Firelake Investors Fund II

Firelake Capital Management is a California-based venture capital and private equity firm focused on early-stage investments in both public and private companies. The firm maintains a hybrid portfolio that includes investments in information technology, energy technology, and material science. It primarily targets small-cap public technology companies with market capitalizations generally under one billion, allocating 70 to 100 percent of its investments to this sector. In addition, Firelake invests in private companies that develop edge technologies aimed at addressing future fundamental needs. The firm emphasizes the importance of technological innovation and scalability in its public holdings and actively seeks opportunities within global supply chains, energy, water, and materials science. Firelake often co-invests with other firms and prefers to take board or observer seats in its portfolio companies, ensuring a hands-on approach to its investments.

Candice Eggerss

Managing Director

Fred Kittler

Managing Director

Martin Lagod

Co-Founder and Managing Director

Peter Shannon

Principal

46 past transactions

BrightVolt

Series D in 2009
BrightVolt, Inc. is engaged in the design, development, and scale manufacturing of ultra thin film batteries to power various Internet connected devices, such as medical patches, sensor labels, and power cards. It also develops custom solid state thin film batteries and power solutions for client’s IoT devices; Flexion solid state thin film lithium polymer batteries; and thin micro electronics. The company’s products are sold in the United States and internationally. BrightVolt, Inc. was formerly known as Solicore, Inc. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is based in Redmond, Washington.

Liquidia Technologies

Series C in 2010
Liquidia Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company. The company focuses on the development and commercialization of various products using its PRINT technology that enables precise production of drug particles designed to enhance the safety, efficacy, and performance of a range of therapies. Its product candidates include LIQ861 for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension; and LIQ865 for the treatment of local post-operative pain. The company also provides strategy, investment, and commercialization services for rare disease pharmaceutical products, such as generic Remodulin, a parenteral formulation of treprostinil for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Liquidia Corporation was founded in 2004 and is based in Morrisville, North Carolina.

Ruckus Wireless

Series G in 2012
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, Ruckus Wireless, Inc.(NYSE: RKUS) is a global supplier of advanced wireless systems for the rapidly expanding mobile Internet infrastructure market. The company offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor “Smart Wi-Fi” products to mobile carriers, broadband service providers, and corporate enterprises, and has over 48,000 end-customers worldwide. Ruckus technology addresses Wi-Fi capacity and coverage challenges caused by the ever-increasing amount of traffic on wireless networks due to accelerated adoption of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Ruckus invented and has patented state-of-the-art wireless voice, video, and data technology innovations, such as adaptive antenna arrays that extend signal range, increase client data rates, and avoid interference, providing consistent and reliable distribution of delay-sensitive multimedia content and services over standard 802.11 Wi-Fi.

EOS Climate, Inc.

Series A in 2012
EOS Climate is a producer of high-quality, verified emission reductions (VERs) generated from the destruction of ozone depleting substances (ODS), which are also extremely potent greenhouse gases. While ODS such as CFCs are no longer manufactured, they are still emitted by leaky, old air conditioning units and refrigeration equipment. As greenhouse gases (GHGs), ODS are up to 11,000 times more powerful than carbon-dioxide and represent a ticking time bomb for our global climate system. Current inventories of ODS are equivalent to approximately 2.5 times the total annual GHG emissions of the United States.

MiaSolé

Series D in 2007
MiaSole is a pioneer in the development of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) thin film photovoltaic products. Their goal is to enable grid parity solar energy by 2012 through high volume manufacturing of low cost solar modules.

BrightVolt

Series D in 2009
BrightVolt, Inc. is engaged in the design, development, and scale manufacturing of ultra thin film batteries to power various Internet connected devices, such as medical patches, sensor labels, and power cards. It also develops custom solid state thin film batteries and power solutions for client’s IoT devices; Flexion solid state thin film lithium polymer batteries; and thin micro electronics. The company’s products are sold in the United States and internationally. BrightVolt, Inc. was formerly known as Solicore, Inc. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is based in Redmond, Washington.

QBotix

Series A in 2012
A solar panel that tracks the sun throughout the day produces up to 30% more electricity than one that does not. Solar project developers install single-axis tracking for most utility-scale sites, balancing upfront costs versus electricity revenues to maximize rates of return. QBotix disrupts today's cost curve of fixed-tilt, single-axis tracking, and dual-axis tracking with an innovative tracking solution that offers dual-axis tracking at single-axis price. This reduces the levelized cost of energy by 10-20% while providing the added benefit of higher reliability and system intelligence.

