What Next Energy Technologies does

Next Energy Technologies, Inc. is a privately held cleantech company founded in 2010 as a spinout from UC Santa Barbara, headquartered in Santa Barbara, California (11-50 employees). The company develops and manufactures transparent organic photovoltaic (OPV) coatings that are applied to commercial architectural glass, enabling windows and building facades to generate electricity from infrared and ultraviolet light while remaining visually transparent to the human eye. Its core technology is built on carbon-based organic semiconducting materials derived from Nobel Prize-winning research conducted by co-founder and CTO Corey Hoven during his Ph.D. at UCSB, and is protected by 50+ patents and proprietary processes. Manufacturing is enabled by a slot-die coating technique, adapted from OLED display production, that allows OPV inks to be deposited directly onto glass substrates in-line with existing glass-fabrication workflows.

The company's product portfolio centers on three offerings: (1) transparent PV windows in 40-inch by 60-inch laminated formats, (2) building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) facades compatible with standard curtain-wall and stick-built systems, and (3) the OPV slot-die coating process licensed to glass manufacturers. Revenue is generated through two streams: project-based hardware sales of OPV-coated windows and technology licensing/royalties from glass fabricators. Distribution occurs via a hybrid model combining direct enterprise sales to commercial building owners, developers, architects, and construction firms with an OEM/licensing channel that embeds NEXT's slot-die process into the production lines of partner fabricators. Named commercial partners include Patagonia (22-window pilot at HQ), Bouygues Construction (10-window prototype wall in Paris), NSG Group/Nippon Sheet Glass (European commercialization), Walters & Wolf (North American manufacturing partner), Viracon, and Glassfab Tempering Services/SolarFab.

NEXT Energy Technologies has raised approximately $30 million cumulatively across equity (Series C of $13.4M in June 2021) and non-dilutive grants ($2.5M DOE SunShot in 2017, $3M California Energy Commission RAMP in April 2023, plus multiple NSF awards), and is led by CEO Brenton Taylor (appointed June 2023, previously COO; prior Inogen, NASDAQ: INGN) with founding CEO Daniel Emmett as Executive Chairman. The company remains pre-commercial-scale, with the July 2025 installation of the world's first commercial BIPV facade using OPV technology at its own Santa Barbara headquarters representing its most significant commercialization milestone to date.

Name

Next Energy Technologies

Legal name

NEXT Energy Technologies, Inc.

Website

https://nextenergytech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Next Energy Technologies is a Santa Barbara-based cleantech company that develops transparent organic photovoltaic (OPV) coatings for commercial windows and facades, enabling buildings to generate electricity while remaining visually clear. It serves commercial building owners, architects, glass fabricators, and construction firms through a hybrid hardware-sales and technology-licensing model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (Solar Glass)

NAICS

Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (32721)

SIC

Glass Products, Made Of Purchased Glass (3231)

akta.pro primary industry

Low‑E, Solar Control & Energy-Efficient Coated Glass (IMADAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Windows (IMADAIAC)

Keywords

• Transparent solar windows
• Organic photovoltaic coatings
• Building-integrated photovoltaics
• Energy-generating glass
• OPV window technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. OPV-Coated Window Sales: Sale of transparent photovoltaic-coated windows to commercial building owners, architects, and developers. Windows are manufactured through licensed glass fabricator partners using NEXT's OPV technology and coatings. Revenue derived from per-window pricing based on size and specifications.
2. Technology Licensing: Licensing of proprietary OPV technology, processes, and know-how to glass fabricators and manufacturers. Enables licensees to add slot-die processing lines to produce NEXT coatings on glass. Creates recurring licensing revenue stream while maintaining technology leadership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NEXT Energy Technologies manufactures and licenses transparent organic photovoltaic (OPV) coatings applied to commercial glass windows. The proprietary coatings harvest infrared and ultraviolet light to generate electricity while remaining visually transparent, enabling buildings to produce power from existing window surfaces. The company applies the coatings via a slot-die process that integrates into existing glass fabrication supply chains, and sells/licenses the technology to glass fabricators and commercial building owners.

