Slipstream
Slipstream is a Madison, Wisconsin-based nonprofit founded in 1978 that designs, delivers, and scales energy efficiency and renewable energy programs for utilities, state and local governments, and the U.S. Department of Energy across 22 states, with $1B+ in clean energy loans facilitated through its Energy Finance Solutions division.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersMadison, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Slipstream does
Slipstream is a Madison, Wisconsin-headquartered nonprofit organization founded in 1978 that designs, tests, delivers, and scales energy efficiency and renewable energy programs across the United States. With 101–250 employees and operations spanning 22 states, the organization serves three primary customer segments: utilities and energy providers (e.g., CenterPoint Energy, Consumers Energy, ComEd, Xcel Energy, Focus on Energy); state and local government agencies (e.g., the U.S. Department of Energy, NYSERDA, City of Chicago, City of Milwaukee); and building professionals plus end homeowners through workforce training and consumer resources.
The organization operates across three integrated product lines: (1) Climate + Energy Solutions, including High Performance Buildings, Resilient Communities, Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings, and Energy Innovation programs; (2) Education to Empower the Clean Energy Workforce, anchored by the Slipstream U on-demand learning portal, continuing education courses accredited with RESNET/BPI/IREC/USGBC, the DOE-recognized Energy Skilled heat pump contractor training program, and a 16-video smart-building curriculum; and (3) Energy Finance Solutions (EFS), a clean energy lending division that has facilitated over $1 billion in loans across 92,000+ households using on-bill financing, on-bill repayment, and direct bill structures, supported by the proprietary VelocityGO cloud-based loan origination system.
Revenue mechanics rest on three streams: government grants (primarily DOE), utility program administration contracts (managed services), and EFS lending program fees (transaction-based). Slipstream does not publicly disclose revenue figures. The GTM motion is institutional and relationship-driven, with deep utility and regulatory channel partnerships rather than direct consumer sales. Notable technology investments include an open-source Wi-Fi occupancy sensing algorithm integrated with the VOLTTRON platform, and the HyGCHP hybrid geothermal heat pump modeling tool, both reflecting the organization's building-science R&D orientation rather than commercial product commercialization.
Slipstream firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Slipstream
- Legal name
- Slipstream Group, Inc.
- Website
- https://slipstreaminc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Slipstream is a Madison, Wisconsin-based nonprofit founded in 1978 that designs, delivers, and scales energy efficiency and renewable energy programs for utilities, state and local governments, and the U.S. Department of Energy across 22 states, with $1B+ in clean energy loans facilitated through its Energy Finance Solutions division.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Slipstream is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Slipstream business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Program Funding: Slipstream receives funding through government grants, particularly from the U.S. Department of Energy, state energy offices, and regulatory agencies. This funds research projects, demonstration programs, and market transformation initiatives.
- Utility Program Administration: Slipstream administers energy efficiency and financing programs on behalf of utilities and state agencies. Programs include on-bill financing (OBF), on-bill repayment (OBR), and direct bill financing for energy efficiency upgrades.
- Energy Finance Solutions (EFS) Lending Programs: EFS facilitates clean energy financing for homes and businesses, generating revenue through program administration fees and interest from loan portfolios. Over $1 billion in loans have been facilitated, with an average loan amount of $9,000.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One time/ perpetual license | Free resources for homeowners |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Continuing education and training programs |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Slipstream product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Slipstream designs, tests, delivers, and scales energy efficiency and renewable energy programs on behalf of utilities, state and local governments, and regulatory agencies. Its offerings include program administration, building science research, clean energy financing through its Energy Finance Solutions (EFS) division, and workforce training delivered via Slipstream U and the Energy Skilled heat pump contractor program. The company also operates the VelocityGO loan origination platform used to streamline energy efficiency financing programs for partner administrators.
Product overview
Slipstream is a climate solutions organization that creates, tests, delivers, and scales energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. The company offers a portfolio of products organized into three main areas: Climate + Energy Solutions (including High Performance Buildings, Resilient Communities, Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings, and Energy Innovation programs), Education to Empower the Clean Energy Workforce (featuring Slipstream U on-demand courses, Continuing Education, Workforce Development, Technology Transfer, and Building Energy Design Tools), and Energy Finance Solutions (EFS) - a financing division that includes VelocityGO, a cloud-based loan origination system. Slipstream partners with utilities, governments, and regulatory agencies to accelerate clean energy adoption.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Energy Finance Solutions: Clean energy financing division that has facilitated over $1 billion in loans to fund energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades for homes and businesses
- VelocityGO
- Energy Skilled
Products and services
- Climate + Energy Solutions End-to-end program design, implementation, and evaluation for utilities and governments covering high performance buildings, resilient communities, grid-interactive efficient buildings, and energy innovation/electrification initiatives.
- Energy Finance Solutions (EFS) Clean energy financing programs administered for utilities and state agencies, including on-bill financing (OBF), on-bill repayment (OBR), and direct bill financing for residential and small business energy efficiency upgrades. Has facilitated over $1 billion in loans.
- Education to Empower the Clean Energy Workforce Training, certification, and professional development programs for architects, engineers, homebuilders, code officials, weatherization professionals, and HVAC contractors, including accredited continuing education and DOE-recognized heat pump training.
- Slipstream U Online portal of on-demand courses for building professionals offering continuing education credits and credentials, accessible to individuals and workforce development partners.
- Energy Skilled Heat Pump Contractor Training Program DOE-recognized training program that equips HVAC professionals with best practices for heat pump installation and comfort advising, covering load calculations, dual fuel systems, smart diagnostics, commissioning, and duct leakage evaluation.
- VelocityGO Cloud-based loan origination system that simplifies running an energy financing program, from customer application to utility impact report, with mobile-friendly design, real-time income verification, document upload, and CRM dashboard for contractor network management.
