Key facts
- CivilGrid, a startup focused on mapping underground infrastructure, has secured $26 million in Series A funding.
- The company was founded by Josh Mackanic, a former PG&E engineer, to address the issue of utility strikes.
- CivilGrid aggregates data on utility assets, property ownership, and environmental regulations.
- The platform is designed to provide a "Google Maps for what’s underground" to clients including governments and utilities.
- PG&E has used CivilGrid to identify potential savings of $60 million on gas distribution projects.
CivilGrid, a startup aiming to create a comprehensive map of underground infrastructure, has secured $26 million in Series A funding. Founded by former Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) engineer Josh Mackanic, the company addresses the significant problem of "utility strikes" that occur approximately 200,000 times annually in the U.S. Mackanic, who spent a decade at PG&E, was motivated to start CivilGrid after experiencing costly delays caused by unknown underground pipes.
The company gathers and consolidates disparate data concerning utility assets, property ownership, and environmental regulations. This information is bundled into a platform that Mackanic describes as "Google Maps for what’s underground." CivilGrid then sells access to this data to governments, civil engineering firms, and utilities, including its former employer, PG&E.
The Series A round was led by Spark Capital, with participation from Afore, A*, Ford Street Ventures, and SNR. Energy Impact Partners also contributed to the funding.
PG&E has already utilized CivilGrid in a case study, identifying $60 million in avoidable paving costs across 1,600 planned gas distribution projects. Christine Cowsert, senior vice president of enterprise business and technology modernization at PG&E, stated that tools like CivilGrid help the company plan smarter, identify risks earlier, build more efficiently, and maintain safety.