Sensicore

Series B in 2003
Sensicore, Inc. develops smart sensor systems and sensor networks that automate water testing, data collection, and analysis for drinking and industrial applications. It offers WaterPOINT, a handheld screening tool and water tester that provides a profile of various chemistry measurements, allowing users to conduct various tests at sites, as well as allows municipalities to manage resources; and WaterNOW, a Web-based data visualization, analysis, and decision support system that enable users to manage water system and data collected by WaterPOINT and other sources. The company also provides sensor kits and bundles, which include disinfection and disinfection/DPD chlorine drinking water test kits, and basic water test kits; and colorimetric test kits, including aluminum, bromine, chloride, copper, cyanide, fluoride, iron, manganese, molybdate, nitrate, nitrite, ortho-phosphate, silica, sulfate, sulfide, and zinc vacuum ampoules. In addition, the company offers accessories, such as portable thermal printers, communications cables, power inverters, and power supply products. It offers products for measuring and monitoring water quality, including incoming water quality and boiler feed monitoring; cooling tower monitoring and process control; filtration system performance monitoring; cleaning and rinse control system monitoring; product testing and control; and food and beverage applications. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As of March 31, 2008, Sensicore, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of GE Analytical Instruments, Inc.

Plextronics

Series A in 2006
Plextronics specializes in printed electronics. The company's focus is on organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays and lighting, specifically conductive inks and associated process technologies. Plextronic's technology will enable the mass production of these printed devices and therefore lower the cost.

ZeaChem

Series C in 2012
ZeaChem will change the world by creating high margin and sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based fuels and chemicals. Able to use wood chips, wheat straw, corn stover, or grasses to make a range of drop-in products for the $1T+ chemicals and fuels markets, ZeaChem can profit today without any subsidies and is competitive with $50 per barrel oil. ZeaChem’s advantage centers around its fermentation process which converts 100% of the carbon in the sugars into end products, delivering unmatched yields

Siva Power

Series C in 2010
Siva Power (formerly Solexant) develops third generation thin film PV technologies which increase solar cell efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs, therefore enabling the commercialization of solar modules that generate electricity at competitive rates without depending on government subsidies. Using printable nano-material technologies exclusively licensed from leading universities,Siva Power's flexible solar cells harvest energy from the entire solar spectrum.

Nanosolar

Series C in 2006
Nanosolar prints solar cells and assembles panels to enable the most cost-efficient solar electricity. Nanosolars proprietary approach to printing CIGS (Copper, Indium, Gallium, Selenium) and nanoparticle inks using an annealing process minimizes the use of expensive, high vacuum deposition manufacturing equipment. This allows the Company to utilize equipment from the industrial printing and roll-to-roll manufacturing industries to produce solar-electric foil at high speeds, bringing the economics of printing to the world of solar PV semiconductor manufacturing.

BrightVolt

Series A in 2013
BrightVolt, Inc. is engaged in the design, development, and scale manufacturing of ultra thin film batteries to power various Internet connected devices, such as medical patches, sensor labels, and power cards. It also develops custom solid state thin film batteries and power solutions for client’s IoT devices; Flexion solid state thin film lithium polymer batteries; and thin micro electronics. The company’s products are sold in the United States and internationally. BrightVolt, Inc. was formerly known as Solicore, Inc. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is based in Redmond, Washington.

Nanotex

Series A in 2005
Nano-Tex is a leading fabric innovation company providing nanotechnology- based textile enhancements to the apparel, home and commercial/residential interiors markets. To date, more than 80 textile mills worldwide are utilizing Nano-Tex treatments in products sold by more than 100 leading brands Worldwide.

Sensicore

Series C in 2005
Sensicore, Inc. develops smart sensor systems and sensor networks that automate water testing, data collection, and analysis for drinking and industrial applications. It offers WaterPOINT, a handheld screening tool and water tester that provides a profile of various chemistry measurements, allowing users to conduct various tests at sites, as well as allows municipalities to manage resources; and WaterNOW, a Web-based data visualization, analysis, and decision support system that enable users to manage water system and data collected by WaterPOINT and other sources. The company also provides sensor kits and bundles, which include disinfection and disinfection/DPD chlorine drinking water test kits, and basic water test kits; and colorimetric test kits, including aluminum, bromine, chloride, copper, cyanide, fluoride, iron, manganese, molybdate, nitrate, nitrite, ortho-phosphate, silica, sulfate, sulfide, and zinc vacuum ampoules. In addition, the company offers accessories, such as portable thermal printers, communications cables, power inverters, and power supply products. It offers products for measuring and monitoring water quality, including incoming water quality and boiler feed monitoring; cooling tower monitoring and process control; filtration system performance monitoring; cleaning and rinse control system monitoring; product testing and control; and food and beverage applications. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As of March 31, 2008, Sensicore, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of GE Analytical Instruments, Inc.

