how we execute
OakTREE has attracted over $4 million in support from public institutions and philanthropic partners who see what’s possible when communities control their essential resources. That investment has brought us to this moment: validating our approach and moving methodically toward neighborhood-scale transformation.
Now: Validating & Building Foundation
We’re developing the core technology and building community capacity in parallel, because both matter equally.
- On the technical side, we’re in the initial stages testing the integration of Closed Cycle Greenhouses with Thermal Microgrids for technoeconomic validation.
- On the community side, we’re organizing with residents in Oakland, providing direct services in homes to spark conversations that will steward these assets long-term.
Next: Demonstrating at Scale
Our first integrated system will be piloted at O2AA, a mixed-use, block-sized campus in Oakland. This isn’t just a technology pilot, it’s a living laboratory where neighbors learn and envision possible adaption in their blocks, and get trained to manifest their vision collectively. The lessons from this demonstration will shape how we scale: what works, what needs adapting, and how communities can lead their own implementations.
Then: Scaling Across the City
As community blocks engage in conversations to design their OakTREE blocks, they have the opportunity to practice with their hands through the build out of commercial applications providing Heat-as-a-Service (HaaS). Revenue from commercial deployments helps fund community installations, creating a sustainable cycle. Multiple blocks across Oakland will be building and benefiting from their own inter-structure. We will also initiate local manufacturing.
Beyond: Regional Expansion
With a proven model and established community governance practices, we’ll support other regions in adapting OakTREE for their contexts. This isn’t franchise-style replication—it’s open-source inter-structure that communities can own and shape for themselves.
HOW WE’RE FUNDING THIS VISION
The $4 million we’ve attracted is already at work, funding technology R&D, community organizing, and the groundwork for our first demonstration. Moving forward, our funding strategy matches each stage:
- Validation & Foundation: Grants and philanthropic capital that understand patient, community-centered work
- Scaling: Project financing, patient capital, and innovative models like community preferred shares and crowdfunding
- Long-term Sustainability: Revenue from Heat-as-a-Service commercial deployments, reinvested into community installations
WHERE YOU COME IN
We have the plan, the partnerships, and momentum. What we need now are resources to move from validation to demonstration. This is the critical stage where vision becomes visible. Your support doesn’t just fund infrastructure. It invests in communities building the power to shape their own futures all across the country.
