At Building Ventures, we believe that building a better world means rethinking the systems that power our daily lives. Residential buildings are one of the largest sources of fossil fuel consumption, and natural gas appliances—from stoves to water heaters—lock households into decades of emissions. To reach a decarbonized future, we need solutions that are better for people and better for the planet.
That’s why we’re proud to invest in Copper.
A better way to cook—and live
Copper makes the choice to decarbonize our homes easy and obvious by making appliances with integrated battery energy storage. Copper’s flagship product is Charlie, the world’s first energy-storage-equipped induction electric range. This appliance has been hailed by The New York Times’ Wirecutter for its speed, precision, and ease of use. Unlike conventional induction stoves, Charlie runs on a standard 110-volt outlet with a built-in battery that smooths demand and keeps cooking even through power outages. This combination of performance and resilience makes Copper not just a greener choice, but a smarter one.
Copper’s Charlie induction range is the world’s first energy-storage-equipped induction electric range.
The company’s ambitions extend beyond a single appliance: Copper is building a full suite of electrified home products that can serve as a network of distributed batteries, enabling households to function as virtual power plants. With 300 stoves already installed, 1,000 more in production, and a landmark contract to supply 10,000 stoves to NYCHA over the next seven years, Copper is positioned at the front line of the home energy transition.
A team built for impact
Copper is led by a group of seasoned founders and operators who bring deep technical, operational, and entrepreneurial experience to the task of decarbonizing our homes.
- Sam Calisch, Co-founder & CEO, previously helped scale Rewiring America into the leading electrification nonprofit, securing over $2B in federal financing for residential decarbonization. A PhD graduate from MIT, Sam also co-authored Electrify and has founded clean-energy ventures before.
- Tucker Gilman, Co-founder & COO, formerly Head of Operations at Otherlab, scaled that organization from 5 to 75 employees. He now oversees Copper’s internal operations, manufacturing, and fulfillment.
- Eric Wilhelm, Co-founder & Chief of Staff, brings decades of startup and engineering leadership. He founded Instructables (acquired by Autodesk, where he served as VP), has a PhD from MIT in Mechanical Engineering, and has previously led renewable energy companies.
- Weldon Kennedy, Co-founder & CMO, was Managing Director at Change.org and co-founded Enda Sportswear, a certified B Corp athletic shoe company, where he worked with global brand leaders from Adidas and Nike to New Balance and Beats.
This team’s combination of technical ingenuity, operational discipline, and brand-building expertise positions Copper to both execute at scale and inspire consumers to embrace electrification.
Why we need Copper now
Every gas appliance installed today locks in decades of carbon emissions and household exposure to harmful indoor air pollutants. At the same time, aging building stock in cities makes gas infrastructure increasingly costly to maintain, while incentives at the federal and state level are driving demand for alternatives.
Copper’s solution is faster, cheaper, and healthier—offering building owners and residents an easier path to electrification.
Our role
We are excited to be joining Prelude Ventures, who is leading Copper’s $28 million Series A, alongside existing investors Voyager, Collab Fund, and others. At Building Ventures, we see Copper as a defining company of the home energy transition: one that can build a brand as recognizable as “Copper Inside” while licensing its underlying technology across a wide range of appliances.
“Copper is proving that the future of home energy can be both aspirational and attainable. By combining breakthrough technology with a team capable of executing at scale, they’re showing us that electrification doesn’t have to be a compromise—it can be a better experience for families and a far better outcome for the planet. We’re excited to support them on this journey.”
— Travis Connors, Co-Founder & General Partner, Building Ventures
The work ahead won’t be simple, but with this team, the timing, and the urgent need to decarbonize our homes, we believe Copper has the potential to transform how we power our daily lives.
Learn more about Copper here.
