Calectra
Provides zero-carbon, low-cost process heat up to 1600°C for heavy industries using thermal storage technology, enabling electrification with renewable energy.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor investor investor investor investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
* | $400k | Grant | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Based in Oakland, California, Calectra is a company addressing the challenge of decarbonizing high-temperature industrial heat. Founded in 2023 by CEO Pauliina Meskanen and CTO Dr. Nathaniel Weger, the company was born out of the U.S. Department of Energy's Cradle to Commerce program where the co-founders met. Weger's doctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory forms the technical foundation of the company. Meskanen brings extensive experience in technology commercialization and venture capital to the firm, having worked with multiple VC funds and a health-tech startup.
Calectra operates in the energy storage and cleantech sectors, targeting heavy industries such as cement, steel, glass, and chemicals manufacturing. These industries rely on high-temperature processes, which account for a significant portion of global CO2 emissions and energy consumption, creating a substantial market for decarbonization solutions. The company's business model centers on providing a cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels for industrial process heat. Calectra has secured approximately $2 million in funding, combining a $1.6 million pre-seed round led by Lifeline Ventures with over $400,000 in grants from the U.S. government and New York State.
The core of Calectra's offering is a novel thermal energy storage system designed to deliver zero-carbon process heat at temperatures up to 1600°C. This technology utilizes patent-pending, electrically conductive ceramic composite bricks to store off-peak renewable electricity as heat. A key feature of Calectra's system is its ability to make the bricks themselves electrically conductive, a design choice intended to increase energy efficiency compared to systems that use separate heat exchangers. The stored thermal energy is then delivered on-demand to industrial processes via a simple, air-based heat transfer system. This approach allows manufacturers to replace fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and potentially lower energy costs by capitalizing on intermittent, low-cost renewable energy.
Keywords: industrial decarbonization, thermal energy storage, high-temperature heat, cleantech, energy storage, process heat, heavy industry, ceramic composites, renewable energy storage, power-to-heat, climate tech, zero-carbon heat, sustainable manufacturing, thermal battery, industrial electrification, energy efficiency, advanced materials, climate solutions, carbon emissions reduction, green technology, Activate fellow