Best Sustainability Tech Companies in North Carolina, United States
The 180 best Sustainability Tech companies in North Carolina, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Phononic.
Our analysis of 84 Sustainability Tech companies
$19.4b in tracked funding; 85% of the stack-profiled cohort runs cloud-native; funding activity peaked in 2025.
Ranked: Best Sustainability Tech companies in North Carolina
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Employees | Founded | Founder | Tech stack | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phononic Providing solid state thermal management solutions | $230M | 58 mo ago | 109 109 → 125 (+15%) | 2009 | Tony Atti Co-Founder & CEO | WordPressMySQLPHP+31 | 96 patents Thermoelectric cooling and moisture control for refrigerated transport and cold-chain logistics | 2 awards |
| 2 | Trimeris Developing fusion inhibitor drugs for viral infections | $187M | 283 mo ago | 172 | 1993 | Steven Skolsky CEO | — | 80 patents Peptide synthesis and HIV fusion‑inhibitor therapeutics with sustained‑release delivery | — |
| 3 | Sprout Pharmaceuticals Developer of drugs for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women | $175M | 18 mo ago | 31 | 2011 | — | Cart FunctionalitySquarespace CommerceSquarespace+15 | — | — |
| 4 | Argos Therapeutics RNA-based dendritic cell therapies for cancer and infectious diseases. | $170M | 108 mo ago | 120 | 1997 | — | — | 243 patents Immunotherapy platforms: dendritic cell vaccines, CD83 peptides, anti‑IFN‑α antibodies, cell processing. | — |
| 5 | Viamet Pharmaceuticals Innovation hub revolutionizing healthcare, education, safety, energy, and technology with AI | $161M | 116 mo ago | 13 | 2005 | Tom O'halloran Co-Founder | — | 395 patents Fluorinated heterocyclic antifungal agrochemicals and metalloenzyme inhibitor therapeutics. | — |
| 6 | Cempra Clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing antibacterials | $154M | 141 mo ago | 78 | 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | FG Communities FG Communities, powered by Fundamental Global, aims to preserve and improve affordable housing by building… | $113M | 42 mo ago | 7 | 2022 | Michael Anise Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder | WordPressMySQLPHP+17 | — | — |
| 8 | Novan Developer of Nitric Oxide based therapeutics for dermatology disorders | $102M | 70 mo ago | 89 89 → 106 (+19%) | 2006 | — | — | 227 patents Topical drug delivery formulations for nitric‑oxide, antivirals, and wound‑care applications. | — |
| 9 | Dude Solutions SaaS-driven CMMS software for commercial spaces | $100M | 148 mo ago | 533 | 1999 | — | Apple iCloud MailMicrosoft 365TypeScript+14 | — | — |
| 10 | StrideBio Developer of AAV based gene therapies for rare diseases | $98M | 63 mo ago | 109 | 2015 | — | — | 89 patents Recombinant adeno-associated virus vector production and gene‑therapy delivery systems. | — |
| 11 | Locus Biosciences Developer of therapeutics for infectious disease and inflammatory indications | $67M | 28 mo ago | 74 74 → 61 (-18%) | 2015 | Paul Garofolo Chief Executive Officer | WordPress Block EditorWordPressMySQL+24 | 60 patents Engineered CRISPR‑enhanced bacteriophage therapeutics targeting antibiotic‑resistant bacterial infections | — |
| 12 | PowerSecure Energy efficiency and smart grid management solutions | $65M | 129 mo ago | 1,030 1,030 → 862 (-16%) | 1991 | — | HubSpot CMS HubYouTubeSplide+21 | 22 patents Smart power‑bus communication and control for modular containerized generation and storage systems | — |
| 13 | Tantalus Communication technology provider for smart grids 53Funding top 22%News top 22%Growth top 33%Moat top 48% All 9 signals ▾Fundingtop 22% Newstop 22% Growthtop 33% Moattop 48% Techtop 49% Marketbottom 44% Globalbottom 44% Talentbottom 40% Partnersbottom 35% Funding: Raised $58.7M across 8 rounds · 8 rounds over 22 yrs (0.4/yr) News: 11 BI events in 12 mo (of 29 tracked, 7 types) · +1000% YoY rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 53/100 | $59M | 4 mo ago | 42 | 1989 | Ramatoulie Deen Founder/Executive Director | WordPressApple iCloud MailMySQL+22 | — | 1 launch |
| 14 | Istari Oncology Developer of viral vaccines and antibody drug conjugates for the treatment of cancer | $49M | 62 mo ago | 47 | 2014 | Matthias Gromeier Founder | — | 7 patents Oncolytic virotherapy using engineered poliovirus for glioblastoma and bladder cancer treatment | — |
