Public Grid
Public Grid is a free, software-only platform that sits on top of US residential utility accounts to automate savings discovery, community solar enrollment, and usage tracking for homeowners, monetizing solely through referral fees paid by energy partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Public Grid does
Public Grid operates a free, consumer-facing software platform that sits between residential customers and their existing utility providers. The platform integrates with utility accounts via digital onboarding and continuously scans for savings opportunities such as solar credits, rebates, and better rates, while also enabling enrollment in community solar and other clean energy programs without requiring any hardware installation or service change. Supporting features include a usage and spending tracker, bill insights and alerts, and automated bill payment, all delivered through a self-serve web experience. The company monetizes exclusively through referral fees paid by energy partners (community solar operators, competitive rate providers) when customers are connected to billable savings opportunities; no consumer fees, contracts, or cancellation charges are applied.
The product is utility-agnostic and marketed as compatible with most major US utilities, giving it nationwide reach. The company reports serving between 20,000 and 25,000 households, with an example monthly savings figure of $34.23 displayed on the website. Distribution is fully digital and product-led via onepublicgrid.com, with a parallel property-manager portal at publicgrid.property extending the motion to landlords and multi-unit operators. Founded in 2022 and previously operating under the name Cottage, Public Grid is a privately held, independent company headquartered in New York with a 1–10 person team, backed by Redbud VC and Alpaca VC.
Public Grid firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Public Grid
- Legal name
- Public Grid
- Website
- https://energybycottage.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Public Grid is a free, software-only platform that sits on top of US residential utility accounts to automate savings discovery, community solar enrollment, and usage tracking for homeowners, monetizing solely through referral fees paid by energy partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Public Grid industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Energy Management Software
- NAICS
- Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)
- SIC
- Electric Services (4911), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Solar Development & Subscription Management (EUAMAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Retail & Community PPAs (Community Solar/Shared Renewables) (EUAGADAC), DR Aggregators & Retail Curtailment Service Providers (CSPs) (EUAFAGAG)
Keywords
Where Public Grid is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Public Grid business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Energy Partner Referral Fees: Public Grid earns referral fees from energy partners when they connect customers to savings opportunities such as community solar programs and better utility rates. The company only generates revenue when customers benefit from savings. No fees charged to customers directly.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free consumer service with no fees or contracts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Public Grid product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Public Grid operates a software platform that sits between residential customers and their existing utility providers, automating the discovery of savings opportunities such as solar credits, rebates, and better rates. The platform enables users to opt into renewable energy programs (e.g., community solar) without installing hardware, while providing usage and spending tracking, bill insights, and auto-pay setup. The service is free to consumers; Public Grid monetizes by earning referral fees from energy partners when customers are connected to savings opportunities.
Product overview
Public Grid offers a single unified platform that sits between customers and their utility accounts. The core Public Grid Platform serves as a modern utility management layer that enables automated savings discovery (Automatic Savings Finder), renewable energy access (Renewable Energy Options, including community solar), usage monitoring (Usage & Spending Tracker), and billing management (Bill Insights & Alerts, Auto-pay Setup). All features work without requiring hardware installation, changing utility providers, or paying fees, with the platform monetizing through referral fees from energy partners when users connect to savings opportunities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Public Grid Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- Customers save an average of $34.23 per month (example shown on website)
Companies that use Public Grid
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Public Grid technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Public Grid partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Energy Partners (unspecified)corePublic Grid has partnerships with energy providers who pay referral fees when customers are connected to savings opportunities like community solar programs and better utility rates. These energy partners form the core of Public Grid's revenue model. The specific names of energy partners are not disclosed on the website.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Public Grid competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Uplight: Uplight provides utility customer experience and energy management software used by utilities themselves for energy efficiency programs, green rate offerings, and bill management. It overlaps Public Grid's 'modern utility stack' positioning but sells to utilities rather than directly to consumers.
- Renew Home (formerly Spruce Power): Renew Home is a publicly-traded owner and operator of residential solar, battery, and home energy assets with a subscription-style model for homeowners. While more capital-intensive and asset-owning than Public Grid, it competes for the same savings-and-clean-energy-oriented residential customer and could expand into adjacent service layers.
Direct peers
- Arcadia: Arcadia is a clean-energy platform that connects households to community solar subscriptions, wind power, and bill savings without requiring rooftop installation. It is the most direct competitor to Public Grid, monetizing through utility-bill referrals and community solar partnerships with a near-identical value proposition.
- GridReward: GridReward is a consumer app that pays households to reduce electricity usage during grid stress events and helps users find utility bill savings. It overlaps Public Grid's consumer-facing bill optimization and clean-energy positioning, monetizing through demand response and partner referrals.
- Pick My Solar: Pick My Solar is a solar marketplace connecting homeowners to vetted installers and community solar options. While historically focused on rooftop, it overlaps Public Grid's community solar subscriber acquisition and digital, no-pressure onboarding experience.
- OhmConnect: OhmConnect (now part of Lunar Energy) rewards residential customers for reducing energy use at peak times and offers clean-energy enrollment. It competes for the same savings-driven, environmentally-motivated residential customer that Public Grid targets, with overlapping bill-savings and renewable energy offerings.
- WattBuy: WattBuy is an energy comparison and switching platform that helps residential consumers find lower electricity rates and better plans in deregulated markets. It directly overlaps Public Grid's rate-optimization and bill-savings functionality with a similar self-serve digital experience.
- EnergySage: EnergySage is an online marketplace where homeowners shop for solar, community solar, and clean energy solutions, monetizing through referral fees to installers and providers. Public Grid competes for the same community solar subscriber and savings-driven homeowner audience via a digital, no-hardware onboarding.
Others
- UtilityAPI: UtilityAPI provides standardized data access to utility customer accounts for third-party energy apps, including green energy providers and solar companies. It is upstream infrastructure that Public Grid-style consumer platforms depend on for the utility integration layer that powers savings discovery.
Emerging players
- CleanEnergyBuys (CEB): CleanEnergyBuys is an emerging platform helping residential customers access community solar and energy savings programs, monetizing through developer referral fees. It competes with Public Grid in the same community solar subscriber acquisition funnel with a similar software-led, no-hardware model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Public Grid social profiles
Digital presencePublic Grid financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Public Grid leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Public Grid funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Public Grid 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 Public Grid
What does Public Grid do?
Public Grid operates a software platform that sits between residential customers and their existing utility providers, automating the discovery of savings opportunities such as solar credits, rebates, and better rates. The platform enables users to opt into renewable energy programs (e.g., community solar) without installing hardware, while providing usage and spending tracking, bill insights, and auto-pay setup. The service is free to consumers; Public Grid monetizes by earning referral fees from energy partners when customers are connected to savings opportunities.
Is Public Grid a public or private company?
Public Grid is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Public Grid founded?
Public Grid was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Public Grid based?
Public Grid is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Public Grid make money?
One revenue line is on record: energy Partner Referral Fees.
Who are Public Grid's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Uplight and Renew Home (formerly Spruce Power). Direct peers are Arcadia, GridReward, Pick My Solar, OhmConnect, WattBuy and EnergySage. UtilityAPI is listed as an others. CleanEnergyBuys (CEB) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Public Grid have an API?
No public API is recorded for Public Grid.
What industry is Public Grid in?
Public Grid's product category is Energy Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMAJAA, Community Solar Development & Subscription Management, with a secondary code of EUAGADAC, Retail & Community PPAs (Community Solar/Shared Renewables). Its NAICS code is 2211 and its SIC code is 4911.