MassMutual backs Transaera

Transaera raised $8.2 million in seed funding from investors, including MassMutual Ventures and Energy Impact Partners, along with an additional $2.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. Led by Clean Energy Ventures, this funding will support Transaera in scaling its energy-efficient air conditioning technology for commercial deployment.

As global temperatures rise, air conditioning demand is expected to soar, with the International Energy Agency projecting units to increase from 2.3 billion to 5.6 billion by 2050. This surge risks further carbon emissions, as ACs already emit more than double the greenhouse gases of the entire aviation industry.

To counter this impact, Transaera, founded in 2017, has developed a cooling solution using solid desiccants to reduce energy consumption by 40%. Its technology captures excess heat from the cooling process to remove humidity, optimizing performance even in extreme conditions. With this funding, Transaera plans to shift from pilot programs to larger-scale production, targeting substantial energy and emissions reductions.

“The Transaera leadership team represents a strong blend of exceptional entrepreneurial, scientific, engineering and industry talent. We see that expertise realized in a new technology platform that utilizes existing form factors, integrates with leading OEMs, distribution and engineering infrastructure, and can be economically compelling to the end-user regardless of regulatory requirements or subsidies.” – Karl Beinkampen, Venture Partner at the MassMutual Ventures Climate Technology Fund.