection, and person re-identification across multiple cameras.
In addition to its smart security solutions, Faceter provides easy integration with existing CCTV systems and apps, allowing users to enhance their surveillance capabilities seamlessly. The platform also offers a cloud-based storage solution for video data, ensuring secure and reliable access to recorded footage.
In February 2022, Faceter introduced a mobile video surveillance service that eliminates the need for additional equipment like servers. This service utilizes a cloud-based platform for storing and analyzing video data, providing a cost-effective and secure alternative to traditional surveillance systems.

Faceter

Blink Identity is a company that provides a privacy-focused facial recognition technology for access control and identification purposes. Their system utilizes proprietary biometric facial recognition software combined with specialized hardware to accurately identify individuals at full walking speed, even in varying lighting conditions. The technology does not store photographs; instead, it converts facial images into unique encrypted templates for comparison against enrolled templates securely stored in an encrypted database.
Blink Identity offers a "VIP Lane" service at venues, allowing streamlined entry for guests who have enrolled by providing their name, email address, and a forward-facing photograph taken with their cellphone camera. This photograph is converted into a template and associated with the user's ticket or event details. At the venue, high-speed machine vision cameras capture images of attendees, convert them into templates, and match them against the enrolled templates, facilitating expedited access while preventing fraud.
The company prioritizes data security and privacy, adhering to strict policies and procedures. In April 2022, Blink Identity successfully completed the Service Organization Control (SOC) two Type one audit, demonstrating its commitment to maintaining robust security controls for data processing and handling.

Blink identity

Augury is a leading provider of AI-based machine health solutions that enable manufacturers to predict and prevent industrial machine failures, thereby improving machine performance. The company's technology combines the internet of Things (IoT), AI, and human expertise to monitor machines continuously, diagnose issues, prescribe corrective actions, and guide users in implementing those actions.
Augury offers two primary solutions: Machine Health for Critical Equipment (MH CR) and Machine Health for Supporting Equipment (MH SE). MH CR provides precise fault diagnostics, root cause analysis, and detailed instructions to avert machine failures and optimize performance, backed by Augury's reliability engineers. MH SE enables users to quickly determine the severity of potential issues and perform proactive maintenance.
The process involves installing wireless sensors on machines to capture data, which is then transmitted to Augury's secure cloud for analysis by advanced AI algorithms. Diagnostic reports are sent to users, providing insights, recommended actions, and user guides. As of October 2022, Augury had diagnosed over 100,000 machines with 99.9% accurate diagnosis, helping global customers achieve 3-10x return on investment within months.
In December 2019, Augury received an USD 8 million investment from Qualcomm Ventures' AI Fund, recognizing its leadership in the Industrial internet of Things (IIoT). The investment aimed to accelerate the transformation of the industrial sector by leveraging 5G technologies for improved machine health solutions.

Augury

Platforms that automate building management. They gather and analyze data from multiple components, including hardware and sensors, and use a combination of technologies such as IoT, cloud computing, and machine learning for data-driven, proactive, and real-time building intelligence and controls.

Solutions that automatically adjust energy consumption using optimization algorithms, taking into account factors such as energy demand, weather, occupant comfort, and utility prices. These systems aim to reduce energy consumption, cost, and emissions without compromising occupant experience.

Smart lighting solutions include providers of hardware (e.g., smart light bulbs, smart windows, and shades) and lighting-as-a-service.

Smart HVAC solutions include sensors that integrate with building automation systems and specialized HVAC equipment that uses data gathered by sensors to manage temperature, humidity, and air flow. They aim to enhance occupant experience through improved comfort and indoor air quality whilst optimizing energy consumption and utility costs.

Providers of smart water management solutions including irrigation, leak detection, water health monitoring, and water usage analysis.

Developers of smart security solutions including security cameras, sensors, alarms, and access control combined with cloud-based software, and providers of video surveillance-as-a-service and access control-as-a-service.

Occupant experience platforms connect building owners, operators, and occupants to share information and feedback on comfort, maintenance, and safety. Rating systems allow building operators to measure, manage, and disclose key indicators such as ESG performance, digital connectivity and health and safety, assess their exposure to climate risk, and avail themselves of sustainable finance opportunities.

Providers of smart elevators and escalators as well as people-sensing platforms.

Technologies that monitor restroom usage, supplies, traffic, and maintenance.