| 15 | Second Nature Provider of resident benefits packages for property managers and owners | $36M | 74 mo ago | 247 247 → 373 (+51%) | 2012 | Thad Tarkington Co-Founder & CEO | WebflowApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+31 | 27 patents Modular, collapsible and variable air filter assemblies for HVAC and industrial ventilation. | — |
| 16 | Marius Pharmaceuticals Developer of an proprietary oral testosterone replacement therapy platform | $33M | 56 mo ago | 20 | 2017 | Himanshu Shah Co-Founder | WordPressMySQLPHP+17 | — | 1 partnership |
| 17 | ndustrial Provider of energy management solutions for industrial and cold chain operations | $26M | 17 mo ago | 40 | 2015 | Jason Massey Co-Founder & CEO | — | 15 patents IoT sensor provisioning and onboarding for wireless sensor networks | — |
| 18 | Opus Genetics Developer of gene therapies to treat retinal degenerative diseases 42Patents top 29%Funding top 30%Moat top 32%Innovation top 34% All 11 signals ▾Patentstop 29% Fundingtop 30% Moattop 32% Innovationtop 34% Talenttop 38% Growthtop 47% Techtop 50% Newstop 50% Globalbottom 36% Marketbottom 31% Fin. healthbottom 28% Patents: 26 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 26 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 Funding: Raised $23.5M across 4 rounds · 4 rounds over 5 yrs (0.8/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 42/100 | $24M | 10 mo ago | 14 | 2021 | Jason Menzo Co-Founder | WordPressMySQLPHP+24 | 26 patents Ophthalmic alpha‑adrenergic antagonist drugs for mydriasis, presbyopia, and AMD treatment | — |
| 19 | Atom Power Electric vehicle charging solutions and solid-state circuit breaker technology provider | $23M | 72 mo ago | 113 | 2014 | — | Wix eCommerceWixSentry+20 | 66 patents Patents concentrated in electrical & electronics | — |
| 20 | GreenPlaces Online platform to calculate and offset the carbon footprint | $21M | 21 mo ago | 35 | 2021 | — | WordPressMySQLPHP+19 | — | — |
| 21 | Mucommune R&D firm advancing immunology, drug delivery, and mucosal biology innovations 9Funding top 33%Moat bottom 49%Talent bottom 45%Patents bottom 35% All 7 signals ▾Fundingtop 33% Moatbottom 49% Talentbottom 45% Patentsbottom 35% Globalbottom 35% Marketbottom 20% Innovationbottom 17% Funding: Raised $19.4M across 13 rounds · 13 rounds over 10 yrs (1.3/yr) Moat: Editorial + unicorn rating 1/10 · IP moat: 6 patents rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 9/100 | $19M | 9 mo ago | 12 | 2015 | Sam Lai Founder | — | 6 patents Patents concentrated in chemistry & materials | — |
| 22 | Emergo Therapeutics Developer of treatment for the treatment of inflammatory diseases | $16M | 49 mo ago | 8 | 2016 | Robin Deruyscher Founder | — | — | — |
| 23 | Susteon Technology solution for decarbonization | $14M | 10 mo ago | 14 | 2017 | Shantanu Agarwal Co-Founder | Webflowanime.jsLenis+13 | 36 patents Advanced CO2 capture solvents and electrically heated catalytic reactors for hydrogen/oxygen production | — |
| 24 | Plantd Provider of carbon based material for the green building community | $14M | 8 mo ago | 48 | 2021 | Huade Tan Co-Founder | WebflowVimeoAnt Design+18 | 5 patents Sustainable construction composites and pressing equipment for alternative building materials. | — |
| 25 | BotBuilt Developer of affordable houses | $12M | 29 mo ago | 13 | 2017 | Colin Devine Co-Founder and COO | WordPressMySQLMariaDB+28 | 36 patents Patents concentrated in transport & manufacturing processes | — |
| 26 | The Climate Service Cloud-based climate risk analytics platform for investors and financial institutions | $12M | 59 mo ago | 32 | 2014 | — | — | — | — |
| 27 | Rent Ready Provider of an online marketplace to book apartment turnover services | $12M | 63 mo ago | 26 | 2014 | Jonathan Kite Co-Founder & CEO | Cart FunctionalitySquarespace CommerceSquarespace+13 | — | — |
| 28 | Sustaera Developer of renewable energy-powered direct air carbon capture technology | $11M | 35 mo ago | 12 | 2021 | Ben Gardner CEO | — | 16 patents Solid sorbent and carbon composite technologies for CO₂ capture and removal | — |
| 29 | Community Loan Fund Provider of financial services and coaching to individuals and communities | $10M | 162 mo ago | 61 | 1983 | — | Node.jsSalesforceTailwind CSS+18 | — | 2 job openings |