Advent Solar

Series C in 2005
Advent Solar produces silicon photovoltaic cell-to-module technology. Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A., the company focuses on delivering intellectual property (IP) for intelligent, high-energy silicon photovoltaic (PV) solutions. With patented, advanced technologies, Advent Solar enables higher value products that are Beautiful by Design™, changing the rules for smart grid economics. Advent Solar provides its industry-leading Ventura™ Technology through a licensing model. Ventura Solar Technology is a comprehensive cell-to-module architecture for high-performance solar modules that deliver the industry’s best value for silicon PV modules.

Plextronics

Series B in 2007
Plextronics specializes in printed electronics. The company's focus is on organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays and lighting, specifically conductive inks and associated process technologies. Plextronic's technology will enable the mass production of these printed devices and therefore lower the cost.

Liquidia Technologies

Series C in 2010
Liquidia Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company. The company focuses on the development and commercialization of various products using its PRINT technology that enables precise production of drug particles designed to enhance the safety, efficacy, and performance of a range of therapies. Its product candidates include LIQ861 for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension; and LIQ865 for the treatment of local post-operative pain. The company also provides strategy, investment, and commercialization services for rare disease pharmaceutical products, such as generic Remodulin, a parenteral formulation of treprostinil for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Liquidia Corporation was founded in 2004 and is based in Morrisville, North Carolina.

BrightVolt

Series B in 2003
BrightVolt, Inc. is engaged in the design, development, and scale manufacturing of ultra thin film batteries to power various Internet connected devices, such as medical patches, sensor labels, and power cards. It also develops custom solid state thin film batteries and power solutions for client’s IoT devices; Flexion solid state thin film lithium polymer batteries; and thin micro electronics. The company’s products are sold in the United States and internationally. BrightVolt, Inc. was formerly known as Solicore, Inc. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is based in Redmond, Washington.

BluWrap

Venture Round in 2014
BluWrap provides shelf-life technology and solutions for fresh food supply chains worldwide. The company's fuel cell technology system uses its oxygen management techniques to create and maintain an all-natural controlled atmosphere environment that extends the shelf-life of perishable proteins. Its technology allows suppliers of fresh protein products to ship by ocean. BluWrap was formerly known as Global Fresh Foods, Inc. and changed its name to BluWrap in September 2013. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in San Francisco, California with operations in Talcahuano, Chile.

Solyndra

Series E in 2008
Solyndra is a manufacturer of cylindrical panels of CIGS thin-film solar cells based in Fremont, California. Solyndra designs and manufactures photovoltaic systems, comprised of panels and mounting hardware, for the commercial rooftop market. Solyndra employs high volume manufacturing based on proven technologies and processes to meet the needs of the global solar market. Using proprietary cylindrical modules and thin-film technology, Solyndra systems are designed to provide the lowest installed cost per system and the highest solar electrical energy output for typical low slope commercial rooftops. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Fremont, California, Solyndra operates a state-of-the-art 300,000 square foot fully-automated manufacturing complex.

Scifiniti

Series B in 2013
Scifiniti is an early stage company working to create a drop-in replacement for crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells. Rather than casting an ingot of polysilicon and then sawing it into wafers (to be processed into solar cells), Scifiniti's approach skips these steps and creates a wafer directly (although we can't say how) with a high quality crystal structure suitable for solar cells.

BluWrap

Private Placement in 2018
BluWrap provides shelf-life technology and solutions for fresh food supply chains worldwide. The company's fuel cell technology system uses its oxygen management techniques to create and maintain an all-natural controlled atmosphere environment that extends the shelf-life of perishable proteins. Its technology allows suppliers of fresh protein products to ship by ocean. BluWrap was formerly known as Global Fresh Foods, Inc. and changed its name to BluWrap in September 2013. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in San Francisco, California with operations in Talcahuano, Chile.

