Breakthrough Energy

Climate technology investment and support organization founded by Bill Gates.

Climate techVenture capitalClean energy

Active^{Source [5]}^{Source [3]}Last verified Oct 2, 2026

About Breakthrough Energy

Breakthrough Energy is a clean energy investment and support platform founded by Bill Gates. It works with innovators to develop and deploy technologies across manufacturing, electricity, agriculture, transportation and buildings.^{Source [3]}^{Source [1]}

It began as a coalition of investors announced at the Paris climate conference in 2015. In December 2016 it launched Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a 20-year, $1 billion fund backed by investors including Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Jack Ma, John Doerr and Vinod Khosla.^{Source [1]}^{Source [2]}

In 2025 it closed its US public policy and European teams. In February 2026 its Catalyst project finance arm, launched in 2021 with about $1.5 billion, stopped making new investments. Its Fellows program named its sixth cohort, 21 startups, in September 2026.^{Source [1]}^{Source [4]}^{Source [5]}

Watch

Why we started Breakthrough Energy by Breakthrough Energy on YouTube

What happened

Began as the Breakthrough Energy Coalition of investors announced at the Paris climate conference in 2015, and added the $1 billion Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund in December 2016. In March 2025 it closed its US public policy and European teams, and in February 2026 its Catalyst fund stopped making new investments. In September 2026 it named a new cohort of 21 startups for its Fellows program.^{Source [1]}^{Source [2]}^{Source [4]}^{Source [5]}

Timeline

2026-09-22Named a sixth Fellows cohort of 21 startups.^{Source [5]}
2026-02Catalyst stopped making new investments.^{Source [4]}
2021Launched Catalyst with about $1.5 billion.^{Source [4]}
2016-12Launched the $1 billion Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund.^{Source [2]}^{Source [1]}
2015-11Bill Gates announced the Breakthrough Energy Coalition at the Paris climate conference.^{Source [1]}^{Source [2]}

Products and brands

Breakthrough Energy Ventures: Venture fund investing in clean energy startups.^{Source [2]}^{Source [5]}
Breakthrough Energy Fellows: Program supporting early stage clean energy startups.^{Source [5]}
Breakthrough Energy Catalyst: Project finance arm for first commercial projects; stopped new investments in 2026.^{Source [4]}

How it makes money: Invests in clean energy startups through venture funds and supports early stage founders through its Fellows program.^{Source [2]}^{Source [5]}^{Source [3]}

Leadership

Bill Gates	Founder^{Source [3]}^{Source [1]}	Since 2015
Eric Toone	Chief Technical Officer, Breakthrough Energy Ventures^{Source [5]}
Benjamin Gaddy	Acting director, Breakthrough Energy Fellows^{Source [5]}	Since 2026

Funding and financials

Date	Round	Amount	Investors
2021	Catalyst launch^{Source [4]}	About $1.5 billion	Philanthropy, corporations and governments
2016-12	Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund^{Source [2]}	$1 billion	Bill Gates with investors including Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and Jack Ma

People on Founded, and where they went next

1 person on record, connected to 5 other companies.

Person	Here	Also built
Bill Gates	Founder2015 to now	Gates Ventures2008 to nowActiveTerraPower2006 to nowActiveGates Foundation2000 to nowActiveMicrosoft1975 to 2020IPOTraf-O-DataShut down

Sources

Breakthrough Energy, Wikipedia. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
Bill Gates, allies launch $1 billion Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Trellis, 2016-12-12. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
About, Breakthrough Energy. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
The project finance vacuum left by the Catalyst fund's demise, Prometheus, 2026-02-18. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy bets these 21 startups will shape energy's future, TechCrunch, 2026-09-22. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.

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