GigaWatt open public investment for scaling DIY solar platform
Fullerton, California-based GigaWatt Inc. has launched a round of public crowdfunding in order to scale its DIY solar software platform, the company announced Feb. 2. The two phase project, if fully funded, is planned for completion about two years after funding closes, the company says.
The fundraiser is being conducted under Regulation Crowdfunding, the company says, and is available through capital investment firm StartEngine.
The residential solar market is at a “critical inflection point” in 2026, GigaWatt representatives say. Federal tax credits have started to phase out thanks in part to the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), and residential electricity costs are up 40% since 2021 with the advent of AI and the data center boom. Something, as they say, has to give.
“Over the past twenty years, we’ve quietly built the infrastructure that makes solar and storage accessible and reliable for everyday homeowners and small installers,” says GigaWatt founder and CEO Deep Patel. “This (fundraising) allows us to scale our integrated hardware and software platform faster, so more people can take control of their energy and build long-term resilience for their homes.”
The company expects a 126% jump in energy demand over the next ten years, according to its StartEngine page. GigaWatt’s solution is its vertically integrated ‘Gigawatt Stack,’ it says, which provides “premium-quality gear, intuitive software, and lifetime support–all at an affordable price point.”
Supporting new software
Since its founding in 2006, GigaWatt has become a “multi-brand platform” for DIY and prosumer customers across the American residential solar market. Over the past seven years, the Californian firm has installed “thousands” of kits worldwide and generated more than $64 million in revenue through brand names like Unbound Solar, GoGreen Solar and AltE Store.
Now, the company plans to use the capital it acquires to develop and certify its Real Goods brand which it acquired in 2023, along with the Real Goods Hub software platform.
“In the DIY solar market, where post-sale service is often a critical bottleneck, AI tools are expected to make expert assistance faster, smarter, and more scalable,” the company says of the Real Goods Hub software. “Additional funding will be directed toward expanding research & development, engineering, sales and marketing teams.”
The company’s Real Goods brand has “deep roots” in the American solar ecosystem, having sold the first solar panels directly to consumers in 1978. The eventual goal of the project, officials add, is to give homeowners confidence in fully-integrated, scalable residential solar and storage kits.
“GigaWatt simplifies every step—from system design and permitting to installation and interconnection—helping users reduce energy costs and develop resilient, off-grid capable power systems,” the company says. “GigaWatt’s mission is to promote distributed energy adoption nationwide by offering reliable, scalable alternatives to traditional utility dependence.”
The minimum investment for the project is $500 and has a maximum raise of up to $1.235 million, the company says. In total, the project is valued at $40 million.