- Home Energy Playbook Free downloadable PDF resource for single-family homeowners to plan energy-efficient home upgrades that reduce household carbon emissions and save money on long-term energy costs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $1 billion in clean energy loans facilitated across 92,000+ households
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Slipstream
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Slipstream technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Slipstream partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ClearlyEnergycorePartnership in Chicago Energy Benchmarking program where ClearlyEnergy provides the proprietary BEAM platform for centralized customer support and compliance tracking. Slipstream leads the support team in partnership with DOE and other organizations.
- NYSERDA (New York State Energy and Research Development Authority)coreLong-standing partnership through Green Jobs Green New York (GJGNY) Residential Home Loan Program. NYSERDA and Slipstream have brought energy-efficient upgrades to homeowners across New York State through these financing programs.
- Center for Energy and Environment (CEE)coreProject partnership led by CEE to study Wi-Fi technology for occupancy sensing to guide building systems. Slipstream worked with partners to create an open-source algorithm and communication protocol for distributed sensing and control.
- Minnesota Department of CommercecoreCARD program contracted Slipstream, CEE, and LHB to lead field demonstration of VRF systems in Minnesota to evaluate energy and comfort benefits, especially in cold climates.
- CenterPoint EnergycoreIntegrating Health and Energy Efficiency Research project focused on exploring ways to integrate health and energy services to serve Minnesota families, engaging directly with the healthcare sector.
- Consumers Energy, ComEd, Xcel Energy, and Focus on EnergycoreJoint sponsorship of Midwest 120-Volt heat pump water heater field study to test how well 120V HPWHs work in real Midwest homes across different climate conditions.
- Midwest Tribal Energy Resources AssociationcorePartnership for MTERA Solar for All program to plan and deploy $62M of residential-serving solar projects within all 35 Midwest Tribal communities.
- Better Buildings: Better Business Conference (B4)minorAnnual conference that Slipstream hosts and organizes to bring building science industry leaders, experts, and practitioners from around Wisconsin and the Midwest to enhance the residential building industry.
- City of Milwaukee Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO)corePartnership for Cream City Climate Challenge, a DOE Buildings UP Prize-winning program to inspire weatherization and electrification in Milwaukee's historically disadvantaged communities.
- Michigan Heat Pump CollaborativecoreSlipstream implements and coordinates work for the Collaborative, which unites four investor-owned utilities (Consumers Energy, DTE Energy, UPPCO, I&M) behind shared objectives to remove barriers to widespread ASHP adoption.
- Texas A&M, National Institute of Building Sciences, Society of Building Science EducatorsminorProject partners for DOE-funded smart-building curriculum development for college students, adapted into 16 free training videos for building professionals.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Slipstream competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CLEAResult: The largest US energy efficiency program administrator; competes directly with Slipstream for state and utility EE program contracts across residential, commercial, and small-business portfolios.
- Resource Innovations: National EE and energy program administrator with deep utility relationships across the Northeast, Midwest, and West; directly competes with Slipstream in state EE portfolio delivery.
- Franklin Energy: Delivers utility EE programs, weatherization, and clean energy financing; directly comparable to Slipstream's EFS and program-implementation business, with overlap on financing platforms.
- Opinion Dynamics: Energy efficiency evaluation, research, and program administration firm; competes with Slipstream on M&V, EM&V studies, and implementation oversight for utility and state clients.
- Center for Energy and Environment (CEE): Minnesota-based nonprofit energy research and program implementation organization; named partner of Slipstream on multiple projects and a direct parallel in mission and operating model.
- Elevate: Chicago-based nonprofit working on energy efficiency, building decarbonization, and equitable programs; overlaps with Slipstream in Chicago-area programs and workforce development, and is the prior employer of Slipstream's CEO.
- Energy Trust of Oregon: Independent nonprofit administering utility ratepayer-funded EE and renewable energy programs in Oregon; the closest structural analog to Slipstream's utility-program model.
Broad incumbents
- ICF International: Large management and technology consultancy with substantial energy, environment, and climate practices; competes for the same utility and federal EE program contracts Slipstream pursues, but as a broader portfolio offering.
- DNV (Energy Systems): Global assurance and energy services firm with active US energy advisory practice; competes for EE program design and evaluation work but operates at much broader scope and scale than Slipstream.
Others
- NYSERDA: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority; not a peer in the competitive sense but Slipstream's largest single program partner and a key counterparty through the GJGNY loan portfolio exceeding $1B.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Slipstream social profiles
Digital presenceSlipstream financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Slipstream leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Slipstream funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Slipstream M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Slipstream
What does Slipstream do?
Slipstream designs, tests, delivers, and scales energy efficiency and renewable energy programs on behalf of utilities, state and local governments, and regulatory agencies. Its offerings include program administration, building science research, clean energy financing through its Energy Finance Solutions (EFS) division, and workforce training delivered via Slipstream U and the Energy Skilled heat pump contractor program. The company also operates the VelocityGO loan origination platform used to streamline energy efficiency financing programs for partner administrators.
Is Slipstream a public or private company?
Slipstream is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Slipstream founded?
Slipstream was founded in 1978. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Slipstream based?
Slipstream is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.
How does Slipstream make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Program Funding is the primary driver. The others are utility Program Administration and energy Finance Solutions (EFS) Lending Programs.
Who are Slipstream's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CLEAResult, Resource Innovations, Franklin Energy, Opinion Dynamics, Center for Energy and Environment (CEE), Elevate and Energy Trust of Oregon. Broad incumbents are ICF International and DNV (Energy Systems). NYSERDA is listed as an others.
Does Slipstream have an API?
No public API is recorded for Slipstream.