Home renovations are rarely smooth. Finding a contractor and figuring out a fair price is a mess for most homeowners. And when it comes to making energy upgrades like heat pumps or better insulation, cost is still the biggest hurdle.
A Detroit startup called Pearl Edison thinks it has a better way. It is turning to a source most people would not expect, utility companies.
The idea is simple. Utilities already have trust and reach. Pearl Edison builds off that. It partners with them to find homeowners who would benefit most from energy efficiency projects. Then it builds branded websites for each utility, helping run outreach campaigns to get people signed up.
The startup just raised three point three million dollars in seed funding, backed by New System Ventures, Commonweal Ventures, Lightbank and Newlab.
Pearl Edison uses data to estimate job scope and pricing up front, then sends workers to verify everything on site. Once confirmed, they dispatch pre-approved contractors to complete the work. Pearl Edison makes a margin on the installation and aims to keep prices lower than traditional quotes since contractors skip the step of finding their own clients.
So far, the startup is already working with DT Energy in Michigan, Duquesne Light in Pittsburgh and the city of Ann Arbor. Two more utility deals are in the pipeline for later this year.
For customers, the promise is less stress, better pricing and a more direct path to home energy upgrades.