HVAC systems account for 20% of global building electricity consumption, making energy efficiency improvements critical to meeting decarbonization targets. Yet most innovation in this space has been limited to marginal improvements in existing compressor designs, refrigerants, or control systems.
Now, with regulations like the AIM Act mandating an 85% reduction in HFCs by 2036 and national targets aiming for a 31–44% emissions cut below 2005 levels by 2030, the pressure on R&D leaders is mounting. They must identify which breakthrough technologies are moving beyond the lab and proving their scalability in real-world applications.
The startups highlighted below have done just that. Each has developed patented technologies that address long-standing inefficiencies and demonstrated commercial success through industry awards and multi-million-dollar contracts.
Futraheat’s next-gen compressors and heat pumps reduce energy use by up to 90%
Futraheat, an emerging HVAC startup founded in 2021, develops high-temperature heat pump innovations using its patented TurboClaw® compressor technology to enable cost-effective decarbonisation of industrial heat processes.
Operating on an oil-free bearings design, TurboClaw compressors are compact and designed for sub-megawatt applications, offering low power consumption while delivering high-temperature process steam.
Additionally, Futraheat’s Greensteam heat pump series is designed to integrate seamlessly into existing factory infrastructure. With a capacity of 300kWt, this unit can deliver a 60°C temperature lift to 150°C using its two-stage TurboClaw design. By effectively reducing energy use by up to 90%, this heat pump significantly lowers both energy bills and CO2 emissions.
Industry collaborations
In 2021, they collaborated with Honeywell (a well-known manufacturer of refrigerants) for a new heat pump technology that radically reduces the HVAC industry’s carbon emissions cost-effectively. The TurboClaw technology used here included benefits such as an 80% reduction in energy consumption and a typical 25% reduction in fuel bills.
Awards & recognition
Futraheat’s Greensteam pump has won the Commercial HVAC Product of the Year – Heating prize. Also in the same year at the 2022 Cooling Awards, the Air Conditioning Innovation of the Year prize went to Futraheat, beating Mitsubishi Electric (Plug and Play water-to-water heat pump solution), Panasonic (Etherea units with an energy ranking of A+++ in heating and cooling and operating at 19 dBA), and the University of Hull (a few point AC system with a “super-performance fibre” as a wet medium).
Funding
Funding-wise, Futraheat recently closed a £1.5 million seed round led by Clean Growth Fund. They have also received £689,000 (approximately US$871,000) from the national funding body Innovate UK to develop a 300 kW industrial heat pump that will deliver low-CO2, high-temperature heat to the industry. In 2023, the innovative heat pump prototype was also supported by £406,000 Phase 3 funding from the BEIS Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA) competition.
Patent portfolio
The startup holds two HVAC patent families, all of which are related to centrifugal compressor innovations. One of the patents addresses the issue of traditional centrifugal compressors struggling to maintain efficiency and stability at low airflow rates. The solution mentioned in the EP3036441B1 patent is a diffuser that enables air to be evenly distributed for a specific type of compressor. This setup enhances efficiency at low airflow rates and maintains stability without requiring the impeller to spin excessively fast, thereby saving energy.
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What are the latest inventions in HVAC?
Harvest thermal turns hot water tanks into “thermal batteries.”
This startup’s smart HVAC innovations that use a heat pump to generate heat and cool air and store that thermal energy in a water tank, acting like a battery. The system also optimizes when and how energy is used based on grid conditions, weather forecasts, and user routines.
Harvest Thermal’s product, Harvest Pod, converts a standard hot water tank into an energy-efficient thermal battery. It operates the heat pump only during optimal times around morning and night, heating water to high temperatures for later use. This ensures a reliable hot water supply and indoor space heating by effectively predicting energy needs using advanced machine learning and cloud analytics technologies.
The system also provides resilience during power outages, offering hot water for 12 hours on average, as opposed to the few hours provided by standard heaters. In 2024, they released their new product, Pod, with improvements that enable better integration with existing systems at affordable costs. The load capacity of the thermal battery has also been increased to 4 tons.
Awards & recognition
The startup has won numerous awards, including the NREL People’s Choice Award, given by the US Department of Energy, VERGE 2022, and the silver prize in the prestigious Edison Award in 2023.
Funding
This California-based startup, founded in 2019, has secured $10.8 million in funding since its inception. They have even received multiple non-dilutive government grants and won the top award at the 2022 Seattle Angel Conference, earning a $100,000 investment. With Evan Green and Jane Melia, the CTO and CEO of the company, as inventors, they commercialized their first product in 2022.
Patent portfolio
Harvest Thermal has filed seven patent family members. One of its newly granted patents describes a control system that measures and adjusts the flow of the heat-carrying fluid to ensure it matches the desired heat output, ensuring efficient performance. It discusses a control mechanism to provide an efficient flow of water, thereby achieving better thermal efficiency.
Conventional HVAC innovations often uses simple thermostatic control (open/close valves when setpoint is reached). Their flow regulation is usually binary or stepwise (not continuous). These systems may overshoot or undershoot room temperature due to the slow response of water-based heating. This patented method introduces a predictive, rate-based control that actively manages how quickly heat is added or removed. It uses continuous adjustments of water flow and supply temperature instead of only on/off. This makes it more energy efficient and stable.
Antrum can monitor up to 32 rooms simultaneously with a single sensor.
In the traditional air monitoring system, each room required separate sensors. But with AntrumX, the air quality can be monitored for up to 32 spaces from a single location.
Their Air Accelerator uses a vacuum to draw air from every room and then sends it to the central sensor pack to determine the IAQ (Indoor Air Quality). This data is then sent to the cloud servers, which enable the Building Management System to optimize the room’s ventilation, thereby saving energy efficiently.
