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Gridfruit develops an AI-driven platform for energy monitoring and control, specifically optimizing refrigeration systems in food retail. Their technology reduces operational costs, enhances food quality, and supports grid stability by offering real-time insights, demand-response integration, and predictive maintenance capabilities.
The company was co-founded by Jesse Thornburg and Javad Mohammadi, who converged through their shared research in climate change and sustainability. Thornburg, an MIT alumnus with prior entrepreneurial experience, leveraged his expertise in automated controls and data science to develop a solution for improving energy efficiency within commercial refrigeration.
Gridfruit serves food retail businesses, such as supermarkets and convenience stores. The company's mission, "Cooler Data, Cooler Planet," aims to empower these entities to significantly cut their carbon footprint and energy expenses. It envisions a future where data-driven energy management leads to both environmental sustainability and economic advantages for its customers.
Gridfruit has raised $25K across 1 funding round.
Gridfruit has raised $25K in total across 1 funding round.
Gridfruit is an AI-driven technology company that builds energy monitoring and control platforms tailored for food retailers, such as grocery stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. It serves these businesses by optimizing refrigeration systems through real-time data analytics, machine learning, and dynamic control, solving problems like high energy waste, food quality degradation, operational costs, and grid instability.[1][2][3][5] The platform reduces energy consumption by up to 15%, enables predictive maintenance, minimizes food waste, and turns refrigeration units into "thermal batteries" for demand response programs, generating revenue via subscriptions, consulting, and utility rebates while lowering carbon footprints.[1][3][4][7] Growth momentum includes pilots with utilities like TVA and PGH, DOE SBIR funding, ORNL support, EPRI collaborations, and plans for US scaling by 2024 and Europe by 2025, targeting a $24B US market.[2][4][6][7]
Gridfruit emerged from research at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) around 2015-2017, securing grants and filing patents for AI-based refrigeration optimization.[6] Founders include Javad Mohammadi (Pittsburgh-based) and Jesse (Knoxville-based, with TVA and ORNL funding for learning-based controls), who developed the idea to address inefficient refrigeration causing $24B in annual US losses for retailers.[2][6] Early traction came via 2017 NSF I-Corps store pilots, 2018-2019 PGH tests, and Innovation Crossroads (DOE/TVA/ORNL program), validating tech that saves food businesses and utilities over $4.4B yearly by enhancing resilience, freshness, and grid services.[2][4][6] Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the company evolved from hardware-software prototypes to a SaaS model with inexpensive control devices hosting patented AI.[1][2][7]
Gridfruit rides the convergence of AI, cleantech, and smart grids, addressing electrification demands amid rising energy costs and net-zero goals for retail (refrigeration accounts for ~50% of store energy use).[1][4][6] Timing aligns with utility pushes for demand flexibility, DOE incentives, and post-2020 energy startup resurgence via programs like Innovation Crossroads, enabling thermal storage as a grid asset amid renewables intermittency.[4][6][7] Market forces favoring it include a $24B US TAM, EPRI validations, and regulatory tailwinds for decarbonization, positioning Gridfruit to influence retail sustainability and grid resilience by aggregating refrigeration for utilities.[3][6][7]
Gridfruit is poised for expansion through multi-supermarket pilots, UI/tech scaling, hiring, and OEM licensing, targeting chains, wholesalers, and Europe by 2025 while adding HVAC/EV integrations.[6] Trends like AI-edge computing, utility aggregators, and EU green mandates will accelerate adoption, potentially evolving its role from retailer optimizer to full-store energy orchestrator and grid partner. With proven pilots and funding, it could capture significant share in a transformational market, turning "cooler data" into widespread savings and sustainability as energy intelligence reshapes food retail.
Gridfruit has raised $25K in total across 1 funding round.
Gridfruit's investors include Innovation Works, MIR Ventures.
Gridfruit has raised $25K across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $25K Seed in November 2020.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2020 | $25K Seed | — | Innovation Works, MIR Ventures | Announced |