Companies that use GenAI as a core part of their smart building product offering

Smart building technology companies use GenAI to optimize energy usage, enhance occupant comfort, and streamline building management processes

Smart buildings are a component of smart cities

Companies aim to provide sustainable solutions for energy and water usage

Smart building tech includes reducing energy and water consumption through recycling

Internet-enabled monitors and sensors optimize energy and water use and manage occupancy and security

Smart building tech products can monitor energy consumption and occupancy and adjust usage accordingly

Certain functions, such as HVAC, can be personalized

Voltus is a leading distributed energy resource (DER) software platform and virtual power plant operator that connects distributed energy resources to electricity markets. The company's technology platform automates the scheduling, bidding, dispatch, and settlement for various types of DERs, including energy storage, distributed generation, and demand response. Voltus's primary offering allows commercial, industrial, and residential customers to earn revenue by reducing or shifting their energy use in response to grid signals. As of 2024, Voltus had a portfolio of over four GW of distributed energy resources across nine wholesale electricity markets in the US and Canada.
The company's flagship product, VoltApp, provides customers with real-time energy data, dispatch performance metrics, cash earned, and carbon emissions avoidance reporting. In March 2021, Voltus released CashDash 2.0, an update to its financial transaction engine that allows for the monetization of various DER types across all North American energy markets. Voltus's platform aims to deliver less expensive, more reliable, and more sustainable electricity by maximizing the value of operational flexibility in energy markets.
Key customers and partnerships
Voltus works with a diverse range of customers across more than twenty industries. In April 2023, Voltus partnered with Citizen Energy to enroll 8,000 horsepower of compression capacity at their Chisholm Trail Cryogenic Plant into the Southwest Power Pool Operating Reserves market. In August 2022, the company announced a partnership with Chesapeake Energy Corporation to enroll 10 megawatts in the Southwest Power Pool Operating Reserves market.
In February 2024, Voltus was selected as the preferred vendor for the Demand Response program by the Virginia Department of Energy. This partnership will allow over 400 public facilities in Virginia, including airports, universities, and municipal buildings, to participate in Voltus's demand response programs.

TWAICE is a Munich-based battery analytics software company founded in 2018 by Dr. Michael Baumann and Dr. Stephan Rohr. The company provides a predictive analytics platform for companies working with lithium-ion batteries, addressing key concerns such as health, warranty, and safety throughout the battery lifecycle. TWAICE's software creates digital twins of batteries, allowing real-time monitoring and analysis of battery condition and performance. The platform combines deep battery expertise with artificial intelligence to generate actionable insights for battery development, operation, and potential second-life applications.
TWAICE's technology enables customers to optimize battery development processes, simulate battery behavior, monitor in-field performance, and evaluate used batteries for second-life applications. The company's solutions cater to various industries, including automotive, energy storage, and fleet management. TWAICE's analytics can help reduce development costs, improve battery performance and lifespan, and mitigate safety risks associated with battery operations. As of May 2021, TWAICE had raised a total of USD 45 million in funding to expand its product offerings and international presence.
Key customers and partnerships
TWAICE's customer base includes major automotive manufacturers such as Audi, Daimler, and Hero Motors, as well as energy companies like Verbund. The company has also established partnerships with Munich Re for insurance solutions, TÜV Rheinland for certifications, and ViriCiti for fleet management services. In April 2020, TWAICE's monitoring and analytics software was used by insurance company Munich Re to provide the first-ever performance warranty assurance for lithium-ion batteries. TWAICE has also formed a joint venture with TÜV Rheinland called Battery Quick Check to provide residual value assessments for used electric vehicle batteries. In 2020, TWAICE partnered with Dutch telematics company ViriCiti to deliver comprehensive battery analytics for electric bus fleets.

TWAICE

ION Energy, founded in 2016, is a Mumbai-based company that develops advanced battery management and intelligence platforms for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. The company's primary focus is on improving battery life and performance through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. ION Energy's flagship product is Edison Analytics, a cloud-hosted battery lifecycle management platform that leverages battery data, software analytics, and AI to remotely monitor, predict, and improve battery life. The platform utilizes the "Trinity of Battery Life" approach, which considers the entity, environment, and experience factors that impact battery life. ION Energy's solutions include cross-functional battery management systems (BMS) such as FS-CT, FS-LT, and FS-XT, designed for various applications ranging from light electric vehicles to grid storage. In May 2022, ION Energy sold its battery management system subsidiary, Maxwell Energy Systems, to Endurance Technologies for USD 40 million. The deal involved Endurance initially taking a 51% stake and acquiring the remaining business over the following five years.