Product overview

NEXT Energy Technologies offers a unified product portfolio centered on its proprietary NEXT OPV (Organic Photovoltaic) Technology platform. The core offering consists of transparent photovoltaic coatings applied to commercial windows via a slot-die manufacturing process, enabling buildings to generate electricity from sunlight while maintaining visibility. The technology integrates into two main product lines: Transparent PV Windows available in 40x60 inch format, and Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) Facade systems. The OPV Slot-Die Coating Process enables licensing to glass fabricators and seamless integration with existing supply chains. The company holds 50+ patents covering its products and processes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NEXT OPV Technology Patented organic photovoltaic technology platform using earth-abundant, low-cost organic semiconducting materials coated as ink in a high-speed, low-cost process. Enables transparent windows that harvest infrared and ultraviolet light while allowing visible light to pass through. The platform underlies all NEXT products and is licensed to glass fabricators.
• Transparent PV Windows Commercial windows coated with transparent organic photovoltaic coating that converts sunlight into electricity while remaining transparent. Available in 40-inch by 60-inch laminated format and capable of generating energy even in low-light conditions. Designed for commercial buildings seeking energy generation without aesthetic compromise.
• Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) Facade Building-integrated photovoltaic facade systems that transform building exteriors into solar energy-generating surfaces while maintaining transparency. Integrates with standard BIPV curtain wall or stick-built systems, with wiring carried in mullions and a junction box connecting to standard solar wiring and inverter systems. Demonstrated to offset 20-25% of energy consumption typical of commercial properties.
• OPV Slot-Die Coating Process and Technology Licensing Proprietary slot-die coating technique for applying OPV inks directly onto glass, licensed to glass fabricators worldwide. Enables in-line supply chain integration with glass manufacturers, substantially lowering the cost of standing up a production line, and allows high-speed, low-cost processing. Forms the basis of NEXT's technology licensing revenue stream.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20-25% energy offset - buildings can offset approximately 20% to 25% of energy consumption typical of commercial properties with installed BIPV facade
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Walters & WolfcoreTechnology or Integration · 27 June 2022Manufacturing and glazing partner. Fourth largest manufacturer of building envelopes in North America with 44 years of manufacturing in California. Collaborated on first U.S. transparent PV prototype wall at company headquarters in Fremont, CA. Partner designed window-glazing system to carry electronics, wiring, and hardware.
• NSG Group (Nippon Sheet Glass)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2022International joint development and marketing effort targeting commercialization, manufacture, and integration of NEXT's transparent PV window technology into architectural window units. NSG Group is one of the world's largest manufacturers of glass and glazing products. NSG has indicated intent to incorporate NEXT's technology into its insulated glazing units with volume estimates for potential European commercial building market demand.
• Bouygues ConstructionflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2021Delivered PV Prototype Window Wall consisting of 10 transparent photovoltaic windows to Bouygues Construction in Paris. Bouygues is a leading construction firm specializing in complex commercial projects globally. Purpose was to showcase power generation functionality, transparency aesthetics, and seamless integration to global network of architects, building owners, and commercial developers.
• Glassfab Tempering Services / SolarFabcoreTechnology or IntegrationCommercial glass fabricator based in Tracy, California. Collaborated on prototype window wall projects including first U.S. installation at Walters & Wolf HQ. Provided glass fabrication expertise for NEXT OPV-coated windows.
• ViraconcoreTechnology or IntegrationGlass fabricator for the first commercial BIPV facade installation at NEXT Energy headquarters. Supplied glass for the six transparent windows covering 100 square feet at company HQ.
• PatagoniaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOutdoor retailer where NEXT installed 22 energy-generating windows on corporate headquarters in Ventura, CA. Windows deliver dedicated power for device charging while employees use community spaces. Pilot installation project displayed scalability of solar technology.
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with NREL on research project funded by Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator. Project demonstrated that NEXT's photovoltaic windows are superior in energy-efficiency to traditional commercial windows.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Heliatek: Germany-based OPV manufacturer developing transparent and colored organic solar films for building-integrated applications. Direct competitor in the OPV-for-facades category, with similar technology stack targeting commercial building envelopes.
• Saule Technologies: Poland-based company producing inkjet-printed perovskite/OPV cells for building-integrated photovoltaics. Closely comparable technology approach (solution-processed solar coatings on glass) targeting transparent BIPV windows and facades.
• Onyx Solar: Spanish manufacturer of transparent photovoltaic glass for building facades, skylights, and curtain walls. Competes in the same building-integrated transparent PV market with established commercial installations globally.
• Sunew: Brazilian OPV company developing printed organic photovoltaic films for architectural and automotive applications. Direct technology peer using solution-processed organic semiconductors for building integration.
• SolarWindow Technologies: US-based developer of transparent photovoltaic coatings for windows and glass surfaces. Targets the same transparent-window BIPV use case as NEXT with a coatings-applied-to-glass architecture.

Emerging players

• Kromatix: Swiss startup developing colored and transparent OPV coatings for architectural glass. Closely adjacent niche player focused on aesthetic, design-led OPV facade solutions.
• ClearVue Technologies: Australia-listed company developing solar glazing for building windows and facades with nano and microparticle-based PV interlayers. Adjacent in transparent BIPV windows with a different technology approach (particles vs organic semiconductor).

Broad incumbents

• View (View, Inc.): US smart-window company producing electrochromic glass for commercial buildings. Competes for the same architectural window specification decision but with dynamic-tinting rather than energy-generation functionality.
• Saint-Gobain: Global building materials giant and major glass manufacturer with extensive R&D into energy-efficient and BIPV glazing. Has the manufacturing scale, distribution, and capital to enter or absorb the transparent BIPV category NEXT targets.
• AGC (Asahi Glass Company): One of the world's largest flat glass manufacturers with BIPV product lines including transparent PV glass. Represents both a potential licensee and a potential competitor with deep customer relationships in commercial facade specification.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nextenergytech
• Facebookfacebook.com/NextEnergyTech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/next-energy-technologies-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/NEXTEnergyTech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds14 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Next Energy Technologies