German Startup 1KOMMA5° Raises €70M ($78M) Funding For Energy AI & US Expansion

1KOMMA5°, the Hamburg-based energy unicorn building Europe’s largest residential virtual power plant, has raised €70 million ($78 million) in new funding led by b2venture, with Japanese cleantech growth fund Marunouchi Innovation Partners joining as a new shareholder. Existing investors including CalSTRS, eCapital, G2 Venture Partners, and Eurazeo also participated .

The round values 1KOMMA5° at $1.35 billion pre-money, a 35% increase from its valuation in July 2025. The company plans to invest over €100 million ($112 million) in Heartbeat AI in 2027, combining the new capital with €35 million from operating cash flow .

The funding comes as 1KOMMA5° prepares for potential US market entry in 2027 and revisits plans for a public listing, with CEO Philipp Schröder telling Reuters that 2027 financial performance will determine the timing of an IPO .

1KOMMA5° Funding Overview By CREDX Media

Startup Name	1KOMMA5°
Founders	Philipp Schröder (CEO), Jannik Schall, Philip Liesenfeld, Michael Hinderer
Founded	2021
HQ	Hamburg, Germany
Round	Growth Funding
Amount Raised	€70M ($78M)
Valuation	$1.35B (pre-money)
Category	Energy Tech, Virtual Power Plants, Home Electrification
Lead Investor	b2venture
New Investor	Marunouchi Innovation Partners (MIP)
Returning Investors	CalSTRS, eCapital, G2 Venture Partners, Eurazeo
Total Funding Raised	~€650M+ ($720M+)
Employees	3,000+
Locations	80+ across 7 markets
Connected Systems	300,000+ installed, 100,000+ optimized
Flexible Capacity	1 GW+ aggregated

💡 Use of Funds

• Heartbeat AI Investment: Over €100 million planned for 2027, including €70M new capital and €35M from operating cash flow .
• AI Development: Building out the “universal energy AI” that serves as an end-to-end operating system for home energy .
• Software Expansion: Scaling automation of electricity trading, billing, and metering .
• US Market Entry: Evaluating expansion into the United States in 2027 .

Startup Overview: 1KOMMA5°

What 1KOMMA5° Is Building in Simple Words

1KOMMA5° is a one-stop shop for home electrification—selling and installing solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, and EV chargers, then connecting them through its Heartbeat AI software platform. That software turns thousands of individual home energy systems into a coordinated virtual power plant (VPP) that trades electricity on wholesale markets and optimizes consumption in real time .

• Heartbeat AI Platform: Connects solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, EV chargers, and air conditioning systems, then automates energy trading, billing, and metering .
• Virtual Power Plant: Aggregates over 1 GW of flexible energy capacity across five markets—one of Europe’s largest residential VPPs .
• Proven Scale: 300,000+ installed systems, 100,000+ optimized systems, and 120,000+ households served .
• Flat-Rate Software Model: 1KOMMA5° charges a software fee rather than taking a margin on electricity, enabling dynamic real-time pricing instead of fixed tariffs .
• Debt-Free Growth: The company secured up to €1.5 billion in bank financing facilities for its public and private sector customer segments—without impacting its balance sheet, leaving 1KOMMA5° itself debt-free .

Why 1KOMMA5° Matters

1. The Energy Transition Needs Flexibility, Not Just Generation Germany’s planned phase-out of feed-in tariffs is driving demand for Heartbeat AI. 1KOMMA5° reported order intake in Germany rose nearly 50% in September alone .
2. Software Is the Growth Engine Heartbeat AI reached €30 million in annualized revenue in August 2026, nearly double the previous year—though it’s still just ~4% of the group’s expected 2026 revenue . The company’s bet is that software margins will eventually dwarf hardware.
3. Profitability in Hardware, Scale in Software The core hardware business is EBITDA-profitable, with 1KOMMA5° expecting ~€40 million in operating profit from hardware in 2026 and revenue of ~€700 million—35-40% organic growth .
4. US Expansion and IPO Are Next CEO Philipp Schröder is evaluating US entry in 2027, citing “how much drive and how much interest from investors there actually is.” A US IPO—shelved in 2025 amid policy uncertainty—remains on the table, with 2027 performance as the deciding factor .

