Apparent Inc.
Apparent Inc. is a Novato, California-based private energy technology company that develops intelligent energy management hardware and software, including the igOS cloud-based machine learning platform and the eXeL DC-powered solar water heater, serving residential, commercial, data center, and government customers via dealer, direct, and enterprise sales channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersNovato, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Apparent Inc. does
Apparent Inc. is a Novato, California-based private energy technology company founded in 2007 that develops intelligent energy management hardware and software, with a core platform called igOS (Intelligent Grid Operating System) and a consumer-facing product line called the eXeL Hybrid Solar Water Heater. The igOS platform is a cloud-based, machine learning energy management system that performs real-time data collection and decision making four times per second, enabling autonomous dynamic balancing of behind-the-meter renewable generation and load, predictive adjustments, and grid interconnection management. The eXeL water heater is a DC-powered, grid-independent system that uses dedicated photovoltaic panels and a proprietary low-voltage alloy heating element to eliminate the need for inverters, with companion consumer and dealer/installer mobile apps on iOS and Android. Apparent also offers Energy Review, a browser-based renewable energy monitoring and reporting platform that provides real-time and historical performance data and automated email alerts.
The company serves four primary customer segments: residential homeowners seeking off-grid hot water and energy cost reduction; commercial and hospitality customers (hotels, resorts, apartment complexes) pursuing ESG and decarbonization; data center operators facing rising AI-driven energy and cooling loads; and government and enterprise customers deploying large-scale solar and storage microgrids. Revenue is generated through hardware sales of the eXeL system and large-scale solar+storage projects, supplemented by subscription/recurring revenue from the Energy Review monitoring platform and mobile applications. Distribution combines a certified dealer/installer network for residential water heaters, direct-to-consumer website and mobile app sales, and a direct enterprise sales motion for microgrid projects. Named enterprise customers include BYD (2-MW solar + storage at the Lancaster manufacturing plant), the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (microgrid and EV charging for 100+ electric buses, with Proterra), and Kamehameha Schools (2.1 million kWh/year microgrid at KS Maui). The company is founder-controlled, with Stefan Matan (CTO, 40+ patents) as founder and George Salah (former Google operations executive) as Chairman and CEO, and operates without disclosed external funding rounds.
Apparent Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Apparent Inc.
- Legal name
- Apparent Inc.
- Website
- https://apparent.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Apparent Inc. is a Novato, California-based private energy technology company that develops intelligent energy management hardware and software, including the igOS cloud-based machine learning platform and the eXeL DC-powered solar water heater, serving residential, commercial, data center, and government customers via dealer, direct, and enterprise sales channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Apparent Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Renewable Energy Systems
- NAICS
- Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512), Small Electrical Appliance Manufacturing (335210), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- SIC
- Heating Equip, Except Elec & Warm Air; & Plumbing Fixtures (3430), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Heating & Treatment Appliance Retail (Water Heaters, Water Softeners, Filtration Systems) (CRACACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Energy Storage Software & Controls (EMS, monitoring, optimization, cybersecurity) (IMAGAHAJ), Smart Energy Management (Meters, EV Chargers, Solar/Battery Monitors) Retail (CRACAGAI)
Keywords
Where Apparent Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Novato
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Apparent Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales - Solar Water Heaters: Sale of the eXeL Hybrid Solar Water Heater system to residential, commercial, and hospitality customers. The product is certified, American-made, and operates independently of the grid using photovoltaic panels and a proprietary alloy heating element.
- Enterprise Solar/Storage Systems: Large-scale solar and energy storage project deployments for enterprise customers including municipalities, manufacturers, and large facilities. Examples include the BYD 2-MW solar + storage project and LADOT microgrid.
- Energy Monitoring SaaS (Energy Review): Renewable energy data reporting and analysis platform providing real-time and historical monitoring of renewable energy systems. Web-based application accessible without software downloads, used for performance monitoring and optimization.
