Boldr raises $5M to turn home energy systems into grid capacity

UK energy management startup Boldr has raised $5 million in a pre-Series
A round to expand its technology for connecting residential energy equipment
and turning it into flexible capacity for the power grid. The round was led by
Unconventional Ventures, with participation from Ada Ventures, Tetrad Ventures,
Davidovs Venture Collective, Roxbury Asset Management, Inclimo Climate Tech
Fund, Prosegur, Techstars, S20 Fund and strategic investors from the North
American HVAC industry. The funding follows a $3.2 million oversubscribed seed
round raised last year.

Boldr is developing an energy management platform that connects equipment
inside homes, starting with heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
systems. Its technology is designed to enable devices such as heating and
cooling systems, batteries, EV chargers and solar installations to collectively
provide flexible energy capacity by adjusting demand when required by the grid.

The company is initially focusing on HVAC, one of the largest sources of
residential energy consumption in the US. Rather than targeting homeowners
directly, Boldr works with HVAC contractors that already install, maintain and
replace heating and cooling equipment, positioning them as the deployment and
service network for its technology.

The next power plant won’t be one building. It will be millions of homes
working together. But you don’t get there through a consumer app alone. You get
there through the contractors who already install, service and replace the
equipment that controls energy inside the home. Our job is to give them the
technology to make that future possible,

said Madi Ablyazov, CEO and
co-founder of Boldr.

Boldr’s smart thermostats and connected controls are designed to work
across a range of heating and cooling systems. Its software platform provides
contractors with visibility into installed equipment, allowing them to identify
potential issues, manage servicing and maintenance, and maintain relationships
with customers throughout the lifetime of the equipment.

By connecting these systems, Boldr aims to enable homes to participate in
distributed energy networks. During periods of high electricity demand,
connected equipment could be coordinated to reduce or shift consumption, giving
grid operators additional flexibility without relying solely on new centralised
generation and transmission infrastructure.

The company has secured nationwide distribution partnerships with HVAC
brands and supply houses, including Bosch-owned Source 1 and Daikin, providing
access to contractor networks across the US.

The funding will be used to expand Boldr’s technology beyond ductless
HVAC controls into residential and light commercial central HVAC systems,
accelerate product development, and grow its contractor partnerships and
distribution network across North America.

Over time, Boldr plans to extend its platform beyond HVAC to other
residential energy assets, including batteries, EV chargers and solar systems.
Its longer-term goal is to connect these distributed assets into a network that
can collectively manage energy demand and provide flexible capacity to the
grid.