Centre for Energy Equality closes £3bn from BGF
This article covers Centre for Energy Equality, an energy startup and social enterprise founded in 2022, which has closed a growth funding round with BGF to expand its advisory services and commercialise products aimed at tackling energy poverty and improving grid flexibility. The development aims to support vulnerable households and help local authorities and network operators integrate distributed solutions as they manage the low-carbon transition.
Centre for Energy Equality, an energy startup founded in 2022 as a social enterprise, has closed a growth funding round to expand its advisory services and commercialise several products aimed at tackling energy poverty and improving grid flexibility. The move is notable because it comes as local authorities and network operators face rising pressure to protect vulnerable households while managing the low-carbon transition.
Why it matters
Energy poverty remains a persistent challenge in the UK as households contend with higher bills and an increasingly electrified economy. Organisations that can both design community-facing interventions and help integrate distributed solutions into local networks play a practical role in reducing risk for vulnerable customers and smoothing demand on the grid.
CEE’s model—working directly with communities, suppliers, network operators and local government to pilot and refine interventions—addresses a gap between product development and real-world need. That pragmatic bridge is valuable as policymakers push for fairer outcomes alongside emissions reductions.
Inside the product
CEE combines advisory services with product development. Its work includes identifying household-level issues, piloting interventions in communities and designing solutions that contribute to grid flexibility. The organisation has signalled plans to take several of those pilot-stage solutions to market and expand its team to support delivery and commercial rollout.
The firm’s emphasis is on creating solutions shaped by lived experience, rather than one-size-fits-all technical fixes. That approach is intended to improve adoption and ensure interventions deliver measurable social as well as technical benefits.
Who are the investors?
BGF has completed a multi-million-pound minority investment in Centre for Energy Equality. The deal gives BGF a minority stake and includes Jonathan Earl, partner at BGF, joining CEE’s board. Monica Collings OBE, a member of the BGF Talent Network and a figure with senior roles in the energy sector, will become Chair of CEE.
The investment sits alongside BGF’s wider strategic commitments: the investor announced a £3 billion pledge to back high-growth UK companies over five years, including a £400 million allocation for the North West. BGF says its model focuses on patient, flexible support for expanding businesses; this transaction is presented as part of that regional and national push.
In the announcement, Elle Swire, Investor at BGF, said:
CEE is an exceptional business with purpose at its core. From its social enterprise roots, it has rapidly evolved into a high-growth organisation, playing a fundamental role in converting energy innovation into positive impact by embedding it in communities up and down the country.
We’re excited to join CEE on the next phase of their journey, as they work with stakeholders across the energy ecosystem to bring more innovations to life and ensure all projects are shaped by real needs and deliver shared value.
If you're researching potential backers in this space:
- Explore our list of energy venture capital firms in the UK
- Browse our directory of energy angel investors in the UK
Founder perspective
CEE was founded in 2022 by Andrew Ross and John McHugh to make the clean energy transition fair and accessible. The organisation has focused on practical pilots with communities and partners to surface solutions for vulnerable households.
In the announcement, Andrew Ross, co-founder and CEO at CEE, said:
We set out from day one to create a purpose-driven enterprise that made the clean energy transition fair, inclusive and accessible to all. It’s our firm view that no community should be left behind as we strive for a net-zero future.
To build on the momentum we have built in the last four years, we needed an investment partner that shared our mission-led approach and provided patient, flexible support to help bring our solutions to market and see us realise our full potential. We have found the ideal partner in BGF - an investor with the model and expertise to support our growth, but one whose values align with ours.
The bigger picture
The deal underlines growing interest from energy investors in organisations that translate innovation into community-level impact. As the UK moves towards electrification and greater decentralisation of supply, projects that combine technical integration with social sensitivity are increasingly important to avoid leaving vulnerable households behind.
For the regional ecosystem, the transaction also highlights how national growth capital can be deployed to bolster locally rooted ventures. If more funding follows for enterprises that embed community engagement into product design, it could help accelerate practical solutions for both social and system-level challenges across the UK and Europe.
They've invested in Centre for Energy Equality
Get to know these energy investors
| Investors | Investment Focus | Startup Investments | Round Size | Connect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| All investors | All investor sectors | All funded startups | All funding rounds |
Click here for a full list of 7,589+ startup investors in the UK