What do the Dave Matthews Band, Fluid Engineering, and regional clean tech have in common?  Terzo Power, an El Dorado Hills startup. It turns out their CEO was a special projects manager for the band but now has switched to building a clean tech startup in El Dorado Hills.  As noted in a recent SBJ article, “Founded in 2014, Terzo Power is a six-employee company whose primary focus is creating energy- efficient, compact hydraulic power units with “smart” pumps which can be controlled electronically. The technology can be used for industrial purposes, such as stationary plants, or mobile uses for off-road vehicles in agriculture, construction or mining.” This is a good example of a strategy to focus on an overlooked niche market to get a foothold and then expand. Small individual hydraulic power units are very inefficient. Terzo‘s new design for these units improve efficiency by over 80 percent, and reduce the size, weight, and cost of these systems, while improving safety and environmental impacts.  They have been successful in getting a $4 million grant to create a demonstration unit.  They see a $400 million market at least.  It is really cool.  If you want to learn more, click here.

“If we’re successful I do believe we can help save the world. With the grant money, our goal is to develop a proof of concept to improve a hydraulic power unit’s efficiency by over 80 percent, and reduce the size, weight, and cost of these systems, while improving safety and environmental impacts.”

-Michael Terzo, Founder & CTO, Terzo Power Systems

Terzo Power Systems has spent over $1M in their first-generation prototype development and market research and distribution architecture. This places them in perfect position to capitalize on the nearly $4 Million in competitive grant awards from the California Energy Commission and achieve rapid market penetration during their go-to-market phase.

 

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Douglas Curley is the former editor in chief of Comstock’s magazine.

Thomas Hall

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gary Simon is the Chair of CleanStarts Board. A seasoned energy executive and entrepreneur with 45 years of experience in business, government, and non-profits.