Breakthrough Energy

Savor and its founders Ian McKay and Kathleen C. Alexander are using century-old science to recreate butter without cows or plants—unlocking new ways to make clean, delicious ingredients with far less environmental impact.   A glimpse of how innovation can open new markets and build a more resilient food system. https://cnb.cx/47bb9Hi

Applications are open for Cohort 6 of Breakthrough Energy Fellows.   The BE Fellows program is more than funding—it’s a launchpad.   Over the past five years, Fellows have turned early-stage science into technologies reshaping how we power the world. They’ve built companies, secured major partnerships, and moved from lab breakthroughs to industrial pilots—faster than they thought possible.   Breakthrough Energy provides the foundation that makes this possible—combining capital, mentorship, technical expertise, and connections across our global network. By surrounding innovators with the tools and partners they need, we help them move faster from idea to impact.   We’re looking for the next wave of builders ready to do the same.   If you’re a scientist, engineer, or entrepreneur developing an early-stage, high-impact climate technology—this program is built to help you succeed.   Fellows receive: ▪️ Up to $500K in philanthropic funding for research & development ▪️ Deep technical and entrepreneurial mentorship ▪️ Access to a global network of investors, partners, and industry leaders ▪️ Significant in-kind resources ▪️ A community of peers advancing solutions across manufacturing, electricity, agriculture, transportation, and buildings   If you’re ready to turn bold ideas into real impact—apply now through November 10th.  https://lnkd.in/gvtuwbKh

Rethinking how aircrafts get built.     Heart Aerospace Founder and CEO Anders Forslund shares the five hardtech principles driving the design of the ES-30 hybrid-electric airliner—and what they reveal about the future of affordable, clean everyday travel.  https://bit.ly/43yOAtw

Stoke Space’s $510 million raise marks a turning point for the launch industry—and a broader trend across advanced sectors.     Today’s leading innovators are building technologies that strengthen national and industrial resilience. Defense may be the first proving ground, but the long-term goal is commercial scale—where these breakthroughs can transform entire industries.    The same dynamic drives progress in energy and manufacturing: when innovation underpins essential systems, it creates durable growth, stronger supply chains, and lasting prosperity. https://tcrn.ch/3IZ1gDh

Another example of strong partnerships driving scalable impact.   Circ® is joining forces with H&M Group and Lenzing Group to bring its recycled fibers into worldwide collections.   By integrating Circ’s recycled pulp into Lenzing’s TENCEL platform and H&M’s upcoming products, this collaboration showcases how innovation and industry partnership can make circular fashion commercially viable at scale.

A cleaner future for steel is taking shape in Colorado.     Electra is building its first low-carbon iron demonstration plant—a 130,000-square-foot facility designed to validate its breakthrough low-temperature process for refining iron ore. Backed by our $50M grant and contracts with Meta, Nucor Corporation, Toyota Tsusho America, and Interfer Edelstahl Handelsgesellschaft mbH, the plant will begin producing iron in 2026.     Steelmaking accounts for nearly 8% of global emissions. Projects like this show how targeted funding and early corporate partnerships can accelerate the shift to net-zero materials and bring clean industrial innovation to market. https://lnkd.in/g7UT2t8j

Industrial heat is going electric.    Rondo Energy has activated the world’s largest industrial heat battery—a 100 MWh system paired with a 20 MW solar array in California.    At Holmes Western Oil Corp, the system replaces a natural gas boiler, lowering costs, running reliably 24/7, and cutting 13,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually. It’s a tangible example of how clean electricity can power even the most energy-intensive industries.    This milestone goes beyond replacing one fuel with another—it’s about building energy systems that are more affordable, abundant, and reliable for everything we make and move.    It’s an exciting time to be supporting Rondo as their technology scales beyond oil and gas into sectors like cement and aluminum—industries where electrified heat can strengthen supply chains and open new markets for affordable, clean power. https://lnkd.in/gRBa2D-b

Cleaner, more efficient flight doesn’t just lower emissions—it strengthens an industry that connects people, moves goods, and underpins global prosperity.    Our Contrails.org program is advancing aviation’s next major opportunity to reduce climate impacts—by predicting and avoiding high-climate-impact contrails.    Contrails—cloud-like trails left by airplanes—can trap heat and are linked to 1–2% of all human-caused global warming. Through a new partnership with Aireon LLC, Contrails.org will use global flight data to better understand when and where contrails form, helping airlines reduce their climate footprint through smarter route planning.    Smarter data. Cleaner skies. 

These builders are proving what’s possible.    Lilac is moving from demonstration to commercial scale with technology that could double U.S. lithium production—while using a fraction of the water and land of traditional methods.    By re-engineering lithium extraction, Lilac is tackling one of the toughest bottlenecks in the energy transition and strengthening America’s position in the global race for critical minerals.    This is the kind of momentum we’re proud to support: smarter technology, smaller footprint, and a stronger foundation for American energy security. https://lnkd.in/gjuRKARp

Boston Metal from our portfolio just earned a spot on TIME's Best Inventions of 2025 for its Molten Oxide Electrolysis breakthrough—using renewable electricity to convert iron ore directly into liquid metal, with zero emissions.   Steelmaking is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize. Boston Metal is showing it can be done—cleaner, faster, and at industrial scale.   A major step toward cost-competitive green steel and a stronger foundation for a net-zero economy. https://lnkd.in/gypHTXi9