BrightVolt

Series C in 2005
BrightVolt, Inc. is engaged in the design, development, and scale manufacturing of ultra thin film batteries to power various Internet connected devices, such as medical patches, sensor labels, and power cards. It also develops custom solid state thin film batteries and power solutions for client’s IoT devices; Flexion solid state thin film lithium polymer batteries; and thin micro electronics. The company’s products are sold in the United States and internationally. BrightVolt, Inc. was formerly known as Solicore, Inc. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is based in Redmond, Washington.

Sungevity

Series C in 2010
Sungevity develops remote solar designs and installation services for home solar electric systems. As solar panel prices continue to plummet, residential customers, with their higher utility rates will be among the first to benefit from solar on a pure economic basis, free of subsidies. Over 100,000 residential rooftop systems have been installed in the U.S. as of today, but continued rapid cost declines drive the opportunity to over 40 million within four years.

Liquidia Technologies

Series B in 2007
Liquidia Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company. The company focuses on the development and commercialization of various products using its PRINT technology that enables precise production of drug particles designed to enhance the safety, efficacy, and performance of a range of therapies. Its product candidates include LIQ861 for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension; and LIQ865 for the treatment of local post-operative pain. The company also provides strategy, investment, and commercialization services for rare disease pharmaceutical products, such as generic Remodulin, a parenteral formulation of treprostinil for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Liquidia Corporation was founded in 2004 and is based in Morrisville, North Carolina.

Advent Solar

Series D in 2007
Advent Solar produces silicon photovoltaic cell-to-module technology. Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A., the company focuses on delivering intellectual property (IP) for intelligent, high-energy silicon photovoltaic (PV) solutions. With patented, advanced technologies, Advent Solar enables higher value products that are Beautiful by Design™, changing the rules for smart grid economics. Advent Solar provides its industry-leading Ventura™ Technology through a licensing model. Ventura Solar Technology is a comprehensive cell-to-module architecture for high-performance solar modules that deliver the industry’s best value for silicon PV modules.

EnerG2

Series A in 2008
EnerG2 engineers advanced nano-structured carbon materials for energy storage and is focused on the production of these materials for energy storage devices. Proprietary manufacturing technologies allow its products to surpass the material limitations of naturally occurring carbons, producing high surface area, high performance materials that improve power density and cycle life in batteries and other energy storage devices. EnerG2 is currently delivering its advanced carbons to customers for ultracapacitors, lead acid batteries, and lithium ion batteries.

Siva Power

Series A in 2007
Siva Power (formerly Solexant) develops third generation thin film PV technologies which increase solar cell efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs, therefore enabling the commercialization of solar modules that generate electricity at competitive rates without depending on government subsidies. Using printable nano-material technologies exclusively licensed from leading universities,Siva Power's flexible solar cells harvest energy from the entire solar spectrum.

QBotix

Series A in 2013
A solar panel that tracks the sun throughout the day produces up to 30% more electricity than one that does not. Solar project developers install single-axis tracking for most utility-scale sites, balancing upfront costs versus electricity revenues to maximize rates of return. QBotix disrupts today's cost curve of fixed-tilt, single-axis tracking, and dual-axis tracking with an innovative tracking solution that offers dual-axis tracking at single-axis price. This reduces the levelized cost of energy by 10-20% while providing the added benefit of higher reliability and system intelligence.

Simbol Materials

Series A in 2008
Electricity is moving out to the edge, to our mobile devices, our cars, and everything in between. This requires dense energy storage -- battery technologies based on lithium. Combined with other industrial uses of this strategic element, volumes of lithium demanded worldwide are increasing and its price has more than tripled in the last six years. As vehicle electrification continues, new lithium sources and production technologies will be required to keep up with demand.

Pionetics

Series C in 2005
Pionetics Corporation manufactures water treatment products that produce drinking water. It offers water filters and drinking water systems, and water coolers. The company also provides installation services and its drinking water systems on rent. Its products are used for household, commercial, and industrial applications. The company offers its products through authorized dealers in the United States and internationally. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in San Carlos, California. As of 2008, Pionetics Corporation operates as a subsidiary of Rayne Corporation.

