Washington, DC (February 26, 2026) – Village Capital has announced investments in two US-based startups developing community-centered solutions to address extreme heat, improve energy efficiency, and support climate adaptation. The investments were made through Village Capital’s Thriving Communities: Climate Resilience US program, an investment-readiness program supporting early-stage companies advancing the green economy and community climate adaptation across the United States.
Supported by the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Foundation (HPEF) and Salesforce, the program worked with ten early-stage startups addressing climate risks already impacting communities nationwide. At the program’s conclusion, Village Capital selected Aris Hydronics and Mexar for investment based on the strength of their solutions and the potential to advance climate resilience challenges in the US.
“This cohort brought together talented founders tackling urgent climate challenges, from extreme heat adaptation to building decarbonization and the clean energy transition,” said Meredith Storton, Senior Manager, Investments at Village Capital. “What stood out about Mexar and Aris was their ability to translate real climate risks into practical, scalable solutions that make climate resilience accessible to lower-income communities. The strong feedback they received during our peer due diligence process further confirmed their investment readiness.”
Aris Hydronics, headquartered in Oregon, is advancing residential climate resilience with an integrated hydronic thermal system that replaces traditional heating, cooling, and hot-water infrastructure. By reducing energy consumption, eliminating refrigerants, and enabling grid-responsive electrification at cost parity with legacy HVAC systems, Aris addresses both emissions reduction and household energy affordability. Their solution works for single-family homes but is especially innovative in multi-unit buildings, where centralized hydronic systems can deliver greater efficiency gains and cost savings at scale.
Reflecting on the investment, Robert Benjamin, Founder and CEO at Aris Hydronics, said:
“The Village Capital investment comes at a pivotal moment for Aris as we build momentum toward our commercial launch. This support strengthens our ability to scale a solution that delivers climate resilience, energy efficiency, and cost savings for households.”
Mexar, based in Philadelphia, is addressing the escalating risks of extreme heat through wearable cooling technology designed to protect outdoor workers in high-risk industries such as construction. Its lightweight, PPE-compatible solution has been validated through pilots in multiple US states experiencing record temperatures, helping reduce heat stress while improving safety and productivity for frontline workers disproportionately exposed to climate extremes. CEO and Co-Founder Roland Washington launched the company following research at the University of Pennsylvania that revealed a growing and urgent need for worker-centered heat protection.
Roland said, “Village Capital’s continued support through startup resources, warm introductions, and now funding has been instrumental as we accelerate manufacturing and prepare for our summer launch. This support helps advance Mexar’s mission to protect people in extreme climates.”
These investments reflect the purpose of the Thriving Communities program: supporting founders addressing climate risks where they are felt most acutely. The catalytic capital will support product development, go-to-market refinement, and expanded early deployments as both companies scale their impact.
For more information, reach out to Eva Waweru at Village Capital (eva.waweru@vilcap.com).
About Village Capital
Village Capital is a global leader in impact investing, helping early-stage startups access the type of social and financial capital they need to grow – reshaping the supply and demand sides of capital flows as a result.
Since 2009, Village Capital has directly supported more than 2,100 impact startups in 70 countries. Together, these founders have raised over $9.6B across economic mobility, environmental sustainability, and access to essential services. It has made 116 investments through its various affiliated funds, including Vilcap Investments, which has invested in 91 peer-selected companies. Additionally, 26,000 entrepreneurs have used its Abaca web app to take at least one assessment, helping them expand their access to financial capital. Learn more at www.vilcap.com and follow @villagecapital.
About Hewlett Packard Enterprise Foundation
The HPE Foundation is committed to leveraging their technology potential to support non-profit organizations. Their mission is to deploy skills, resources, and technology to address social challenges and advance the way people live and work.
The HPE Foundation believes in the use of technology and its potential to enable greater efficiencies, mitigate social inequities, and provide solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. They have donated more than $65 million in grants, contributed 1.5 million hours of community service, and supported more than 20,000 nonprofits. Learn more at www.hpe.com and follow @HPE.
About Salesforce
Salesforce helps organizations of any size reimagine their business with AI. Agentforce — the first digital labor solution for enterprises — seamlessly integrates with Customer 360 applications, Data Cloud, and Einstein AI to create a limitless workforce, bringing humans and agents together to deliver customer success on a single, trusted platform.