Press Release

257 Secures $9.2M Seed Funding to Transform Residential Energy Market Using Data and AI

Marketing technology executives turn focus to the energy market, introducing enterprise platform to fast-track adoption of residential energy products

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–257, a software and AI company with a vision to reshape the $500B residential energy market, today announced a $9.2 million seed funding round to revolutionize how energy product and service providers analyze and engage with consumers.


Leveraging a detailed, proprietary energy profile on every US home, and AI-driven upgrade predictions, 257 helps companies in the utility, solar, HVAC and electric supply markets improve customer experience and engagementā€”paving the way to a smarter, more resilient residential power system.

The round was led by longtime partner F2 Venture Capital, as well as top energy and AI angels, including Mike Fallquist (Founder & CEO of Crius Energy, Co-Founder & CEO of Energywell), Jeff Hammerbacher (founder and co-CEO of Open Athena, founder of Cloudera, original Facebook data team manager), Otto von Troschke (a European growth capital investor focusing on the energy transition, co-founder of SUSI), and Gil Golan (former GM CTO and head of GM Ventures). The proceeds will accelerate 257ā€™s mission to modernize the residential energy experience, delivering the insights, marketing efficiencies, and personalization that have transformed so many other consumer verticals.

ā€œDespite billions spent annually, providers lack the data and tools to effectively connect with consumersā€”leading to higher costs, missed sales opportunities, and slower adoption,ā€ said Scott Rosenberg, co-founder and CEO of 257. ā€œWeā€™re bridging this divide with data, analytics and marketing tools that help providers deliver personalized, relevant interactions from the first consumer touchpoint.ā€

With 130 million U.S. households projected to spend more than $5 trillion on energy products and services over the next decadeā€”an average of $40,000 per homeā€”the residential energy sector is ripe for digital transformation. Tens of thousands of providers across the utility, solar, HVAC and electric supply markets spend over $20B annually to engage prospective customers.

At the heart of the 257 platform is a digital energy twin for each U.S. home, built using hundreds of public and proprietary data sources and advanced machine learning techniques. These twins form the core of 257ā€™s three initial products:

  • 257 Insights ā€“ Powerful, household-level insights into current and prospective customers, enabling data-driven decisions in consumer engagement.
  • 257 Audiences ā€“ AI-powered propensity scores, helping providers find the best prospects for solar, heat pumps, alternative energy plans, and more.
  • 257 Engage ā€“ Brandable lead capture and customer onboarding forms that use 257ā€™s data to improve first contact with a prospective customer.

ā€œWeā€™re at the early days of the energy transition, but also at a moment when software, data and AI can play a transformative role in ensuring this shift is cost-effective and accessible for all consumers,ā€ said Tal Chalozin, 257ā€™s co-founder and CTO. ā€œ257ā€™s AI models analyze tens of millions of homes to predict pinpoint future consumption and pinpoint the best upgrades for each householdā€”helping providers drive efficiency, lower costs, and faster adoption.ā€

Pilot partners collaborating with 257 over the last 6 months have significantly boosted their customer acquisition rate, in some cases achieving a 300% improvement in ROI. Unlike data brokers, lead generation companies, or agency models, 257 operates on a performance-based model, allowing providers to perform analyses, build audiences, and target customers for free, paying only when the platform drives a successful sale.

ā€œI’m thrilled to back successful, repeat entrepreneurs as they redefine the residential energy market with a scalable, data-driven approach that prioritizes consumer and provider outcomes,ā€ said Jonathan Saacks, Managing Partner, F2 Venture Capital.

Founded by Scott Rosenberg and Tal Chalozin, who built multi-billion-dollar media platforms at Roku and Innovid, 257 is bringing proven consumer, marketing and AI expertise to the home energy market.

Energy providers can learn more or request a demo at 257.co or [email protected]. or contact at [email protected] for further inquiries.

About 257

257 is a venture-backed enterprise software company dedicated to using data and AI to accelerate the adoption of residential energy products.

Contacts

[email protected]

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