United States · 
Who invested in ESS?
ESS's investors include Breakthrough Energy, SoftBank Group’s SB Energy, Fidelity, Portland Seed Fund and BASF Venture Capital, and 9 more on record.
2019202120232025
$13MSeries B$30MSeries C$15MRoundUnited States · Funded startup
Who invested in ESS
3 rounds we have observed, with the 14 investors named in them. Every figure came from a named source, and where the company reported a raise to the SEC itself, that is shown beside it.
Raised 10 months ago
Funding summaryUpdated 26 Oct 2026
$58Mraised across 3 rounds since 2017, from 3 sources
$13MSeries B$30MSeries C$15MRound
- Latest round
- Round, $15MJan 2026
- Biggest round
- $30MSeries C · Oct 2019
- Investors
- 14 (2 led)
The funding story
Each circle is a round, placed by date and sized by amount. The line above is the running total.
- First round
- Series B, $13M Dec 2017
- Biggest round
- $30M Series C · Oct 2019
- Usual gap between rounds
- 6.2 years the median of 2
The rounds
- Jan 2026
- Oct 2019Series C$30M8 new
Breakthrough EnergyLead- SoftBank Group’s SB EnergyLead
BASF Venture Capital
Pangaea Ventures- Cycle Capital Management
Evergy Ventures
IPM Group- PTT Global Chemical
Reported by FinSMEs
- Dec 2017
Who was in which round
The busiest backers across the latest rounds. A filled square is a round they joined; a dark one, a round they led.
Series B2017Series C2019Round2026Breakthrough EnergyLSoftBank Group’s SB EnergyLFidelity
Portland Seed FundBASF Venture CapitalPangaea Ventures
PresidioCycle Capital ManagementEvergy VenturesIPM Group
Breakthrough EnergyLSoftBank Group’s SB EnergyLFidelityPortland Seed FundBASF Venture CapitalPangaea VenturesPresidioCycle Capital ManagementEvergy VenturesIPM GroupEveryone who backed them
SoftBank Group’s SB Energyno record of our own yet1round, led 1
FidelityVC firm1round
Cycle Capital ManagementGrowth equity1round
BASF/ Cycle Capitalno record of our own yet1round
InfraPartnersno record of our own yet1round
Pangaeano record of our own yet1round
PTT Global Chemicalno record of our own yet1round
Missing a round, or an investor who was in one? Tell us.
Also claim to have backed them
These 2 firms list ESS as a portfolio company on their own websites, but no report of a round names them. They are the firms' own claims, kept apart from the rounds above.
Quick answers about ESS
How much has ESS raised?
ESS has raised $58M across 3 rounds since 2017.
When did ESS last raise?
ESS's most recent round was an Undisclosed round of $15M in Jan 2026.
What was ESS's biggest round?
ESS's largest round on record is $30M (Series C), in Oct 2019, led by Breakthrough Energy.
Who backed ESS first?
ESS's first round on record, in Dec 2017, was backed by Presidio, BASF/ Cycle Capital and InfraPartners and 1 others.
What stage is ESS at?
ESS's latest named round is an Undisclosed round, in Jan 2026.
Where is ESS based?
ESS is based in the United States.
Who led ESS's rounds?
Breakthrough Energy led the Series C in 2019.
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In the same sector, and raised in the last eighteen months.
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