š½NYC: Mobility pilots, solar plus storage and microfreight
Vol 114
This newsletter aims to separate the signal from the noise for investment in all things sustainable transportation: Electrification, mode shift, active and public transit, and mobility aggregation, across both people and goods movement.
Some of you have been asking me what is happening with the Su$tainable Mobility newsletter. The answer is that the newsletter on hiatus as I adjust to my LA-to-NYC transition.
Rest assured that I love the Su$tainable Mobility folks and Iām looking forward to properly rebooting this newsletter once things settle down a bit here in the (frozen) Big Apple.
But for now, please see an update on all the startups in Startup Watch and peep the opportunities Iām working on professionally related to piloting (including sustainable mobility), the world of solar plus storage, and all things microfreight (aka last mile-delivery).
Since the last time I published this newsletter (August 10, 2025), things have been a bitā¦ahemā¦turbulent in the world. Just as Seinfeld debated whether there can be big and small coincidences, weāre living a real-life debate about how much more āunprecedentedā things can become.
Either way, Iām happy to say that many of the startups in the Startup Watch section of this newsletter continue to crush it on the fundraising front, including over $300M since our last check-in.
Not yet a subscriber?
š°FUNDING: Capital raises from startups previously featured in Startup Watch
XFuel (Vol 6) raised a $20M Series A from AENU and 10 other investors
RushOwl (Vol 18) raised a $10M Series A from Gobi Partners and others
ZParq (Vol 30) raised a 5.5M EUR round from Almi Invest Green Tech, Santander, InnoEnergy, and others
Vammo (formerly Leopardo, Vol 36) raised a $45M Series B from Ecosystem Integrity Fund, Maniv, 2150, and others
Deftpower (Vol 37) raised a 12.5M round from Endeit Capital and others
Phoenix Tailings (Vol 48) raised a Series B (amount undisclosed) from Sahin Boydas as well as a $1.6M grant from ARPA-E
Mitra EV (Vol 52) raised a $7M venture round (investors undisclosed) plus debt
Pionix (Issue 53) raised an 8M EUR Seed Round from Ascend Capital Partners, Pale Blue Dot, and others
Hullbot (Vol 59) raised a $16M Series A from Regeneration, Artesian VC, and others
Ammobia (Vol 63) raised a $7.5M Seed Round from AIR Capital and 12 others
Valar Atomics (Vol 69) raised a $105M Series A from Day One Ventures, Riot Ventures, Palmer Luckey, and others plus a $75M venture debt round
SirenOpt (Vol 80) raised a $6.5M round from InMotion Ventures, Hitachi Ventures and others
Maritime Fusion (Vol 102) raised a $4.5M Seed Round from Trucks VC, Y-Combinator, Aera VC and others
Enjoying this issue? Share it with 3 peopleā¦
šDEEP DIVE: ALL THINGS NYC
Rest assured, the newsletter will have its moment of rebirth. Iām currently working for LACI (Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator) getting BATWorks, a new $100M climate innovation hub at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, up and running. So, until I can find time for a proper issue with new startups for Startup Watch, some new Quick Hits, and a proper Deep Dive essay, hereās what Iām up to professionally. Rest assured, much of it is focused on scaling sustainable mobility.
So here are 3 updates worth paying attention to:
šPilots at BAT (Brooklyn Army Terminal)
Applications for the next round of Pilots at BAT, now under LACIās leadership as part of BATWorks, are now open and will close on Feb 24. For those who need customer proof, deployment experience, and credibility to take their innovation to the next level, this is the right opportunity.
Pilots at BAT supports companies deploying technology (including sustainable mobility) in live operating environments while building traction with NYC-based partners.
Interested startups (and corporates) can join us online on February 5th at 4pm ET to learn more about the program, use cases, and application process. Registration link here. Program application here and the program overview here.
š² Microfreight (aka Last Mile Delivery) at BATWorks
Thursday, February 19, 5:00-7:00 pm.
This multi-stakeholder discussion from LACI evaluates the opportunity for BATWorks, the new $100M climate innovation hub at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, to become a center of expertise in decarbonized microfreight solutions. Microfreight, or small e-cargo delivery vehicles, can efficiently and sustainably transport goods through neighborhoods that were shipped via ferry, thus reducing the need for highly polluting trucks.
This convening is suitable for those with an interest in the maritime and last-mile delivery sector, including startups, environmental justice groups, non-profits, shippers, delivery services, bike shops, philanthropy, local businesses, corporates, government, etc.
Register here for this convening at BATWorks on Thursday, February 19, 5:00-7:00 pm.
āļøšSolar and Storage at BAT
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is looking for qualified solar energy (plus storage) developers to submit for a lease and Power Purchase Agreement for carport-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at the Brooklyn Army Terminal.
Imagine the possibilities for a plug-and-play microgrid that could allow startups to pilot new EV charging solutions across hardware and software! Submissions due by Tuesday, Feb 24, 2026.
Not yet a subscriber?