- Mobile Applications: Consumer and dealer/installer mobile applications for the eXeL solar water heater. Apps available on iOS App Store and Google Play Store for remote temperature control, energy consumption monitoring, and system management.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Apparent Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Apparent develops and sells intelligent energy management products combining proprietary hardware (microinverters, low-voltage DC heating elements) with a cloud-based machine learning platform (igOS). Its flagship consumer offering is the eXeL Hybrid Solar Water Heater, a DC-powered solar water heating system that operates independently of the grid using photovoltaic panels and a proprietary alloy heating element. The company also delivers large-scale enterprise solar and storage projects, supported by the Energy Review monitoring platform and consumer/installer mobile applications.
Product overview
Apparent Inc. offers a portfolio of energy management products centered on two main platforms: the eXeL Hybrid Solar Water Heater for residential/commercial hot water production and the igOS (Intelligent Grid Operating System) for utility-scale energy management. The eXeL product is a DC-powered solar water heater using proprietary low-voltage heating technology with AI-driven controls, available with companion mobile apps for consumers and installers. The igOS platform provides cloud-based machine learning for real-time grid management with 4x/sec data collection. Energy Review serves as the monitoring and analytics dashboard for renewable energy systems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- igOS: Intelligent Grid Operating System - a cloud-based, machine learning energy platform that monitors, communicates, and manages energy in real-time for grid edge intelligence and real-time energy management.
- eXeL Hybrid Solar Water Heater
Products and services
- eXeL Hybrid Solar Water Heater DC-powered solar water heater for residential, commercial, and hospitality markets; operates on photovoltaic panels with a proprietary alloy heating element that eliminates the need for inverters, includes an AI-driven control platform with smart controller, remote temperature control via mobile app, and A/C backup. Available in 65 and 105 gallon stainless steel tank sizes with dedicated PV solar panel array and racking.
- igOS (Intelligent Grid Operating System) Cloud-based, machine learning energy platform that monitors, communicates, and manages energy in real-time, digitally supplying exact waveform power demands from any renewable energy source. Performs 4x per second real-time data collection and decision making, providing autonomous dynamic balancing of behind-the-meter generation and load. Used for utility-scale and data center energy management.
- Energy Review Web-based renewable energy data reporting and analysis tool providing real-time and historical monitoring of renewable energy systems. Pushes data to database every minute, provides customized reports with voltages, currents, real and reactive power production, total energy, and power factor. Includes automatic email warnings for system issues. Accessible via browser without software downloads.
- Apparent Water Heater Consumer Mobile App Consumer mobile application for iOS and Android providing remote temperature control, insight into energy consumption, and estimated energy bill savings for eXeL solar water heater systems. Available on iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
- Apparent Water Heater Dealer/Installer Mobile App Mobile application for certified dealers and installers to configure, manage, and service eXeL solar water heater installations on iOS and Android platforms.
- Enterprise Solar and Storage Systems Large-scale solar and energy storage system deployments for enterprise, municipal, and institutional customers. Includes microgrids integrating solar generation, battery storage, and EV charging infrastructure, managed by Apparent's igOS energy platform. Deployed projects include the BYD 2-MW solar + storage project in Lancaster, CA and the LADOT microgrid for 100+ electric buses.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 25% reduction in monthly home energy bills through solar water heating
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Apparent Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Apparent Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
Apparent Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Kamehameha SchoolscoreApparent collaborated with Kamehameha Schools on a renewable energy microgrid project at KS Maui, producing 2.1 million kWh per year. This project supports Kamehameha Schools' sustainability and energy independence goals.
- ProterracoreApparent and Proterra partnered with Los Angeles Department of Transportation to install solar and storage microgrid and EV charging infrastructure to power 100+ electric buses. Apparent provides the intelligent energy management system for the microgrid.
- BYDcoreApparent partnered with BYD on intelligent solar energy projects including a 2-MW solar + storage system at BYD's Lancaster manufacturing plant. The partnership expanded to include additional EV-related renewable energy solutions. BYD is a major electric vehicle and renewable energy manufacturer.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Apparent Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rheem Manufacturing: One of the largest U.S. manufacturers of residential and commercial water heaters, including heat-pump and solar-assisted models. Directly competes with Apparent's eXeL Hybrid Solar Water Heater across residential and commercial/hospitality channels.