| 30 | AQUALIS Provider of solutions for storm water management | $10M | 95 mo ago | 121 | 2001 | Richard Matero CEO | WordPressMySQLPHP+34 | — | 5 job openings |
| 31 | AnelleO Provider of 3D-printed healthcare products for women | $7M | 33 mo ago | 2 | 2017 | Rima Janusziewicz Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 32 | Power Analytics Provider of energy monitoring systems and microgrid integration systems | $6M | 201 mo ago | 23 | 1983 | Adib Nasle Co-Founder & ex-President | — | 77 patents Real-time AI-driven monitoring, forecasting, and safety analytics for electrical power distribution. | — |
| 33 | Opal Provider of software and hardware tools for workforce safety | $5M | 77 mo ago | 2 | 2013 | Michael Brisson Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 34 | Passage Home Non-profit organization focused on poverty | $4M | 13 mo ago | 51 | 1991 | Seth Friedman CEO | WordPress Block EditorElementorWordPress+21 | — | — |
| 35 | Ecobot Provider of a compliance management platform for construction | $4M | 37 mo ago | 9 | 2018 | Lee Lance Co-Founder & CEO | Google Sign-inBootstrapAmazon Web Services+21 | — | — |
| 36 | Phytonix Corporation Manufacturer of pharmaceutical tablets, syrups, and capsules | $3M | 92 mo ago | 3 | 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 37 | Synereca Developing drugs that restore or increase the effectiveness of existing antibiotics | $3M | 106 mo ago | 7 | 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 38 | Nimble Energy Provider of AI-powered energy and utilities management solutions | $3M | 13 mo ago | — | 2023 | Jeff Soplop CEO/Founder | — | — | — |
| 39 | Galaxy Diagnostics PCR-based Human and Animal testing for vector-borne diseases | $3M | 14 mo ago | 15 | 2009 | — | Cart FunctionalityWordPressMySQL+33 | — | — |
| 40 | Agile Sciences Develops anti-bacterial small molecules | $2M | 72 mo ago | 11 | 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 41 | Microgrid Labs Provider of microgrid implementation solutions | $2M | 54 mo ago | 16 | 2014 | Namit Singh COO | CoFounder | WordPressMySQLPHP+16 | 4 patents Low-cost design, control, and management of electric vehicle charging infrastructure | — |
| 42 | Braggawatt Online platform for project financing in solar energy projects | $2M | 97 mo ago | — | 2016 | Trey Ramsey Co-Founder & CEO | — | — | — |
| 43 | AgEYE Technologies AI-powered farm management solutions provider | $2M | 18 mo ago | 23 | 2018 | — | WordPressMySQLPHP+12 | — | — |
| 44 | Benanova Sustainable materials company creating nature-inspired colloid solutions for diverse markets | $2M | 23 mo ago | — | 2013 | Alexander Richter Co-Founder | — | 8 patents Patents concentrated in health & consumer products | — |
| 45 | Arrevus Online platform providing slot games with potential rewards and trusted service | $1M | 13 mo ago | 4 | 2017 | — | — | 8 patents Antimicrobial peptide and fusidic acid formulations for treating bone, joint and skin infections | — |
| 46 | NALA Developer of chlorine-resistant reverse osmosis membranes | $700K | 4 mo ago | 18 | 2018 | Sue Mecham Co-Founder & CEO | Cart FunctionalityWixSentry+14 | — | 1 award |
| 47 | Supportive Housing Communities Provider of affordable homes | $646K | 13 mo ago | 34 | 1993 | — | WordPressMySQLPHP+38 | — | 1 job opening |
| 48 | Invicta Water Technology solution for water treatment | $300K | 26 mo ago | — | 2023 | Theodore Kalmbach Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 49 | Avana Health Developer of treatments for women health | $128K | 8 mo ago | 6 | 2021 | Peter Pacult Co-Founder & CEO | Cart FunctionalitySquarespace CommerceSquarespace+10 | — | — |
Top 12 Sustainability Tech companies in North Carolina
#1
Public · Raleigh, North Carolina · founded 1989 · 42 employees$58.7Mraised▾
Tantalus Systems is a provider of multi-purpose smart grid solutions platform for advanced metering, demand response, and distribution automation. Offers TUNet, a WAN/LAN/HAN communications system that enables electric, water, and gas municipal and cooperative utilities to automate processes, improve business operations, and deliver customer services. It also works on multi-commodity networks like IP based, Mesh and Star, etc.
