Aurora Solar
Aurora Solar is a cloud-based SaaS platform that enables solar installers and developers to remotely design, sell, finance, and deliver residential and commercial solar projects using aerial imagery, LIDAR, and AI-generated 3D models. It serves 7,000+ organizations across the US and Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Aurora Solar does
Aurora Solar Inc. is a cloud-based SaaS platform founded in 2013 and headquartered in San Francisco that enables solar installers and developers to remotely design, sell, finance, and deliver residential and commercial solar projects. The company serves over 7,000 organizations globally, with software used in more than 5 million projects (and reportedly more than 20 million planned PV projects worldwide) and a claimed 90% share of top US residential solar companies. Its primary customers are residential solar installers and commercial solar developers, extended through a financing integration ecosystem (Sungage Financial, EnFin/Qcells North America, LightReach) that distributes Aurora into installer and lender networks.
The platform combines aerial and satellite imagery with LIDAR data to produce 3D roof models and optimal panel configurations without physical site visits. Core modules include Sales Mode, Design Mode, Aurora AI (autonomous 3D model generation and panel configuration via computer vision), Lead Capture AI (homeowner-facing lead engagement), Expert Design Services (manual design assistance), Plan Sets (permit-ready documentation), and Contract Manager. The commercial solar business is anchored by HelioScope, acquired from Folsom Labs in 2021, which now combines PV layout, bankable production estimates, financial analysis, and integrated storage modeling in a single web-native tool and has been recognized by Sunstone Credit as the first bankable web-native commercial solar design platform.
Revenue is generated through annual subscription plan tiers combined with a credit-based consumption model (Aurora Credits) for add-on services such as Expert Design, Plan Sets, API access, and usage overages. The go-to-market blends product-led growth (self-serve sign-up, free trials, the quote.aurorasolar.com consumer Marketplace) with enterprise field sales targeting large US installers and channel partnerships, most notably the E.ON Deutschland alliance for the German market. The company reached a $4 billion valuation in February 2022 after a $200M Series D co-led by Coatue and Energize Ventures, on top of a $250M Series C led by Coatue in 2021 that established unicorn status; reported revenue reached approximately $170M in 2023, representing roughly 70% year-over-year growth.
Aurora Solar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aurora Solar
- Legal name
- Aurora Solar Inc.
- Website
- https://aurorasolar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Aurora Solar is a cloud-based SaaS platform that enables solar installers and developers to remotely design, sell, finance, and deliver residential and commercial solar projects using aerial imagery, LIDAR, and AI-generated 3D models. It serves 7,000+ organizations across the US and Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aurora Solar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar Design Software
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar Design, Engineering & Performance Software (PV Modeling, Digital Twins, Monitoring) (EUAMABAH)
Keywords
Where Aurora Solar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Aurora Solar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Subscription Services - Aurora Credits: Credit-based subscription model where companies purchase Aurora Credit Bundles to redeem for access to various platform services and add-on features. Credits expire one year from purchase. Subscription Terms are annual with automatic renewal.
- Plan Tier Subscriptions: Different subscription tiers (Plan Tiers) determine availability and cost of services. Includes access to core platform features including Sales Mode, Design Mode, Aurora AI, and financing integrations.
- Design Services (Expert Design, Expedited Expert Design): Services where Aurora manually creates solar site models using high-quality imagery and data. Expedited Expert Design delivers within 30 minutes for individual requests. Both consumed via Aurora Credits.
- Plan Sets Service: Service for generating permit-ready plan sets submitted to authorities for solar installation approvals. Consumed via Aurora Credits. Does not include engineering stamps by default.
- API Access (Sync API & Design API): API endpoints allowing integration with customer systems - Sync API for syncing designs with external systems, Design API for additional endpoints. Consumed through the subscription model.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Plan Tier-based subscription with Aurora Credits consumed per service use |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Overages charged at standard rates |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Aurora Solar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aurora Solar provides a cloud-based SaaS platform that enables solar installers and sales professionals to remotely design, sell, finance, and deliver residential and commercial solar projects. The platform uses aerial imagery and LIDAR data combined with AI to create accurate 3D rooftop models and solar panel configurations without physical site visits. It includes modules for proposal generation, permit-ready plan sets, financing integration, and lead capture, and is complemented by the HelioScope commercial solar design platform.
Product overview
Aurora Solar offers a cloud-based SaaS platform for solar sales and design with multiple integrated modules. The core Aurora Platform provides the foundation, with Sales Mode and Design Mode as primary modules for proposal creation and detailed site modeling. Aurora AI powers automated 3D modeling and panel optimization using aerial imagery and LIDAR data. Additional services include Expert Design Services (manual professional design), Plan Sets (permit documentation), Contract Manager, and Lead Capture AI for customer acquisition. The acquired HelioScope platform serves commercial solar design with integrated storage modeling capabilities. The company also offers a homeowner-facing Marketplace and public APIs (Sync API, Design API) for system integration. Financing Integrations enable TPO and other financing options within the sales workflow.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HelioScope: Commercial solar design platform for PV layout, production estimates, financial analysis, and storage modeling
- Aurora AI
- Sales Mode
- Design Mode
- Expert Design Services
- Plan Sets
- Lead Capture AI
Quantifiable outcome
- Proposal time reduction of 99% (from 1-2 hours to under 20 minutes)
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Aurora Solar
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Aurora Solar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability8 records
Feature10 records
Aurora Solar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- E.ON Deutschland / KlarsolarflagshipE.ON Deutschland partnered with Aurora to implement digital PV planning software, starting with Klarsolar (E.ON solar subsidiary) and expanding to other PV subsidiaries. The software enables live solar planning during customer consultations and automates the entire lead-to-proposal workflow, from initial consultation through to installation and grid registration.
