Odyssey Energy
Our Investment in Odyssey Energy
End-to-end investment and asset management platform for distributed infrastructure
Decentralized, small-scale power solutions are critical to fully transition emerging markets to clean energy. Many of these areas currently experience unreliable grid power and depend on backup diesel generators during outages. For example, in Nigeria grid outages occur nearly half of the year. While large-scale utilities are a viable option for developed nations transitioning to clean energy, distributed renewable energy (DRE), like microgrids and small-scale solar, are more resilient, effective, and localized for developing economies. Despite being essential for emerging markets to keep their emissions low, DRE has been underfinanced.
Odyssey Energy Solutions is working to bolster the deployment of DRE by streamlining and simplifying renewable energy project development across the project lifecycle. The company’s technology primarily targets projects in emerging markets such as countries in Africa. Encompassing planning, financing, procurement, and remote asset management, Odyssey is currently facilitating more that $1 billion of financing for the DRE sector with assets on its platform in five continents. We are proud to back Odyssey’s leadership team, including Emily McAteer and Piyush Mathur, as they continue to assist DRE projects at scale.
What is Odyssey Energy?
Odyssey’s Fern hardware and software product suite enables operators to securely collect data from any component (regardless of manufacturer), monitor system performance in real-time, and remotely control systems from an intuitive online portal.
Odyssey Energy is a leading end-to-end investment and asset management platform for distributed energy infrastructure. The company’s technology enables project developers, investors, governments, donors, and suppliers to finance, build, and operate DRE projects focused on emerging markets efficiently.
The Odyssey platform simplifies project planning and unlocks project finance that has been notoriously lacking for DRE. It streamlines every step of the project lifecycle so that those working to scale DRE can focus on growing successful projects, providing reliable energy to people living in developing economies.
Why did we invest?
Compelling Founder-Market Fit
Odyssey is run by a strong entrepreneurial team with a track record of building and exiting tech and DRE businesses. The company’s founding team previously led the emerging markets practice for a SunEdison subsidiary and have a proven track record of success in this space.
CEO and Co-Founder, Emily McAteer, has 15 years of experience in energy management and DRE. Most recently, she helped the launch of SunEdison’s DRE business as Chief Revenue Officer of Frontier Power. Emily holds an MBA from Stanford Business School and an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School.
Piyush Mathur serves as Chief Business Officer at Odyssey. Previously as the CEO of Simpa Networks, Piyush led the growth and financing of the largest distributed energy company in India. He holds advisory and executive positions in VC firms, multilateral financial institutions, and leading international cleantech companies. Piyush is also a qualified Chartered Accountant and has received an MBA from London Business School.
Odyssey is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, United States with staff based in Africa, Europe and Asia.
Converting Emerging Markets is Critical to Mitigation
Source: Forbes
By 2050, ten countries are projected to account for over half of the expected 9.8 billion global population, and the vast majority of them will be those in the Global South.
As these burgeoning economies expand to accommodate a growing population, it will be critical — for their societies and that of the world at large — that they are equipped with the technology and financial resources in order to ensure their rise does not exacerbate the climate crisis.
We view the platform Odyssey Energy is building as essential for ensuring that no country is being left behind in the transition to a clean energy future.