Nanostellar

Series A in 2004
Nanostellar, Inc. develops precious-metals containing materials for the automotive and stationary power industries, enabling these industries to meet stringent diesel emissions-control requirements mandated in Europe, the U.S. and Asia. The company delivers nano-engineered catalyst materials that reduce exhaust emissions and increase effectiveness of precious metals in these catalysts by 25%-30%. Nanostellar's Rational Catalyst Design methodology combines computation materials science, novel synthesis and chemical engineering to aid in the rapid development of new materials.

Siva Power

Series C in 2011
Siva Power (formerly Solexant) develops third generation thin film PV technologies which increase solar cell efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs, therefore enabling the commercialization of solar modules that generate electricity at competitive rates without depending on government subsidies. Using printable nano-material technologies exclusively licensed from leading universities,Siva Power's flexible solar cells harvest energy from the entire solar spectrum.

Sungevity

Series D in 2012
Sungevity develops remote solar designs and installation services for home solar electric systems. As solar panel prices continue to plummet, residential customers, with their higher utility rates will be among the first to benefit from solar on a pure economic basis, free of subsidies. Over 100,000 residential rooftop systems have been installed in the U.S. as of today, but continued rapid cost declines drive the opportunity to over 40 million within four years.

Siva Power

Series B in 2008
Siva Power (formerly Solexant) develops third generation thin film PV technologies which increase solar cell efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs, therefore enabling the commercialization of solar modules that generate electricity at competitive rates without depending on government subsidies. Using printable nano-material technologies exclusively licensed from leading universities,Siva Power's flexible solar cells harvest energy from the entire solar spectrum.

MiaSolé

Debt Financing in 2012
MiaSole is a pioneer in the development of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) thin film photovoltaic products. Their goal is to enable grid parity solar energy by 2012 through high volume manufacturing of low cost solar modules.

Ruckus Wireless

Series E in 2007
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, Ruckus Wireless, Inc.(NYSE: RKUS) is a global supplier of advanced wireless systems for the rapidly expanding mobile Internet infrastructure market. The company offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor “Smart Wi-Fi” products to mobile carriers, broadband service providers, and corporate enterprises, and has over 48,000 end-customers worldwide. Ruckus technology addresses Wi-Fi capacity and coverage challenges caused by the ever-increasing amount of traffic on wireless networks due to accelerated adoption of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Ruckus invented and has patented state-of-the-art wireless voice, video, and data technology innovations, such as adaptive antenna arrays that extend signal range, increase client data rates, and avoid interference, providing consistent and reliable distribution of delay-sensitive multimedia content and services over standard 802.11 Wi-Fi.

ZeaChem

Series B in 2009
ZeaChem will change the world by creating high margin and sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based fuels and chemicals. Able to use wood chips, wheat straw, corn stover, or grasses to make a range of drop-in products for the $1T+ chemicals and fuels markets, ZeaChem can profit today without any subsidies and is competitive with $50 per barrel oil. ZeaChem’s advantage centers around its fermentation process which converts 100% of the carbon in the sugars into end products, delivering unmatched yields

MiaSolé

Series C in 2006
MiaSole is a pioneer in the development of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) thin film photovoltaic products. Their goal is to enable grid parity solar energy by 2012 through high volume manufacturing of low cost solar modules.

EOS Climate, Inc.

Series A in 2008
EOS Climate is a producer of high-quality, verified emission reductions (VERs) generated from the destruction of ozone depleting substances (ODS), which are also extremely potent greenhouse gases. While ODS such as CFCs are no longer manufactured, they are still emitted by leaky, old air conditioning units and refrigeration equipment. As greenhouse gases (GHGs), ODS are up to 11,000 times more powerful than carbon-dioxide and represent a ticking time bomb for our global climate system. Current inventories of ODS are equivalent to approximately 2.5 times the total annual GHG emissions of the United States.

MiaSolé

Series B in 2005
MiaSole is a pioneer in the development of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) thin film photovoltaic products. Their goal is to enable grid parity solar energy by 2012 through high volume manufacturing of low cost solar modules.

Liquidia Technologies

Series A in 2006
Liquidia Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company. The company focuses on the development and commercialization of various products using its PRINT technology that enables precise production of drug particles designed to enhance the safety, efficacy, and performance of a range of therapies. Its product candidates include LIQ861 for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension; and LIQ865 for the treatment of local post-operative pain. The company also provides strategy, investment, and commercialization services for rare disease pharmaceutical products, such as generic Remodulin, a parenteral formulation of treprostinil for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Liquidia Corporation was founded in 2004 and is based in Morrisville, North Carolina.