- LyracoreAurora acquired Lyra, a provider of permit set packages for solar professionals. The integration aims to reduce delays and costs in solar project approvals by providing instant, permit-ready designs, improving the overall permitting process.
- Folsom Labs (HelioScope)coreAurora acquired Folsom Labs, the developer of HelioScope, to enhance Aurora's commercial solar offerings. HelioScope is now Aurora's commercial solar design platform, providing advanced tools for commercial PV layout, production estimation, and financial analysis.
- Sungage FinancialcoreIntegration partnership enabling Sungage financing options directly within Aurora's design and sales platform. The partnership combines Aurora's leading design capabilities with Sungage financing, providing a seamless experience for installer partners.
- EnFin (Qcells North America)coreQcells North America's financing brand EnFin integrated with Aurora Solar's platform, enabling partner installers to offer EnFin's competitive financing options to homeowners seamlessly through the Aurora platform.
- LightReachcoreLightReach TPO (third-party ownership) products integrated within Aurora, providing customer-first experience for Lightreach TPO offerings through the platform.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Aurora Solar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Kevala: Grid planning and interconnection analytics platform for distributed energy resources. Adjacent emerging player in the solar value chain, with potential overlap as interconnection and grid integration become more central to project design.
Others
- Nearmap: High-resolution aerial imagery and 3D data provider. Functions as a potential upstream data supplier and partial alternative to the aerial/LIDAR feeds Aurora relies on for its remote design capabilities.
Direct peers
- PVsyst: Long-established PV system design and simulation software used across residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar. Competes with both the Aurora core platform and HelioScope on production estimation and system modeling accuracy.
- OpenSolar: Free, web-based solar design and proposal platform targeting residential installers. Directly named as a competitor in Aurora customer testimonials and competes head-to-head for the same residential installer customer base.
- Energy Toolbase: Commercial and utility-scale solar design and storage modeling platform. Directly competes with Aurora's HelioScope product on commercial PV layout, production modeling, and battery storage sizing for developers.
- Solargraf: Sales-oriented solar design and proposal software for residential installers. Mentioned repeatedly in Aurora customer testimonials as a prior tool before switching, with overlap in proposal generation, design, and financing workflows.
- Solo (by Sumer): Residential solar design platform used by installers and sales organizations. Named explicitly in Aurora customer testimonials as a prior tool being replaced, with overlap in proposal generation and design accuracy.
Broad incumbents
- Salesforce: Dominant CRM used by residential and commercial solar installers for sales pipeline and customer management. Competes indirectly at the sales-workflow layer where Aurora's Sales Mode and Contract Manager overlap.
- Autodesk: Major design software provider whose Revit, AutoCAD, and Forma products intersect with solar site design and architectural workflows. A broad incumbent whose platform breadth could be extended into solar-specific design use cases.
- Trimble: Large construction and geospatial software vendor with solar and rooftop design capabilities embedded in its broader portfolio. Overlaps with Aurora on roof modeling and measurement but does not specialize in solar sales workflows.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Aurora Solar social profiles
Digital presenceAurora Solar compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Aurora Solar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aurora Solar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Aurora Solar subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Aurora Solar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aurora Solar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aurora Solar
What does Aurora Solar do?
Aurora Solar provides a cloud-based SaaS platform that enables solar installers and sales professionals to remotely design, sell, finance, and deliver residential and commercial solar projects. The platform uses aerial imagery and LIDAR data combined with AI to create accurate 3D rooftop models and solar panel configurations without physical site visits. It includes modules for proposal generation, permit-ready plan sets, financing integration, and lead capture, and is complemented by the HelioScope commercial solar design platform.
Is Aurora Solar a public or private company?
Aurora Solar is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Aurora Solar founded?
Aurora Solar was founded in 2013. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Aurora Solar based?
Aurora Solar is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Aurora Solar make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Subscription Services - Aurora Credits are the primary driver. The others are plan Tier Subscriptions, design Services (Expert Design, Expedited Expert Design), plan Sets Service and API Access (Sync API & Design API).
Who are Aurora Solar's main competitors?
Kevala is listed as an emerging player. Nearmap is listed as an others. Direct peers are PVsyst, OpenSolar, Energy Toolbase, Solargraf and Solo (by Sumer). Broad incumbents are Salesforce, Autodesk and Trimble.
Does Aurora Solar have an API?
Yes. Aurora Solar offers a public API for syncing solar installation design and sales software with customer systems. The Sync API is the generally available interface for syncing data. The Design API provides additional endpoints not included in Sync API. API access requires Account Credentials including API keys, bearer tokens, or tenant IDs. The terms note that some services like Aurora AI, Expedited Expert Design, Expert Design, and Plan Sets are currently not available outside the US. Developer documentation is at docs.aurorasolar.com/reference/aurora-solar-api.
What industry is Aurora Solar in?
Aurora Solar's product category is Solar Design Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAH, Solar Design, Engineering & Performance Software (PV Modeling, Digital Twins, Monitoring). Its SIC code is 7373.