Powerhouse Ventures
Powerhouse Ventures Limited is a venture capital firm based in Christchurch, New Zealand, with additional offices in Wellington, Dunedin, and Auckland. Established in 2006, the firm specializes in incubation, start-up, early-stage, and growth capital investments, primarily targeting companies within Canterbury. It focuses on sectors such as engineering and clean technology, biotechnology and agri-science, health and medical devices, food, and information technology. Powerhouse Ventures aims to invest in companies that typically do not seek more than NZD 5 million in funding and have total capital and reserves, along with shareholder loans, not exceeding NZD 10 million. The firm is known for its selective approach, rigorously screening opportunities to identify those with strong intellectual property and significant potential in global markets. Additionally, Powerhouse Ventures engages in intellectual property commercialization and operates an innovation education program for students and organizations.
Top Stages
James Kruger
Executive Chairman
26 past transactions
Liquid Instruments
Venture Round in 2024
Liquid Instruments is a developer of innovative test and measurement devices tailored for the manufacturing, defense, and education sectors. The company’s flagship product, Moku:Lab, is an all-in-one device that integrates high-speed analog inputs and outputs with the signal processing capabilities of an FPGA. This software-configurable hardware platform allows for precision testing, measurement, and advanced digital signal processing. By providing flexible solutions, Liquid Instruments aims to enhance workflow and productivity in both industrial and educational environments.
Granular Energy
Seed Round in 2023
Granular Energy operates a clean energy marketplace that focuses on managing and trading renewable energy resources. Its platform provides a comprehensive suite of tools for the energy sector, including certificate management, portfolio and risk management, and carbon accounting. The company enables utilities, energy consumers, and generators to efficiently source clean energy and comply with regulatory requirements. Additionally, Granular Energy offers features such as an assessment tool and registry onboarding, which help facilitate the aggregation of clean energy resources and generate new price signals in the market. Through its innovative solutions, Granular Energy aims to enhance the management of clean energy, contributing to a more sustainable energy future.
Granular Energy
Seed Round in 2022
Granular Energy operates a clean energy marketplace that focuses on managing and trading renewable energy resources. Its platform provides a comprehensive suite of tools for the energy sector, including certificate management, portfolio and risk management, and carbon accounting. The company enables utilities, energy consumers, and generators to efficiently source clean energy and comply with regulatory requirements. Additionally, Granular Energy offers features such as an assessment tool and registry onboarding, which help facilitate the aggregation of clean energy resources and generate new price signals in the market. Through its innovative solutions, Granular Energy aims to enhance the management of clean energy, contributing to a more sustainable energy future.
Salient
Seed Round in 2022
Salient creates a weather intelligence platform that combines novel ocean and land-surface data with machine learning and climate expertise to provide accurate subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) weather forecasts 2 to 52 weeks ahead. Salient's tools sift through large datasets to identify complex climate system relationships in order to provide accurate forecasts used in agriculture, energy, finance, supply chain, and other industries. Salient utilizes scientific knowledge to assist individuals and organizations in better understanding and preparing for the increasing volatility of climate change.
CertusBio
Funding Round in 2021
CertusBio Limited is a company based in Christchurch, New Zealand, that specializes in developing biosensor monitoring technologies for various industries. Founded in 2015, CertusBio's innovative solutions are designed for continuous on-site industrial monitoring, targeting sectors such as food processing, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and wastewater treatment. The company's biosensor technologies provide real-time data access, enabling industries to make informed, data-driven decisions that enhance efficiency, improve yields, and reduce waste. Particularly, their technology benefits dairy processors by allowing them to monitor critical analytes like lactose, proteins, and bacteria, facilitating better management of product quality and minimizing treatment costs in wastewater processes.
Energetic Capital
Series A in 2021
Energetic Insurance, Inc. is an InsurTech company based in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 2016. It specializes in providing solar insurance solutions that address credit and counterparty risks associated with commercial and industrial solar photovoltaic projects. The company offers a product called EneRate, which protects third-party solar developers and asset owners from repayment risks and revenue losses due to defaults on power purchase agreements (PPAs). Energetic Insurance employs a data-driven approach as a Managing General Underwriter, developing innovative risk management products that facilitate solar financing for unrated or below investment grade organizations. This enables solar project developers to undertake more projects and access capital by mitigating payment default risks, thereby enhancing project economics through lower interest rates and improved financial structuring.
WattBuy
Series A in 2020
WattBuy is a technology company focused on providing households with access to cleaner and more affordable electricity. Headquartered in New York City, Washington D.C., and Seattle, the company comprises a team of product leaders and engineers with backgrounds from major tech firms. WattBuy has developed an electricity management platform that allows users to take control of their electricity consumption. Through a personalized recommendation engine, the platform helps residents select electricity plans tailored to their preferences and usage patterns, enabling them to save money and switch to the most cost-effective suppliers in their regions. The company's mission centers on leveraging technology to address energy inequality and contribute positively to climate change.
Amperon
Seed Round in 2020
Amperon Holdings, Inc., established in 2017 and headquartered in New York, NY, with an additional office in Houston, TX, operates in the technology sector. The company specializes in developing predictive tools for energy retailers and grid operators, leveraging smart meters and artificial intelligence to provide real-time operational grid intelligence. Amperon's platform offers real-time electricity demand forecasts, enabling energy suppliers and utilities to manage costs efficiently, even in the face of grid volatility caused by factors such as global pandemics, climate disasters, or complex grid dynamics.
