Woodchuck Secures $3.75M to Transform Waste-to-Energy with AI-Powered Biomass Solutions
Woodchuck, a trailblazing climate impact startup dedicated to transforming waste into clean energy through artificial intelligence, has announced the successful closing of its $3.75 million seed funding round. The round was led by a syndicate of investors spearheaded by Mason Fink and supported by prominent partners including NorthStar Clean Energy (a CMS Energy company), Alloy Partners (formerly known as High Alpha Innovation), and Beckett Industries. This milestone marks a pivotal step forward in Woodchuck’s mission to address the mounting crisis of construction and industrial waste while fueling a new era of renewable energy.
“With this funding, we are accelerating our mission to help manufacturers and construction companies reduce waste, lower operational costs, and contribute clean energy to the grid,” said Todd Thomas, Woodchuck’s Founder and CEO. “Every year, millions of tons of construction waste—especially wood—are dumped into landfills. Our AI technology helps recover value from that waste stream, turning discarded material into sustainable energy sources and enabling our clients to meet their environmental goals.”
Celebrating a Green Launch in Michigan
To celebrate this significant funding and the company’s formal launch, Woodchuck hosted a grand opening at its headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The event attracted a host of notable attendees including Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, local government leaders, business executives, and sustainability advocates. The celebration underscored Michigan’s increasing role in clean energy innovation and public-private cooperation.
Governor Whitmer praised Woodchuck’s technological ingenuity and commitment to environmental stewardship. “Thank you, Todd, for the work you are doing,” said Governor Whitmer. “We’re showing that economic growth and environmental responsibility aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, they reinforce each other. Woodchuck is a shining example of how innovation in sustainability can create jobs, reduce emissions, and strengthen communities.”
Leading Disaster Recovery with Smart Biomass Solutions
In addition to its commercial operations, Woodchuck has already demonstrated real-world impact in the face of climate-related challenges. Following a severe ice storm that struck northern Michigan, the company partnered with local authorities and emergency response teams to collect and repurpose storm debris. Downed trees and damaged wood were processed into high-quality biomass rather than being sent to landfills. This initiative exemplified Woodchuck’s commitment to both sustainability and climate resilience by providing communities with an environmentally responsible recovery solution.
Confronting the Construction Waste Epidemic
In the United States alone, over 41 million tons of wood waste are generated by the construction industry annually. Unfortunately, the vast majority of this material ends up in landfills, where it contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion. Woodchuck is challenging this paradigm with a smarter, tech-driven solution.
The startup’s proprietary platform utilizes cutting-edge AI to detect, categorize, and process wood waste. The recovered wood is converted into biomass suitable for energy production. This approach not only keeps vast quantities of waste out of landfills but also helps construction and manufacturing firms slash waste-hauling costs by as much as 30%.
“Large-scale construction firms are facing growing pressure to offer greener solutions,” said Thomas. “Our platform does more than divert waste. It provides full accountability—tracking every piece of material, measuring carbon savings, and quantifying the clean energy generated. For clients pursuing environmental certifications or corporate ESG targets, this level of transparency is invaluable.”
Reinventing Biomass with Artificial Intelligence
The heart of Woodchuck’s innovation lies in its AI-powered platform, which significantly elevates the quality and efficiency of biomass production. Using advanced image recognition algorithms, the system sorts materials more precisely than traditional methods, resulting in cleaner, higher-energy feedstock for bioenergy applications.
“The woodchuck.ai platform is our secret sauce,” said Thomas. “Waste management and biomass processing have long been overlooked when it comes to tech innovation. We’re changing that by bringing AI into the equation, which allows us to produce a superior product at a lower cost. This makes our solution more accessible, scalable, and impactful.”
This technology gives Woodchuck a competitive edge by producing premium biomass that is better suited for various renewable energy applications. The automation of sorting and quality control also ensures that the product meets rigorous specifications for energy producers.
Scaling Through Strategic Energy Partnerships
As the global demand for renewable energy grows, Woodchuck is preparing to scale its operations across sectors and geographies. The company’s dual value proposition—solving the waste crisis while providing sustainable energy—is drawing strong interest from industrial and energy clients alike.
“Woodchuck represents a transformative opportunity at the intersection of sustainability, technology, and energy,” noted Mason Fink, the lead investor. “Their platform not only mitigates environmental harm but also creates value from materials that would otherwise be discarded. It’s a powerful model for the circular economy, and we’re excited to support their journey.”
One of the company’s most promising collaborations is with NorthStar Clean Energy and its parent company CMS Energy. By supplying AI-optimized biomass to CMS’s facilities in Michigan, Woodchuck is helping stabilize the state’s renewable energy grid. Solar and wind energy, while essential, suffer from intermittency. Biomass can serve as a reliable baseload energy source, balancing the grid and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
“With technologies like Bioenergy with Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS), biomass quality is everything,” said Brian Hartmann, President of NorthStar Clean Energy. “Woodchuck’s AI-enhanced feedstock meets the highest standards, enabling us to reduce carbon emissions while ensuring energy reliability. This partnership aligns perfectly with our long-term decarbonization strategy.”
A Vision for the Future
Founded in September 2024, Woodchuck is still a young company, but its vision is bold. With its global headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the company aims to become a global leader in the circular bioeconomy. The current seed funding will be used to expand its operations, invest in research and development, build strategic partnerships, and grow its engineering and data science teams.
As climate change accelerates and industries search for greener practices, Woodchuck’s AI-powered solution is well-positioned to drive systemic change. The company is not only diverting waste and producing clean energy—it’s laying the groundwork for a more sustainable and circular industrial future.
“We believe waste is a design flaw,” said Thomas. “By rethinking how we handle materials, we can close loops, reduce emissions, and create clean energy solutions that work for both people and the planet. This is just the beginning.”