Startup Story: From Solar Installer to Energy AI Platform

1KOMMA5° was founded in 2021 by Philipp Schröder, a former Tesla Germany country director, and Jannik Schall. The founding thesis was simple: the energy transition wouldn’t be won by selling more solar panels—it would be won by connecting and controlling them intelligently .

The company’s early years focused on building a network of installation partners and showrooms—now 80+ locations across 7 markets, from Helsinki to Copenhagen to Berlin to Adelaide . But the strategic pivot came when 1KOMMA5° recognized that the real value wasn’t in hardware margins—it was in the software layer that could aggregate distributed energy resources and trade them as a single power station.

Heartbeat AI was spun off as an independent subsidiary in November 2024 under CTO Barbara Wittenberg and CPO Jannik Schall, signaling the company’s focus on software as the future . By 2026, the platform had aggregated over 1 GW of flexible capacity, making it one of Europe’s largest residential VPPs .

The €70 million round now fuels the next phase: over €100 million invested in Heartbeat AI in 2027 alone, with the goal of making it the “universal energy AI” that acts as an end-to-end operating system for home energy .

Founder Background: The Tesla Alum Building Energy’s Operating System

Philipp Schröder (CEO) is a former Tesla Germany country director who brought operational experience from scaling electric vehicles to the home energy market. His framing of the opportunity: “The energy system needs a universal energy AI that acts as an end-to-end operating system. Our aim is for Heartbeat AI to become exactly that, and to supply millions of people with clean, affordable energy” .

Jannik Schall (Co-Founder) co-founded 1KOMMA5° with Schröder and has been instrumental in the company’s product and software strategy, including the spin-off of Heartbeat GmbH along with Philip Liesenfeld and Michael Hinderer.

The founding team’s combination—Schröder’s operational scaling experience and Schall’s product focus—positioned 1KOMMA5° to navigate both the hardware installation business and the software platform opportunity.

The Residential VPP Race Nobody Expected

1KOMMA5° operates in an increasingly competitive residential energy market.

Traditional utilities are losing customers to decentralized energy solutions. 1KOMMA5°’s flat-rate software model directly challenges their margin-on-electricity business .

Other VPP platforms exist, but 1KOMMA5° claims Europe’s largest residential VPP by capacity. Its differentiation is vertical integration—owning both the hardware installation network and the software platform .

Hardware competitors like traditional solar installers lack the software layer. Software competitors like other VPP platforms lack the installation network and customer relationships.

The competitive moat, if it materializes, is network effects and switching costs. Every additional connected system makes the VPP more valuable for trading. Every customer that adopts Heartbeat AI becomes dependent on the platform for energy optimization.

Founder Intelligence: What Founders Can Learn from 1KOMMA5°

• Solve the integration problem, not just the component problem: 1KOMMA5° didn’t just sell solar panels—it built the software layer that connects and optimizes all home energy systems. The integration is the product.
• Spin off your software when it becomes the future: Heartbeat GmbH was spun off as an independent subsidiary in 2024, giving it focus and signaling to investors where the value lies.
• Profitability in hardware funds ambition in software: The core hardware business is EBITDA-profitable, generating the cash flow to fund the software bet. Discipline in one area enables ambition in another.
• Debt-free growth is possible: 1KOMMA5° secured €1.5 billion in bank financing facilities without taking on balance sheet debt—a structure that preserves optionality for IPO .

Investor Intelligence: Why This Round Gets Premium Capital

b2venture led the round, continuing its support as an existing investor. Marunouchi Innovation Partners joined as a new shareholder—a Tokyo climate tech fund backed by Mitsubishi Corporation, bringing experience with US energy investments that 1KOMMA5° hopes to leverage for its American expansion .

The investor composition signals conviction across multiple dimensions: b2venture’s European venture expertise, MIP’s strategic value for US entry, and the continued participation of large institutional investors including CalSTRS and G2 Venture Partners .