WattBuy
Seed Round in 2019
WattBuy is a technology company focused on providing households with access to cleaner and more affordable electricity. Headquartered in New York City, Washington D.C., and Seattle, the company comprises a team of product leaders and engineers with backgrounds from major tech firms. WattBuy has developed an electricity management platform that allows users to take control of their electricity consumption. Through a personalized recommendation engine, the platform helps residents select electricity plans tailored to their preferences and usage patterns, enabling them to save money and switch to the most cost-effective suppliers in their regions. The company's mission centers on leveraging technology to address energy inequality and contribute positively to climate change.
Invert Robotics
Venture Round in 2018
Invert Robotics Limited specializes in providing remote robotic inspection services primarily for the food and beverage industry, as well as the pharmaceutical and oil and gas sectors. Founded in 2010 and based in Christchurch, New Zealand, the company has developed a modular, multi-technology inspection platform capable of performing non-destructive testing on various industrial equipment. Its robotic solutions are designed for visual inspections of storage tanks, spray dryers, and other vessels, allowing for the detection of cracks and defects. The proprietary robots can navigate smoothly on all surfaces, including non-magnetic materials, ensuring safe and accurate asset management. Invert Robotics aims to enhance maintenance efficiency and safety for its clients through innovative inspection technologies.
MARS Bioimaging
Series A in 2014
MARS Bioimaging Ltd. specializes in the design, manufacture, and marketing of advanced imaging systems for medical diagnosis. Established in 2007 and based in Christchurch, New Zealand, the company is recognized for its pioneering MARS imaging system, which utilizes cutting-edge Medipix technology developed in collaboration with the University of Canterbury and licensed from CERN. This system offers high-definition spectral computed tomography, enabling detailed imaging applications, including cancer detection and the development of new contrast agents. MARS Bioimaging also provides a MARS Micro-CT scanner that features an x-ray source and a sophisticated camera system, along with proprietary software that facilitates the visualization of image datasets in both 2D and 3D formats. This innovation positions MARS Bioimaging as a leader in spectral imaging technology, crucial for pre-clinical medical research and other diagnostic applications.
Silventum
Silventum is a pharmaceutical company specializing in the development of innovative dental filling materials. These materials are designed to actively resist bacterial infections, providing mechanical, structural, and aesthetic benefits. By utilizing these advanced materials, dentists can help patients prevent dental decay and cavities.
Inhibit Coatings
Inhibit Coatings is a start-up that specializes in the development of high-performance antimicrobial paints and coatings aimed at enhancing food safety and healthcare applications. Founded in 2016 by Dr. Eldon Tate and Prof. Jim Johnston, the company utilizes a proprietary silver nanoparticle functionalization method to create durable, low-leaching antimicrobial coatings. This innovative technology ensures that silver particles are evenly distributed throughout the polymer coating and securely bound to the resin backbone, requiring minimal amounts of silver—typically less than 0.1%—to achieve effective antimicrobial performance against over 650 microorganisms. The coatings have been successfully integrated into various resin systems, including acrylics, epoxies, and polyurethanes, providing robust protection against contamination in sectors such as food and beverage, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals.
Objective Acuity
Objective Acuity Limited is a company based in Auckland, New Zealand, specializing in the development of advanced vision testing systems aimed at accurately detecting visual function. The company offers a suite of software-based vision screening tools designed to be accessible and effective for individuals of all ages and literacy levels. Its vision tests utilize an eye-tracking system that captures eye movement data, which is analyzed through proprietary algorithms. This innovative approach allows for the accurate measurement of visual acuity, facilitating early detection of vision problems such as amblyopia and strabismus. Objective Acuity's tests are employed in various applications, including routine screenings for children and adults, follow-up assessments after national screening programs, and objective evaluations of treatment progress by healthcare professionals.
Hot Lime Labs
Hot Lime Labs specializes in developing innovative carbon dioxide (CO2) capture technology aimed at enhancing the efficiency of commercial greenhouses. The company’s system captures clean CO2 generated from the combustion of waste organic materials, such as waste wood. By recovering this concentrated CO2, Hot Lime Labs enables greenhouse operators to improve crop yields and optimize food production. This approach not only supports increased agricultural output but also mitigates environmental impact by utilizing a renewable source of clean CO2, thus contributing to more sustainable farming practices.
Cirrus Materials Science
Cirrus Materials Science Ltd is a specialized company based in Auckland, New Zealand, that focuses on developing innovative coating technologies for metals using nano-technology. Established in 2013, Cirrus offers products such as Cirrus Hybrid, which protects light metal substrates and 3D printed components, and Cirrus Dopant, a liquid additive for plating baths that maintains a stable suspension of nano-particles. The company provides services including electroplating for metal coating applications to enhance corrosion resistance and improve aesthetics, as well as design services aimed at extending the life of coated materials and reducing maintenance costs. Catering primarily to the aerospace and electronics industries, Cirrus aims to address cost, regulatory, and performance challenges while promoting environmentally friendly solutions through their patented technologies.
Cirrus Materials Science
Cirrus Materials Science Ltd is a specialized company based in Auckland, New Zealand, that focuses on developing innovative coating technologies for metals using nano-technology. Established in 2013, Cirrus offers products such as Cirrus Hybrid, which protects light metal substrates and 3D printed components, and Cirrus Dopant, a liquid additive for plating baths that maintains a stable suspension of nano-particles. The company provides services including electroplating for metal coating applications to enhance corrosion resistance and improve aesthetics, as well as design services aimed at extending the life of coated materials and reducing maintenance costs. Catering primarily to the aerospace and electronics industries, Cirrus aims to address cost, regulatory, and performance challenges while promoting environmentally friendly solutions through their patented technologies.
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