- Feb 2026Post IPO$156.7K
- May 2024Post IPO$366.5K
- Feb 2017Series B$6M
- Dec 2016Conventional Debt$5.1M
#2
Acquired · Raleigh, North Carolina · founded 2011 · 31 employees$174.6Mraised▾
Sprout Pharmaceuticals has developed drugs for women's health. The company has developed an FDA-approved non-hormonal pill called ADDYI to cure Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women.
- Dec 2024Series D$10.6M
- Apr 2023Series D$7.1M
- Aug 2022Series D$28M
- May 2022Series D$25.1M
#3
Funding Raised · Chapel Hill, North Carolina · founded 2015 · 12 employees$19.4Mraised▾
R&D firm advancing immunology, drug delivery, and mucosal biology innovations. This organization specializes in translating early-stage academic discoveries into preclinical studies and clinical development, bridging the gap between research and practical application. It focuses on unmet needs in female reproductive health and tackling polymer immunogenicity. Technologies advanced include mAb therapies for respiratory infections and interventions for female reproductive health. This company operates as a specialty R&D operation, emphasizing innovation in immunology, drug delivery systems, and mucosal biology. It aims to develop first-in-class interventions and advance scientific breakthroughs into tangible healthcare solutions. The company spun off a biopharma company to commercialize treatments for acute respiratory infections.
- Sep 2025Grant (prize money)$1.1M
- Aug 2025Grant (prize money)$306.5K
- Mar 2025Grant (prize money)$380.7K
- Feb 2025Grant (prize money)$306.5K
#4
Public · Durham, North Carolina · founded 2021 · 14 employees$23.5Mraised▾
Developer of gene therapies to treat retinal degenerative diseases. The company is focusing on the development of AAV-based gene therapies to address mutations in genes that cause Leber congenital amaurosis. The company's drug pipeline includes OPGx-001 to target mutations in the LCA5 gene and OPGx-002 for retinal dystrophy.
- Aug 2025Grant (prize money)$1.7M
- Sep 2024Grant (prize money)$883K
- Jun 2023Seed$4.5M
- Sep 2021Seed$19M
#5
Series B · Durham, North Carolina · founded 2021 · 48 employees$13.6Mraised▾
Provider of carbon based material for the green building community
- Sep 2025Series B$22M
- Jan 2023Series A$13.6M
- Jan 2023Conventional Debt—
#6
Funding Raised · Cary, North Carolina · founded 2017 · 14 employees$13.7Mraised▾
Technology solution for decarbonization. It is a technology developer focused on industrial decarbonization, specializing in the creation of low-carbon breakthrough solutions for climate change mitigation, utilizing innovative sorbent technologies for carbon capture and utilization.
- Aug 2025Grant (prize money)$999.7K
- Apr 2025Grant (prize money)$1M
- Apr 2025Grant (prize money)$3M
- Jul 2024Grant (prize money)$256.5K
#7
Series A · Durham, North Carolina · founded 2018 · 18 employees$700Kraised▾
Developer of chlorine-resistant reverse osmosis membranes for water treatment. These membranes reduce biofouling, lowering operating costs and extending membrane lifespan. The technology enables efficient water reuse and reduces the environmental impact of water treatment systems. This is achieved through patented materials resistant to chlorine, allowing for effective cleaning without membrane damage. The result is lower energy consumption and reduced maintenance needs for water purification systems.