The 35% valuation increase—from $1 billion in June 2023 to $1.35 billion now—reflects both revenue growth (55% since 2023) and confidence in the software pivot .

The Road Ahead for 1KOMMA5°

Expansion Targets

With €70 million in capital, 1KOMMA5° will:

• Invest over €100 million in Heartbeat AI in 2027
• Evaluate US market entry in 2027
• Continue scaling Heartbeat AI toward 20 GW of flexible capacity by 2030
• Target 1.5 million buildings connected to renewable energy by 2030
• Revisit US IPO plans based on 2027 financial performance

Competitive Response

Expect:

• Traditional utilities to accelerate their own VPP offerings
• Other home electrification companies to build or acquire software platforms
• New entrants targeting specific components of the energy stack
• 1KOMMA5°’s moat: integrated hardware + software + network effects

Conclusion

1KOMMA5°’s €70 million funding at a $1.35 billion valuation validates the thesis that home electrification’s value is in the software layer. The company’s 1 GW virtual power plant, 300,000+ installed systems, and debt-free balance sheet position it as Europe’s leading residential energy platform.

Market tailwinds favor 1KOMMA5°: Germany’s feed-in tariff phase-out, rising demand for energy optimization, and investor appetite for scalable energy AI. The company’s planned US entry and potential IPO represent the next phase of growth—if 2027 performance delivers.

For deep analysis of energy tech funding, VPP innovation, and companies reshaping home electrification, explore CREDX Media for comprehensive coverage of startup funding trends, valuation intelligence, and founder playbooks.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is 1KOMMA5°’s total funding and latest round size?
1KOMMA5° has raised approximately €650 million+ ($720 million+) in total equity funding. Its latest round was €70 million ($78 million) led by b2venture in October 2026 .

2. How much did 1KOMMA5° raise in its latest round and who led the investment?
1KOMMA5° raised €70 million ($78 million) led by b2venture, with Marunouchi Innovation Partners joining as a new shareholder and existing investors CalSTRS, eCapital, G2 Venture Partners, and Eurazeo participating .

3. What is the valuation of 1KOMMA5°?
1KOMMA5° is valued at $1.35 billion pre-money, a 35% increase from its July 2025 valuation .

4. Who are the major investors in 1KOMMA5°?
Major investors include b2venture (lead), Marunouchi Innovation Partners (new), CalSTRS, eCapital, G2 Venture Partners, Eurazeo, Hamilton Lane, Porsche Ventures, 2150vc, Norrsken, and family offices including Haniel and Schürfeld .

5. Who are 1KOMMA5°’s founders?
1KOMMA5° was founded in 2021 by Philipp Schröder (CEO), a former Tesla Germany country director, and Jannik Schall .

6. What is Heartbeat AI and how does it work?
Heartbeat AI connects and controls residential energy systems—solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, EV chargers, air conditioning—and profitably sells electricity on their behalf on the power exchange. It automates energy trading, billing, and metering .

7. What traction justifies 1KOMMA5°’s $1.35 billion valuation?
1KOMMA5° has installed over 300,000 systems, optimizes 100,000+ systems, aggregates 1 GW+ of flexible capacity, and expects ~€700 million in 2026 revenue with 35-40% organic growth .

8. What are 1KOMMA5°’s plans for the €70 million funding?
1KOMMA5° will invest over €100 million in Heartbeat AI in 2027, combining the €70M new capital with €35M from operating cash flow, and is evaluating US market entry .

9. Is 1KOMMA5° planning a US IPO?
CEO Philipp Schröder says 2027 financial performance will determine whether and when 1KOMMA5° pursues a US IPO. The company shelved its Nasdaq plans in 2025 amid policy uncertainty .

10. What is 1KOMMA5°’s revenue and profitability?
1KOMMA5° expects ~€700 million ($750 million) revenue in 2026, up 35-40%. The hardware business is EBITDA-profitable with ~€40 million operating profit expected in 2026 .

11. Who is the CEO of 1KOMMA5°?
Philipp Schröder serves as CEO and co-founder. He previously served as Tesla’s Germany country director .