Alternō, a Singapore-based climate-tech startup, has closed its Series A funding round to accelerate the deployment of its sustainable heat technology and support its mission to eliminate 100 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions annually by 2030.

The firm said in a statement on Tuesday by building the next generation of clean energy infrastructure—delivering heat, electricity, and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered energy management — it aims to redefine how the world powers its factories, farms, and communities.

The round was led by UntroD Capital Asia, with participation from ADB Ventures, the venture arm of the Asian Development Bank — a testament to growing investor confidence in scalable climate solutions for hard-to-abate sectors.

The company’s growth to date has been supported by early institutional backing from Antler, which played a pivotal role in Alternō’s initial development.

“This funding marks a pivotal milestone for Alternō. With the support of ADB and UntroD, we’re accelerating our efforts to bring large-scale, cost-effective decarbonization to industrial sectors，

“This isn’t just another battery—it’s a revolution in how we generate and use industrial heat, starting from something as simple as sand，” said Hai Ho, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Alternō.

Founded in 2023, Alternō is a climate-tech startup based in Singapore with research and development (R&D) and manufacturing in Vietnam.

The company develops sand-based thermal battery systems that deliver high-temperature, zero-emission heat for industrial and agricultural applications.

With the support of its latest funding, Alternō is expanding its portfolio to serve both factory and community-scale energy needs.

This includes Alternō One, a compact thermal battery that delivers clean heat to off-grid homes and remote communities.

Successfully piloted in Lâm Đồng, Vietnam, the system is now preparing for initial deployment in Mongolia, where it will help combat extreme winter air pollution and improve energy access.

This also includes Alternō Hybrid, the world’s first modular thermal battery integrating electric and biomass heating.

Designed for 24/7 heat supply in rural agro-processing, it enables farmers to repurpose organic waste into energy. This solution is poised to revolutionize agricultural drying practices across Vietnam.

To make its technology broadly accessible, the company offers flexible financial models, including heat-as-a-service (HaaS) — enabling clients to decarbonize without heavy upfront capital investment.

Alterno is also in co-development discussions with major international partners including Honda and Marubeni, further underscoring its global potential.

The firm’s patented thermal energy storage system — known as a sand battery—utilizes locally available, low-cost materials like sand to store heat at temperatures up to 600°C, with minimal thermal loss and zero emissions during operation.

This positions its solution as a high-efficiency, low-cost pathway to industrial decarbonization, particularly in emerging markets where clean heat alternatives remain scarce or economically unfeasible.

It is noted that the firm’s technology has already proven effective in industrial drying and agro-processing applications in Vietnam, where it has reduced fossil fuel dependency, lowered energy costs, and improved both output consistency and product quality.

Its clients include leading domestic and international companies such as PepsiCo, Mondelez, and a network of cooperatives and manufacturers across Vietnam.

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