- Jan 2026Series A$10.8M
- Mar 2025Conventional Debt$1000K
- Apr 2022Conventional Debt$712.3K
- Mar 2022Seed$700K
#8
Series B · Durham, North Carolina · founded 2015 · 40 employees$25.9Mraised▾
Provider of energy management solutions for industrial and cold chain operations. The company offers an energy intensity platform designed for production-first energy management. It provides solutions for load control, temperature monitoring, and shore power. The company aims to decrease costs and increase sustainable industrial operations through its platform and services.
- Jan 2025Series B—
- Aug 2024Grant (prize money)—
- Apr 2024Series B$20.1M
- May 2021Series A$6M
#9
Funding Raised · Raleigh, North Carolina · founded 1991 · 51 employees$3.6Mraised▾
Passage Home is a nonprofit working to break the cycle of poverty for the communities it serves in Wake County. We go about our mission by developing people, developing places and strengthening communities. You can learn more about what we mean by that on our website, www.passagehome.org. We provide a holistic approach of comprehensive case management through our programs and services, supporting the needs of families across Wake County.
- May 2025Grant (prize money)$314.1K
- Mar 2025Grant (prize money)$579.5K
- Apr 2014Grant (prize money)$192.1K
- Apr 2012Grant (prize money)—
#10
Series A · Raleigh, North Carolina · founded 2021 · 35 employees$21.5Mraised▾
Online platform to calculate and offset the carbon footprint. Its platform helps companies to calculate carbon emissions from the daily commute, electric lighting, data servers, air travels, and others. It invests in carbon negative projects to offset the carbon footprint.
- Aug 2024Series A$3.3M
- Jun 2023Series A$13.2M
- Oct 2022Series A$4M
- Jul 2021Seed$975K
#11
Series A · Durham, North Carolina · founded 2009 · 15 employees$2.6Mraised▾
Galaxy Diagnostics is an infectious disease testing company founded by researchers at NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine. The company offers PCR tests to confirm Bartonella infection and other pathogens. Its product, the Bartonella ePCR test combines proprietary enrichment culture with compassionate PCR methods to provide a highly sensitive detection test for Bartonella spp. The company offers PCR tests to detect a broad range of species within each genus of Bartonella spp, Anaplasma spp, Ehrlichia spp, Rickettsia spp, and Babesia.
- Apr 2025Series A$4.1M
- Aug 2023Series A$2M
- Sep 2018Grant (prize money)$224.9K
- Aug 2014Seed$550.8K
#12
Series B · Raleigh, North Carolina · founded 2015 · 74 employees$67.3Mraised▾
Developer of therapeutics for infectious disease and inflammatory indications. The company has developed a platform to design and deliver custom CRISPR-Cas systems directly to specific bacteria and enables the development of antimicrobials for infectious diseases.
- Jan 2024Grant (prize money)$23.9M
- May 2022Series B$35M
- Oct 2021Conventional Debt—
- Nov 2020Conventional Debt$20M
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Sustainability Tech coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
How research on Climate Adaptation is moving in the United States
A read on the academic research around Climate Adaptation — which themes are gaining ground, the institutions and researchers driving them, and how the tone is shifting. Based on 1,953 United States-affiliated papers.
- Columbia University52
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill43
- Arizona State University42
- Texas A&M University42
- Purdue University West Lafayette35
- Flood myth4→56
- Climate change6→47
- Flooding (psychology)2→23
- Climate resilience1→16
- Flood mitigation2→14
- Flood myth50→178
- Climate change35→155
- Flooding (psychology)18→97
- Resilience (materials science)10→84
- Psychological resilience12→55
- Climate change71→449
- Resilience (materials science)17→139
- Flood myth36→158
- Psychological resilience13→115
- Climate resilience14→92
Where climate adaptation is researched across United States
Location clusters by institution affiliation — each city's volume, stance tone, and a quick read on its hot topic, what's advancing, the opening opportunity, and the main concern.
Who's filing climate adaptation patents in the United States
United States climate adaptation patent filing is cooling — 28 filings from 19 assignees (2016–2025), led by ILC Dover, Garcia Rogerio, Serralta Denset; annual filings 6→1.
- ILC Dover20
- Garcia Rogerio4
- Serralta Denset4
- Zesty AI2
- Yodock GUY1
- Mckee TONY RAY1
- Ballard Tristan1
- Cooper Matthew1
Common questions
Riya reads income statements for fun. She covers the real money in a sector — revenue, growth, who actually earns — and never met a vague claim she didn't want a number for.