Bloom Energy

Bloom Energy is an American public company headquartered in San Jose, California. It manufactures and markets solid oxide fuel cells that produce electricity on-site. The company was founded in 2001 and came out of stealth mode in 2010. It raised more than $1 billion in venture capital funding before going public in 2018. Its fuel cells are subsidized by government incentive programs for green energy. As of 2020, Bloom had installed about 600 megawatts worth of fuel cells. Corporate history Bloom Energy was founded in 2001 under the name Ion America before being renamed Bloom Energy in 2006. The company worked in secret for 8 years before coming out of stealth mode in 2010. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, that year Bloom had "a coming-out party packed with politicians and Silicon Valley elite." The company was featured on 60 Minutes and supported by political figures. At that time, Bloom had raised $400 million in funding and had 300 employees. Bloom Energy traces its roots to work performed by KR Sridhar in connection with creating a technology to convert Martian atmospheric gases to oxygen for propulsion and life support. Sridhar and his team built an electrochemical cell for NASA capable of producing air and fuel from electricity generated by a solar panel.