Breakthrough Energy names 21 startups it thinks will shape the electrified future

# Energy is funding and why

Breakthrough Energy released its sixth Fellows cohort: 21 early-stage startups selected to work on technologies the fund believes will matter as global electrification expands. Breakthrough's partners say electrifying sectors of the economy could multiply electricity demand over coming decades, so the foundation is positioning startups that address both producing and managing much more power.

# Big bets and nearer-term plays

Breakthrough's approach mixes high-risk, high-upside projects with more immediate cost-reduction work. Examples mentioned in the announcement:

• Semiconductors and data centers: Companies such as Bedrock Semiconductor, K1 Semiconductor and VariFlux target more efficient power electronics and semiconductor processing. K1 claims a new method to process materials like gallium nitride and silicon carbide that could significantly reduce power-electronics costs.

• Hydrogen and ammonia: AmHyTech and Ammovolt Energy are developing ways to use and transport hydrogen, including converting and carrying it as ammonia. Breakthrough frames ammonia as a potential practical carrier to move hydrogen where current infrastructure is minimal.

# Why data centers are a canary

Breakthrough's managing partner Eric Toone characterizes AI data-center growth as a visible sign of a broader trend. Data centers produced a noticeable bump in electricity demand, but he warns that electrifying transport, heating and industrial processes implies far larger increases. The Fellows program's investments aim to address both increased supply needs and the efficiency and transport infrastructure required to deliver electricity at scale.

# Program leadership and structure

This cohort is the first announced after Ashley Grosh, previous Fellows director, left to join WovenEarth Ventures. Benjamin Gaddy is serving as acting director while Breakthrough Energy searches for next steps. The program keeps the same risk-tolerant mix: avoid "silly" ideas but place several significant technological bets.

# What to watch next

# Bottom line

Breakthrough Energy's new Fellows cohort is a hedge against a future with much higher electricity demand. The selections emphasize a combination of breakthrough supply technologies, cost cuts for power electronics, practical hydrogen logistics, and tools to cope with warming that is already underway. The program's bets reflect both the scale of the challenge and a strategy of mixing near-term efficiency gains with long-term technical breakthroughs.