ION Energy

Habitat Energy, founded in 2017, is a leading global optimizer of battery storage and renewable energy assets. The company specializes in delivering market-leading performance and value for asset owners through its EVOLVE optimization service. EVOLVE combines cutting-edge algorithmic forecasting and automation with an expert in-house trading team and asset intelligence to maximize revenue across real-time markets while minimizing exposure to negative prices and system costs.
Habitat Energy's proprietary software allows for real-time trading, forecasting, and revenue generation in wholesale and ancillary service markets. The company uses advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to analyze power market dynamics and optimize split-second dispatch instructions specific to each storage and renewable power supply asset under active management. Habitat's algorithmic tools are complemented by oversight from an experienced 24/7 trading team and in-house route-to-market execution capability. The company also possesses sophisticated in-house modeling of battery degradation, enabling it to calculate the marginal degradation cost of each dispatch action and factor that into real-time optimization decisions.
In November 2021, Habitat Energy was acquired by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, a specialist global investment manager focused on renewables, storage, and grid support infrastructure. Following the acquisition, Habitat Energy expanded its operations globally, with offices in Oxford, UK; Melbourne, Australia; and Austin, Texas, US. As of September 2022, Habitat Energy had an operating portfolio of over 700MW of storage capacity in the UK, dynamically optimized across real-time wholesale power markets, the Balancing Mechanism, and regulated ancillary services markets.
Key customers and partnerships
Habitat Energy has partnered with battery storage developer Glidepath Power Solutions to optimize an initial portfolio of 60MW of BESS assets in ERCOT, Texas. This includes Glidepath's 10MW/10MWh "Prospect" battery storage project in West Columbia and the 50MW Byrd Ranch storage project in Sweeny. In February 2022, Habitat Energy signed a deal with Eelpower to manage 189MW of UK battery storage projects, including assets in Fordtown near Aberdeen, Scotland, and Halesworth in Suffolk, England.

Habitat energy

Element Energy, founded in 2019 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, is an advanced battery management technology company. The company has developed proprietary hardware and software algorithms to improve the safety, intelligence, and economics of large-format battery systems. Element Energy's core product is an adaptive battery management system (BMS) that provides active monitoring, in-field diagnostics, predictive intelligence, and distributed control of large-scale battery systems. This technology results in improved total system performance, including enhanced energy throughput, system life, and economics, all delivered on a cost-competitive basis with traditional systems.
The company's BMS technology is applicable to both first and second-life batteries, with a focus on improving visualization, battery safety, and efficiency. Element Energy's approach distributes control down to the module level, allowing for the seamless combination of modules with different chemistries and states of health without negatively impacting performance. This technology is being validated on a large scale with a 50 MWh pilot project in the US, expected to be completed in early 2024.
Element Energy has secured over 2.5 GWh of second-life EV batteries for redeployment in utility-scale energy storage applications. The company plans to deploy 100-400 MWh systems starting in 2023, with multi-gigawatt deployments of its secured pipeline beginning the same year. As of November 2023, Element Energy had received and screened nearly two GWh of second-life batteries and was working toward deployment in utility-scale applications.
In addition to its focus on second-life batteries, Element Energy offers its technology solutions broadly across first-life energy storage and electric vehicle applications. The company is also exploring opportunities to apply its technology to electric vehicle batteries and is deploying its software as a service with a leading battery operations and maintenance provider.

Element Energy

KORE Power is a leading US-based developer and manufacturer of lithium-ion battery cells and energy storage solutions. Founded in 2018, the company designs and produces battery cells, modules, and packs for the energy storage and electric vehicle (EV) markets. KORE Power offers both nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistries, along with its own battery management system. The company's product portfolio includes energy storage systems for utility, commercial, industrial, and e-mobility applications.
KORE Power is currently constructing the KOREPlex, a 1.3 million square foot manufacturing facility in Buckeye, Arizona. Once operational, the plant will have an initial annual production capacity of six GWh of battery cells, with the potential to expand to 12 GWh. The facility is expected to begin commercial production by the end of 2024 or early 2025. In June 2023, KORE Power received a conditional commitment for an USD 850 million loan from the US Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office to support the construction of the KOREPlex.
In addition to cell manufacturing, KORE Power has expanded its offerings through strategic acquisitions and partnerships. In 2022, the company acquired Northern Reliability, an energy storage system integrator, to form KORE Solutions. This vertical integration allows KORE Power to provide end-to-end energy storage solutions. The company has also launched Nomad Transportable Power Systems, a subsidiary that produces mobile energy storage units for various applications, including power backup, emergency response, and grid support.
KORE Power has recently introduced its DC Block products, which are all-in-one energy storage solutions manufactured in the US. These systems are available in 750 kWh LFP and 1.3 MWh NMC configurations, designed to simplify installation and reduce project timelines for customers.

KORE Power

Software solutions that improve the reliability and performance of the electrical grid through facilitating the connection of distributed energy resources and other renewable energy sources. This includes solutions that optimize the operation of grids

Software solutions that monitor and optimize the performance, storage, and safety of long-duration energy storage batteries

Software solutions that monitor and optimize the performance of renewable energy assets to maximize their contribution toward consumer consumption

Demand response programs that aim to adjust the electricity consumption by end users in response to signals or price incentives

Uses AI/ML models to optimize energy supply and consumption

Optimizes and manages energy consumption and supply in smart cities

Provides software solutions for sustainable energy consumption

Electrifying passenger and commercial travel

Voltus

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