Branch Energy is a technology company that makes it easy for customers to lower their energy bills and carbon footprint while providing dramatically better customer experiences than incumbents. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Branch Energy co-founder and CEO Alex Ince-Cushman to learn more about the company.
Alex Ince-Cushman’s Background
What is Alex Ince-Cushman’s background? Ince-Cushman said:
“I studied aerospace engineering in college and eventually earned a Ph.D. in nuclear fusion from MIT. I’m an engineer at heart, so I left academia to work in technology consulting and software development in Silicon Valley with stops at McKinsey & Company and Palantir Technologies. Eventually, I took a position as the chief technology officer at Just Energy. In tandem, I pursued independent research into the climate, eventually making it a primary focus. The idea for Branch Energy came out of the combined experience in technology-focused problem solving and the huge role the energy system plays in society and addressing climate change.”
Formation Of Branch Energy
How did the idea for the company come together? Ince-Cushman shared:
“My desire to meaningfully address climate change was a driving force. While working in the energy industry at Just Energy, I noticed a mismatch between the way incumbent energy companies focus on getting power to the meter on the outside of a building and the huge potential for helping customers by deploying energy assets on the other side of that meter. Texas’s century-old grid isn’t equipped for the complexity of today’s energy needs, especially with extreme weather events becoming more and more frequent. We wanted to find a better way forward that prioritized affordability and reliability to keep our customer’s energy prices down and provide resilient, 100% clean energy during outages.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Ince-Cushman reflected:
“It’s hard to pick just one favorite memory because there have been so many incredible milestones – from signing our first energy customer and closing our Series A fundraise to seeing the first time our battery responded to energy prices in real-time. Each one felt like a great step forward for Branch Energy.”
“But more generally, what I value most is getting to work alongside such a highly talented and wonderful team every day. The people here are truly exceptional, and that makes all the difference.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Ince-Cushman explained:
“Branch Energy is a tech-driven retail energy provider that makes it easy for customers to lower their energy bills, shrink their carbon footprint, and improve reliability. We use data analytics & AI to determine which smart devices reduce a building’s energy bill the most and then help finance and install those devices, saving customers money while they switch to clean energy sources by also offering a fixed electricity rate. Branch combines an understanding of physical devices and field services with software and data engineering to optimize load demand in real-time. For example, we pull most of our energy from the grid in the morning, when it’s at its cheapest. Then, when electricity becomes more expensive later in the day, we discharge our batteries to keep costs low and help users maintain energy during blackouts. We’ve already reduced customers’ energy bills by 5-10%, translating into tens of thousands of dollars of savings per year for commercial users.”
Challenges Faced
What challenges have Ince-Cushman and the team face in building the company? Ince-Cushman acknowledged:
“Working in the startup world comes with its share of challenges. There is always too much to do and never enough time. We’re constantly making critical decisions with limited information, which can be a real test.”
“One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that there’s no single ‘silver bullet’ to overcome these challenges. Building a truly strong and talented team has made navigating these challenges much easier. We can rely on each other’s expertise, support each other through tough decisions, and celebrate the wins together.”
Evolution Of Branch Energy’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Ince-Cushman noted:
“In Branch’s first few years, we’ve focused on building out a retail energy platform that integrates AI and building the infrastructure needed to reach people across Texas. Now, we’re using that platform to deploy assets that we both finance and install for customers. Specifically, we’ve been installing batteries for the demand side management – charging batteries when the grid is cleanest (and inexpensive) and discharging when it’s at its dirtiest and most expensive.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Ince-Cushman cited:
“Since launching in 2021, I’m really proud of the extremely talented team we’ve been able to build since then. Branch Energy has signed up thousands of customers for 100% clean energy solutions. In that time, we’ve built the capacity and infrastructure to serve those customers affordably. In August we announced a $10.8M Series A fundraising round led by Prelude Ventures and Zero Infinity Partners, to help us accelerate the delivery of reliable, green, and affordable power to customers.”
Funding
When asking Ince-Cushman about the company’s funding details, he revealed:
“We raised $10.8 million in a Series A funding round with Prelude Ventures and Zero Infinity Partners. This new financing is accelerating the development of our battery management platform and building out our field services infrastructure.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Ince-Cushman affirmed:
“Branch is an energy provider built like a software company. Our solutions deliver value to customers in this new era of distributed energy by reducing costs while improving reliability. We provide electricity from 100% renewable sources, supporting local wind and solar projects, and through our no-cost battery storage systems, enable customers to manage demand on the grid with more flexibility. We reduce energy bills by 5-10% – translating to tens of thousands of dollars of savings per year for commercial users, by pulling most of our energy from the grid in the morning, when it’s at its cheapest. Then, when electricity becomes more expensive later in the day, we discharge our batteries to keep costs low and help users maintain energy during blackouts.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future company goals? Ince-Cushman concluded:
“In the near term, we’ll be heads down focused on the Texas market. Texas is the largest energy market in the country and is under considerable strain. This strain makes the types of behind-the-meter energy services even more valuable to customers. We do plan to scale beyond Texas in the years ahead.”