- A. O. Smith: Major manufacturer of residential and commercial water heaters with a strong U.S. dealer and distribution footprint. Competes head-to-head with Apparent in the residential and commercial water-heating market and is expanding into heat-pump hybrid technology.
- Bradford White: U.S. manufacturer of residential and commercial water heating products with a professional plumber/installer channel. Competes directly with Apparent's eXeL in the residential water heater category and shares a similar dealer-driven go-to-market motion.
Broad incumbents
- Enphase Energy: Leading supplier of microinverters and energy management software for residential and commercial solar. Overlaps with Apparent's microinverter and igOS platform technology in the grid-edge intelligence and solar energy management space.
- SolarEdge: Global provider of DC-optimized inverter solutions and energy management platforms for solar PV. Comparable to Apparent on DC-side power electronics and ML-driven energy optimization, though serving a much broader solar installer base.
- Tesla Energy: Offers Powerwall, solar panels, and the Tesla Energy software platform for residential and commercial storage and microgrid applications. Competes with Apparent in solar+storage microgrids for both residential and enterprise customers like LADOT-style fleet electrification.
- Sunrun: Largest U.S. residential solar installer with growing battery storage and grid services offerings. Comparable to Apparent in the residential behind-the-meter solar and energy storage market, with a national direct-to-consumer and partner channel.
- Schneider Electric: Global energy management and automation company offering microgrid, building energy management, and grid-edge software. Overlaps with Apparent's igOS platform targeting enterprises, data centers, and utilities for real-time energy orchestration.
Emerging players
- Stem (STEM Inc.): AI-driven clean energy solutions and battery storage optimization provider serving commercial and industrial customers. Comparable to Apparent in applying ML to behind-the-meter energy optimization and grid flexibility, with a more mature enterprise SaaS go-to-market.
- AutoGrid: Provider of AI-based distributed energy resources (DER) management software for utilities and energy service providers. Closely comparable to igOS on real-time optimization of distributed energy assets, though AutoGrid focuses on utility-scale DERMS rather than residential hardware.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Apparent Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceApparent Inc. compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Apparent Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Apparent Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Apparent Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Apparent Inc. 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 Apparent Inc.
What does Apparent Inc. do?
Apparent develops and sells intelligent energy management products combining proprietary hardware (microinverters, low-voltage DC heating elements) with a cloud-based machine learning platform (igOS). Its flagship consumer offering is the eXeL Hybrid Solar Water Heater, a DC-powered solar water heating system that operates independently of the grid using photovoltaic panels and a proprietary alloy heating element. The company also delivers large-scale enterprise solar and storage projects, supported by the Energy Review monitoring platform and consumer/installer mobile applications.
Is Apparent Inc. a public or private company?
Apparent Inc. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Apparent Inc. founded?
Apparent Inc. was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Apparent Inc. based?
Apparent Inc. is headquartered in Novato, United States, in the North America region.
How does Apparent Inc. make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales - Solar Water Heaters are the primary driver. The others are enterprise Solar/Storage Systems, energy Monitoring SaaS (Energy Review) and mobile Applications.
Who are Apparent Inc.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rheem Manufacturing, A. O. Smith and Bradford White. Broad incumbents are Enphase Energy, SolarEdge, Tesla Energy, Sunrun and Schneider Electric. Emerging players are Stem (STEM Inc.) and AutoGrid.
Does Apparent Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Apparent Inc..
What industry is Apparent Inc. in?
Apparent Inc.'s product category is Renewable Energy Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACACAF, Water Heating & Treatment Appliance Retail (Water Heaters, Water Softeners, Filtration Systems), with a secondary code of IMAGAHAJ, Energy Storage Software & Controls (EMS, monitoring, optimization, cybersecurity). Its NAICS code is 334512 and its SIC code is 3430.