10 Top Thermal Energy Solutions to Watch in 2026

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Executive Summary: Which are the Top 10 Thermal Energy Solutions to Watch?

1. Mazama Energy (USA): Superhot rocks (SHR)-based geothermal systems generating dispatchable, carbon-free power using closed-loop drilling and heat harvesting.
2. Alterno (Singapore): Low-cost thermal energy storage using heated solid materials to store excess renewable energy for industrial use.
3. Phasestor (UK): Thermal battery that uses bio-based phase change materials (PCMs) to store heat off-peak and release it for space heating and hot water.
4. DistrictLab (France): DistrictLab-H software optimizes planning and performance of heating and cooling networks using simulation and visualization tools.
5. Primeval Energy (UK): Geothermal Toolbox provides agnostic, site-specific geothermal systems integrating solar, wind, and subsurface data.
6. Karman Industries (USA): High-efficiency thermal systems for industrial heat. They reduce fuel use and carbon output with advanced materials.
7. Geo Systems (Germany): Modular geothermal systems with solar or biomass to deliver efficient heating, cooling, and hot water.
8. TerraFerno Geothermal Solutions (Canada): Autonomous flow control devices optimize fluid circulation and efficiency in geothermal wells.
9. Dyneo Technologies (Switzerland): Analytics platform for district heating or cooling networks for energy balancing and reducing heat loss.
10. TherMagiX (Israel): Converts low-grade waste heat into renewable power using thermoelectric modules and modular heat exchangers.

Global Startup Heat Map highlights Emerging Thermal Energy Solutions to Watch

Through the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 7M+ startups, 20K+ technology trends, plus 150M+ patents, news articles & market reports, we identified 10 thermal energy storage companies.

The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights emerging top thermal energy storage companies to watch in 2026, as well as the geographic distribution of 750+ thermal energy storage startups & scaleups we analyzed for this research.

According to our data, we observe high startup activity in the USA and the UK, followed by India. The top 5 Startup Hubs for Thermal Energy are London, Dubai, Melbourne, New York City, and Singapore.

Meet Emerging Thermal Energy Storage Solutions to Watch in 2026

We hand-picked startups to showcase in this report by filtering for their technology, founding year, location, funding, and other metrics. These emerging thermal energy storage startups work on solutions ranging from autonomous flow low-control devices and agnostic geothermal solutions to environmentally friendly district heating or cooling networks and low-cost thermal energy storage.

1. Mazama Energy

• Founding Year: 2023
• Location: Plano, Texas, USA
• Use For: Geothermal Energy from Superhot Rocks
• Funding: Received a USD 20 million Department of Energy Grant to test its geothermal system at Newberry Volcano

Mazama Energy creates engineered geothermal systems (EGS) that use geothermal energy from SHRs to generate carbon-free electricity.

The startup’s MUSE drills deep into the Earth’s crust to reach SHR reservoirs that are above 400 degrees Celsius to build a closed-loop system.

It then injects water, which is instantly vaporized by the intense heat, to produce high-pressure steam that allows turbines to produce electricity. It also maximizes wellbore stability and reservoir connectivity by fusing geothermal science with oil and gas drilling technology.

Additionally, Mazama Energy provides abundant, dispatchable geothermal power at competitive costs to fossil fuels on a global scale. This assists deep decarbonization and provides a sustainable alternative to meet the expanding energy needs.

2. Alterno

• Founding Year: 2023
• Location: Singapore
• Use For: Low-Cost Thermal Energy Storage
• Funding: Alterno Secures USD 1 Million A1 Investment For Zero-emission Heat

Alterno creates a low-cost thermal energy storage system that stabilizes the power supply. It stores excess renewable electricity as heat to release it when needed.

The startup offers resistance heating elements with modular insulated storage units to absorb excess solar or wind energy. These storage units heat low-cost solid materials, such as rocks or ceramics, to high temperatures.

Moreover, the heat exchangers either convert this stored thermal energy back into electricity or transfer it directly for industrial heating applications. This allows for controlled heat release over longer periods with minimal losses.

Alterno also ensures simplified deployment across multiple geographic regions while lowering system costs by leveraging locally sourced materials and efficient manufacturing.

The startup further expedited the shift to renewable energy. It tackles intermittency issues and facilitates dependable, adaptable, and emission-free power solutions to sustainably meet rising energy demands.

3. Phasestor

• Founding Year: 2024
• Location: Exeter, UK
• Use For: Thermal Energy Storage Solutions

Phasestor offers eSTOR, a thermal energy battery. It utilizes bio-based phase change materials (PCMs) to store and release heat. eSTOR is charged at a lower rate during off-peak hours. This unit’s PCMs absorb and store thermal energy as they change from solid to liquid states.

Additionally, the stored heat is released when demand increases to provide hot water or space heating. This shifts energy loads and lowers peak electricity use. Additionally, the battery offers cost reductions with high energy density and retention while promoting grid stability and reducing strain during peak hours.

The battery’s small size maximizes space efficiency. This enables smooth integration into new building projects as well as retrofitted hot water systems.

Phasestor offers a sustainable solution that provides consumers access to flexible, dependable, and reasonably priced energy management.

4. DistrictLab

• Founding Year: 2023
• Location: Grenoble, France
• Use For: Environmentally-friendly District Heating/Cooling Network

DistrictLab creates DistrictLab-H, a computer-aided engineering software platform that focuses on technical, financial, and environmental performance. It improves the planning, construction, and operation of district heating and cooling networks.

The software simulates energy flows, temperature profiles, and pressure dynamics to model complex thermal distribution systems. DistrictLab-H combines data on buildings, energy sources, pipe networks, and control strategies to identify configurations that minimize energy losses, operating costs, and carbon emissions.

