VEIR

VEIR develops superconducting power solutions that significantly increase the capacity of electrical transmission infrastructure. The company's core technology utilizes advanced superconducting materials to deliver unprecedented power density, addressing critical limitations in conventional electricity grids. This approach allows for more efficient and compact power delivery, enabling substantial growth in transmission capabilities.

Founded in 2019 by Tim Heidel and Steve Ashworth, VEIR emerged from the insight that existing grid infrastructure cannot support the escalating demand for electricity and the imperative for greater grid resilience. Heidel, serving as CEO, and Ashworth, as Lead Scientific Consultant, combined their expertise to tackle these fundamental challenges by pioneering new methods for high-capacity power transmission.

VEIR’s solutions are designed for key players in the electricity value chain, including data centers, energy producers, and utilities. The company's vision is to accelerate the expansion of electric transmission capacity globally, fostering both economic growth and grid resilience. By enabling more robust and higher-capacity power delivery, VEIR aims to modernize and future-proof electrical grids worldwide.

High-Level Overview

VEIR is a superconducting power solutions company founded in 2019, developing high-temperature superconducting wires and cables that deliver 5-10 times more power than conventional conductors in the same physical space and voltage.[1][2][3][4] It serves data centers, utilities, renewable energy producers, and energy infrastructure operators by solving critical bottlenecks in power transmission capacity amid surging demand from AI, electrification, and grid resilience needs.[1][2][4] The company's black pipe-enclosed superconducting tapes, cooled by liquid nitrogen at -321°F, enable rapid deployment, smaller footprints, and enhanced efficiency—such as upgrading a 35kV line from 25MW to over 200MW—positioning VEIR for strong growth momentum, evidenced by a $75M oversubscribed Series B in 2025 (total raised ~$116-125M) led by Munich Re Ventures with Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund participation, funding data center pilots this year.[2][4][5]

Origin Story

VEIR was co-founded in 2019 by CEO Tim Heidel, who leads the company from its Boston/Massachusetts base, driven by the need to revolutionize power delivery for data centers, renewables, and utilities amid global electrification goals.[1][4] The idea emerged from recognizing transmission constraints limiting grid capacity and renewable integration, with superconductors offering a breakthrough in power density.[1][3][4] Early traction built through partnerships with industry leaders; by 2025, VEIR secured high-profile backing including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Engine Ventures, National Grid Partners, and Microsoft, culminating in the Series B to pilot deployments—pivotal for proving real-world scalability in AI-driven data centers.[1][2][4]

Core Differentiators

• Superior Power Density: Delivers up to 10x the power of traditional copper cables or busbars at the same voltage, using compact superconducting tapes in nitrogen-cooled pipes, reducing electrical footprints and right-of-way needs.[2][3][4]
• Versatile Applications: Works "from line to meter to rack"—upgrading grid lines for renewables, connecting multi-hundred-MW data centers without new high-voltage infrastructure, and optimizing intra-data-center power for denser AI servers with lower latency and faster builds.[1][3][4]
• Efficiency and Sustainability Gains: Enables hyperscalers to simplify designs, cut costs, and decarbonize grids by maximizing existing infrastructure; Microsoft highlights its role in scaling clean energy delivery.[2][4]
• Strong Backing and Expertise: Board includes Tim Heidel (CEO), Dan Leff (Executive Chair), and investors like Munich Re Ventures, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, providing deep networks in climate tech and infrastructure.[1][2]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

VEIR rides the explosive growth of AI data centers and electrification, where power demand is outpacing grid capacity—AI GPUs and hyperscale expansions require unprecedented density, while renewables face transmission bottlenecks.[2][3][4] Timing is ideal post-2025 funding, aligning with urgent needs for grid resilience amid net-zero goals; market forces like data center buildouts (e.g., Microsoft's decarbonization push) and policy incentives for clean infrastructure favor rapid adopters.[2][4] VEIR influences the ecosystem by enabling faster renewable integration (e.g., 8x capacity boosts on existing lines) and sustainable AI scaling, potentially unlocking trillions in stranded energy assets and reducing new line permitting delays.[1][4]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

VEIR is primed for commercialization acceleration, with 2025 data center pilots paving the way for widespread utility and hyperscaler adoption, potentially capturing a slice of the $100B+ grid upgrade market.[2][4] Trends like AI power surges (projected to double data center demand) and fusion/geothermal scaling will amplify its superconducting edge, evolving VEIR from innovator to infrastructure staple—watch for Series C, partnerships with majors like National Grid, and global expansion to cement its role in powering the AI-grid revolution.[2][3][4] This positions VEIR as a foundational enabler for the resilient, high-density electricity value chain it set out to transform.[1]