Energy climate

Airthium

Website
Founded 2016Origin source ↗Checked 2026-09-15

Overview

We build engines that have the potential to slash 33% or worldwide CO2 emissions - cost-effectively.

First, we help food and mining companies cut both their heat costs *and* CO2 emissions by replacing gas-fired steam boilers with our proprietary high temperature heat pumps. Our heat pumps make up to 3x more heat with the same amount of electricity, even at up to 1000°F.

Once the heat pump market is mature, we will address the seasonal energy storage market. Our storage units are based on the exact same proprietary engine we use for our heat pumps. They work with solar and wind, and replace lithium-ion batteries, fossil-fired power plants, CO2 capture and storage, and fuel procurement, with a cheaper, sustainable and more reliable alternative, which can be sited anywhere.

The first opportunity is a high-margin market worth 3% of worldwide CO2. The second is a much bigger market worth 30% of worldwide CO2. By the time all cars become electric, it will be even more.

Our key is we are building the first Stirling engine to reach 86% of the Carnot efficiency, compared to 64% for the state of the art. We do all that while significantly decreasing costs, and increasing reliability.

Please see Airthium's website for more information.

Company description As recorded 2026-11-08
LinkedIn
Energy climateHardware deviceBusinessesEnterpriseHardware sales

Product & workflow

Airthium's system is designed to sit in containers outside your factory and connect to your process heat network.

Source-reported As recorded 2026-09-23

Founders & team

Andrei Klochko

Founder/CEO

PhD in Plasma Physics from École Polytechnique (Paris, France), then started Airthium as CEO and CTO in 2015 before going through YC in 2017. This is still my current position.

LinkedIn
Founder profile As recorded 2026-09-15
18team members reported
Source-reported As recorded 2026-09-15

Founded 2016 · Source

News & product activity

Sources & observations

Y Combinator

Profile depthverified profile
Website observationwebsite reachable
Last website check2026-11-11
Location · source statedParis, Île-de-France, France
Pricing evidenceNo pricing page confirmed
Maturity: Not assessed · 3 of 6 areas documented

Source-based assessment · automated evidence rules

The retained text does not establish product availability or customer use.

Maturity is an evidence-based assessment, not a success rating. It may understate the current stage where evidence is limited. Coverage records documented areas, not a complete or independently audited company history.

Stage definitions
independent websitesource corroborationreachable websitedescriptive evidenceclassified market and modelsourced peoplesourced founding year
startup.observe Directory coverage · Sources & method