Another product, AntrumEYE software, displays detailed IAQ data captured by AntrumX at the individual room level. This intelligent analytics platform can be accessed on both computers and mobile devices, providing essential IAQ information on the go. AntrumEYE is integrated with AntrumX, ensuring data integration with the Building Management System (BMS) for the entire lifespan of the AntrumX device.
Awards and funding
Founded in 2020, AntrumX was recognized with the Indoor Air Quality Award at the AHR Expo in 2022. By December 18, 2023, Antrum secured a total of $4.9 million in funding through various rounds.
Patent portfolio
One of the granted patents by Grand Valley State University has the same features as disclosed in Antrum’s products. This patent addresses the challenge of collecting data on air quality for each room. To achieve this, it proposes an air sampling device that directs air from each room using a vacuum tube device powered by the building’s HVAC system and sends it to a central sensor for monitoring indoor air quality. Compared to typical systems, this has zonal temperature control and distributed sensing for better energy optimization.
Hydronic Shell Technologies Improves a Building’s HVAC from the outer walls!
Hydronic Shell Technologies is an emerging startup founded in 2020 that designs prefabricated panels with built-in insulation, heating, cooling, and ventilation. Their products are primarily made for retrofitting old apartment buildings. Their Hydronic Shell system significantly reduces heating and cooling energy consumption, enhancing thermal comfort and indoor air quality.
The startup focuses on FIMS (Facade-Integrated Modular HVAC Systems). These are installed externally to provide heating, cooling, and ventilation directly into the building’s facade.
FIMS improves building performance by insulating and sealing the exterior to manage heat transfer. It utilizes vertical ducts and pipes for HVAC, along with roof-mounted heat pumps, for precise temperature control. Ventilation is provided by air-handling units that supply filtered air to each room, while terminal units regulate the temperature inside. This system is more eco-friendly and comfortable than traditional methods, offering reduced disruption and cost savings through its modular components and easy installation.
Patent portfolio
Hydronic Shell Technologies holds six patents addressing the high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, particularly older ones. Patents such as US11415328B2 and US11767990B2 provide a system with modular panels forming an insulated shell around the building.
The system uses hydronic piping for heating and ductwork for ventilation within each panel. This efficiently distributes heating, cooling, and ventilation to individual units. Doing so lowers energy use and emissions while enhancing comfort and air quality. It also refreshes the appearance of existing buildings.
Funding
They have also secured funding for a pilot program in partnership with the Syracuse Public Housing Authority. They were awarded $3 million as winners of a national housing innovation competition organized by Enterprise Community Partners and Wells Fargo.
Mojave created a new liquid system for dehumidifying air through ACs
Traditional HVAC systems often overcool air to remove moisture, wasting energy and compromising comfort. This startup’s product uses patented liquid desiccant technology to independently control temperature and humidity, eliminating the need to overcool.
ArctiDry is Mojave’s advanced air conditioner that uses a special liquid to remove moisture from the air. It can be set up easily, just like regular air conditioning units. All it requires is an electrical plug, without the need for water pipes or gas.
ArctiDry utilizes two systems, one for managing humidity and another for controlling temperature. They can operate separately for precise climate control.
Patent portfolio
Mojave has 13 patent families that were transferred by the Palo Alto Research Center and were based on ArctiDry. One of their patent applications reveals a liquid-absorbing system for dehumidification. It outlines a simpler heat exchanger design that lowers costs and complexity in air conditioners while maintaining efficiency.
Funding
The startup has received funding from the world’s largest venture capitalist firm, At One Ventures, as well as funding from Xerox Ventures and Fifth Wall. They have also won a $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and have raised a total of $ 12.5 million.
They launched their new commercial product, ArctiDry, at AHR Expo in 2024. Xerox Ventures has invested in the company, and the CEO of Xerox mentioned starting a small company, indicating possible collaboration between the two companies.
Flow Environmental Systems’ heat pump can simultaneously cool and heat up to 180°F
Flow Environmental Systems is an HVAC startup, primarily operating in the North American market. The company focuses on developing advanced heat pump technologies that are more efficient than traditional systems and have a wider operating temperature range.
Their product range, currently under development, includes the Water-to-Water Heat Pump (WWHP), the Air-to-Water Heat Pump (AWHP) split system, and the Air-to-Water Heat Pump (AWHP) packaged system.
Their heat pump systems can cool, heat, or do both simultaneously without requiring additional components. The pumps operate in temperatures ranging from 0°F to 120°F and can heat water to a maximum of 180°F. These are useful in various settings, including tall buildings, universities, hospitals, farms, and other locations.
Patent portfolio
Flow Environmental Systems’ technology, protected under two pending US patents (US20240183588A1 and US20240183587A1), enhances heat pump efficiency and broadens the range of effective ambient temperatures. Flow Environmental Systems has raised a total of $750,000 in funding across two rounds. Their latest funding was on Aug 21, 2023, from a Seed round.
Conclusion
These startup innovations are addressing the HVAC industry’s most pressing challenges, like energy inefficiency, high carbon emissions, and outdated systems. Technologies like Futraheat’s high-temperature heat pumps, Harvest Thermal’s thermal batteries, and Antrum’s advanced air quality monitoring are just a few examples of how these startups are providing more sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective solutions for the HVAC space.
To implement these inventions into other HVAC systems, R&D leaders need to learn more details, such as:
- Compatibility with regional HVAC standards,
- Understand the decarbonization potential to match goals,
- Anticipate long-term regulatory requirements and innovation roadblocks, etc.
Partnering with an innovation scouting expert will help handle these challenges while scouting for HVAC startup innovations. Our experts will help you find the right startup for your goals and meet all requirements. Please share your specific query below to receive a tailored report or assistance.
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