Director of Software Engineering, Gradient Comfort

To solve this problem, Gradient has developed a hybrid air conditioner and room heater which reduces the carbon produced by as much as 95% when used to both heat and cool. It’s not the only company working on more environmentally friendly HVAC solutions, but what sets Gradient apart is that its window lodged device is much cheaper and easier to install as well as being quieter, and much less obtrusive than the average AC unit.

The company has attracted a large amount of investment, most recently in 2023 closing a Series A round which was co-led by Sustainable Future Ventures and Ajax Strategies. It is using this funding to develop new products, add further IoT functionality to its devices and increase its headcount. Gradient's environmentally friendly approach to heating and cooling puts it in a good position to capture a large share of the estimated $100 billion market for HVAC products.