EcoFactor has been awarded Cleantech Open's national award, which includes $100,000 in seed capital.
The awards ceremony for one of the leading environmental start-up competitions took place at the Masonic Center in San Francisco following a day-long conference in which contestants and venture capitalists had a chance to mingle.
EcoFactor has developed software that works in conjunction with a two-way thermostat to better maintain stable desired temperatures in homes. The system relies on outside data like weather as well has the thermal habits of the home, and self-regulates based on those factors. The process helps heating and cooling home systems run 20-30 percent more efficiently, according to company statistics.
"Being named the Cleantech Open national winner really validates our solution and our business model, and proves that the market is looking for energy-efficiency solutions that don't ask people to change their behavior or sacrifice comfort," EcoFactor CEO and co-founder John Steinberg said in a statement.
Out of the 12 national finalists, there were also 2 chosen as runners-up: Micromidas, which developed a process for converting raw sewage into biodegradable plastic products and Alphabet Energy, a team from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory with a system that produces electricity from waste heat.