Boldr Raises $5M Pre-Series A to Turn Homes Into Flexible Grid Capacity

UK energy management startup Boldr has raised $5 million in a pre-Series A funding round to expand its technology for connecting residential energy equipment and turning homes into flexible capacity for the power grid.

The round was led by Unconventional Ventures, with participation from Ada Ventures, Tetard Ventures, Davidovs Venture Collective, Roxbury Asset Management, Inclimo Climate Tech Fund, Prosegur, Techstars, S20 Fund and strategic investors from the North American HVAC industry.

The latest funding follows Boldr’s $3.2 million seed round raised in 2025.

Founded by Madi Ablyazov and his co-founders, Boldr is building an energy management platform that connects equipment inside homes, initially focusing on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Its technology allows heating and cooling systems, batteries, EV chargers and solar installations to be connected and managed as distributed energy assets. By coordinating these systems, Boldr aims to help homes adjust energy consumption during periods of high demand and provide additional flexibility to the power grid.

Rather than selling directly to homeowners, Boldr works through HVAC contractors that already install, maintain and replace heating and cooling equipment. The company is positioning these contractors as its deployment and service network for connected energy systems.

CEO and co-founder Madi Ablyazov said the company believes the next generation of power capacity could come from millions of connected homes rather than a single large power plant.

Boldr’s smart thermostats and connected controls are designed to work across different heating and cooling systems. Its software also gives contractors visibility into installed equipment and helps them manage servicing, maintenance and customer relationships throughout the equipment lifecycle.

The company has secured distribution partnerships with HVAC brands and supply houses including Bosch-owned Source 1 and Daikin, giving it access to contractor networks across the US.

The new funding will be used to expand Boldr’s technology beyond ductless HVAC controls into residential and light commercial central HVAC systems. The company will also invest in product development and expand its contractor partnerships and distribution network across North America.

Over time, Boldr plans to connect additional residential energy assets such as batteries, EV chargers and solar systems. Its longer-term ambition is to combine these distributed assets into a network that can collectively manage energy demand and provide flexible capacity to the grid.

Boldr’s approach reflects a broader shift toward distributed energy infrastructure, where existing equipment in homes can be coordinated to support grid reliability without relying entirely on new centralised generation and transmission capacity.