Moreover, it provides visualization tools and automated reporting capabilities to improve stakeholder decision-making and expedite project procedures. It enables cities, utilities, and engineering firms to deploy sustainable heating and cooling networks. DistrictLab-H further supports climate goals and enhances urban energy management.

5. Primeval Energy

• Founding Year: 2024
• Location: Great Cornard, UK
• Use For: Agnostic Geothermal Solutions

Primeval Energy offers Geothermal Toolbox, an agnostic geothermal solution. It customizes geothermal and hybrid renewable energy systems to the distinct geological, climatic, and economic circumstances of every project site.

The startup integrates subsurface resource assessments with engineering design and operational planning. This allows choosing appropriate technologies for deep geothermal wells, shallow ground loops, or integrated systems with solar or wind components.

Primeval Energy further offers optimum efficiency and dependability across various geographies. It evaluates and implements a mix of drilling techniques, heat exchangers, and power conversion systems.

Additionally, the startup offers services like feasibility studies to facility construction, operation, and project financing support. Primeval Energy also provides customized, site-specific solutions that increase access to sustainable energy, lower carbon emissions, and improve global energy security.

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6. Karman Industries

• Founding Year: 2024
• Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
• Use For: High-Efficiency Industrial Heat Solutions
• Funding: Raised USD 7.5 Million as Pre-Seed Financing

Karman Industries develops high-efficiency thermal systems that provide industrial heat with high energy performance. These systems target industries like manufacturing, energy generation, and high-performance computing (HPC).

The thermal systems’ heat exchangers and thermal management systems ensure precise heat delivery with less input. This reduces energy losses and performs well at hot or cold temperatures.

Karman Industries reduces operating costs and emissions for industrial clients by optimizing thermal conductivity, durability, and system compactness. Additionally, its thermal energy prime system offers effective heat cycles that improve output in a variety of applications like industrial furnaces and kilns while consuming less fuel.

This enables enterprises to achieve considerable energy savings and reduce carbon footprints.

7. Geo Systems

• Founding Year: 2023
• Location: Nauheim, Germany
• Use For: Natural Heat for Heating and Cooling

Geo Systems builds modular multi-source energy centers. It leverages geothermal heat to provide integrated heating, cooling, and hot water solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.

The startup’s proprietary technology circulates a heat-transfer fluid via a closed-loop system buried beneath the surface and also captures stable subsurface temperatures. This transmits thermal energy to heat areas in the winter or removes excess heat in the summer.

Geo Systems’ modular-designed energy centers integrate geothermal energy with other renewable sources like solar or biomass. This makes scalability and modification simple for maximum performance and resilience. Additionally, it improves indoor comfort while lowering dependency on fossil fuels due to high efficiency, low operating costs, and low environmental impact.

8. TerraFerno Geothermal Solutions

• Founding Year: 2023
• Location: Calgary, Canada
• Use For: Autonomous Flow Control Devices

TerraFerno Geothermal Solutions offers autonomous flow control devices that maximize fluid circulation within geothermal wells. The startup increases the efficiency of heat extraction and boosts the economics of geothermal energy generation.

The autonomous flow control devices automatically adjust flow rates in response to shifting downhole circumstances using high-temperature-resistant components.

Moreover, the startup combines these devices with downhole monitoring systems and well integrity tools to provide real-time temperature, pressure, and flow data. This enables performance verification to make necessary adjustments. These solutions minimize maintenance requirements while optimizing energy recovery by addressing common issues, like flow imbalance and scaling.

The startup enables geothermal operators to achieve higher returns on investment and accelerate project scalability.

9. Dyneo Technologies

• Founding Year: 2023
• Location: Geneva, Switzerland
• Use For: District Heating and Cooling Networks Management
• Funding: Dyneo Technologies was awarded a FIF Seed Loan of CHF 100 000

Dyneo Technologies provides an analytics platform for district heating and cooling networks. The platform aggregates and analyzes real-time data from thermal systems to identify inefficiencies. It also optimizes return temperatures and facilitates accurate energy balancing throughout the network.

The platform contains user-friendly dashboards and automatic reporting features like data sharing, performance monitoring, and billing aid for operators and stakeholders. It assists clients in achieving measurable improvements by providing actionable information, such as considerable reductions in heat loss and return temperature reductions.

Additionally, the platform’s intuitive interface offers simple integration with current infrastructure to facilitate open communication and efficient energy management.

This way, Dyneo Technologies improves the energy shift in urban settings. It enables utilities and municipalities to improve the sustainability, dependability, and economic performance of district heating and cooling systems.

10. TherMagiX

• Founding Year: 2024
• Location: Israel
• Use For: Renewable and Recycled Efficient Green Energy

TherMagiX develops low-grade heat harvesting technology. It converts wasted thermal energy into renewable green power for industrial and commercial applications.

The startup’s method converts low-temperature waste heat into useful energy. It also captures heat from sources like data centers, manufacturing equipment, and HVAC exhaust. For this, it utilizes specialized heat exchangers and thermoelectric modules.

The startup’s technique increases the potential for energy recovery in situations where conventional systems are ineffective by working with heat sources as low as 30 degrees Celsius.

Additionally, the technology’s modular architecture maximizes operational flexibility and cost-effectiveness. It allows for a smooth integration into the current infrastructure without extensive retrofitting.

The startup also offers an eco-friendly solution that lowers energy consumption, carbon emissions, and contributes to a circular energy economy. It maximizes the potential of low-grade heat and enables industries to increase productivity while promoting global sustainability objectives.

Discover All Emerging Energy Startups

The energy startups showcased in this report are only a small sample of all startups we identified through our data-driven startup scouting approach. Download our free Energy Innovation Report for a broad overview of the industry or get in touch for quick & exhaustive research on the latest technologies & emerging solutions that will impact your company in 2026!