TDK Ventures Invests in Rodatherm to Accelerate Next-Generation Geothermal Energy Development
TDK Corporation announced today that its venture capital arm, TDK Ventures, Inc., has joined geothermal innovator Rodatherm’s $38 million Series A funding round. This strategic investment strengthens Rodatherm’s efforts to bring forward a new generation of geothermal technology that aims to deliver long-term, baseload, sustainable, and cost-competitive energy.
The investment represents not only financial backing but also a broader endorsement of geothermal energy as a critical part of the future clean energy mix. With this move, TDK Ventures continues its global mission of accelerating breakthrough technologies that directly address climate change and energy transition challenges.
Rodatherm’s Closed-Loop Advanced Geothermal System
Founded in 2022 and operating with offices in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Salt Lake City, Utah, Rodatherm has been quietly developing what it calls a closed-loop advanced geothermal system (AGS). Unlike conventional geothermal approaches that often require significant water usage, direct interaction with the subsurface rock, or drilling in volcanic regions, Rodatherm’s design is both fully pressurized and cased, optimizing energy extraction from sedimentary basins.
The system operates through a working fluid that remains completely isolated from the underground reservoir, eliminating contamination risks and reducing long-term maintenance costs. That working fluid is then circulated directly into a power-generating turbine, achieving up to 50% higher efficiency than traditional water-based binary-cycle geothermal systems.
This innovative design leverages both conductive and convective heat transfer, a combination that increases performance while ensuring long operational lifespans. Importantly, Rodatherm’s AGS is being engineered to produce competitive levelized costs of energy (LCOE) when compared to fossil fuels—even at early commercial scales.
If successful, Rodatherm’s systems could operate for decades without major intervention, offering energy stability that few other renewable technologies can match.
Backing from TDK Ventures
For TDK Ventures, the decision to invest reflects confidence in both the technology and the leadership team.
“We are thrilled to partner with Rodatherm as they redefine what’s possible in geothermal energy,” said Nicolas Sauvage, President of TDK Ventures. “This investment reflects TDK Ventures’ commitment to supporting transformative technologies that address critical global challenges, including the urgent need for clean and affordable energy. We believe geothermal can play a significant role in near-term energy generation, and Rodatherm’s innovative closed-loop system, combined with its strong leadership team, has the potential to unlock reliable, clean power for millions—an ambitious mission we are proud to help accelerate.”
TDK Ventures is investing in Rodatherm through its $150 million Fund EX1, a multi-LP vehicle focused on electrification and decarbonization startups across Europe and North America. The fund targets companies from Seed to Series B stages, emphasizing disruptive technologies that can scale globally.
The Rodatherm Leadership and Vision
At the helm of Rodatherm is CEO Curtis Cook, a veteran of the energy industry with a track record of building companies from concept to significant enterprise value. Prior to Rodatherm, Cook founded and led Vesta Energy Corp., successfully transforming a single well discovery into a company with an asset valuation exceeding $1 billion.
Cook and his team bring not only technical expertise but also deep operational understanding of the energy industry. This dual perspective—balancing innovation with practical deployment—is a critical advantage in the geothermal sector, where many promising concepts have historically struggled to reach commercial scale.
“We are thrilled to have TDK Ventures join our valued group of investors,” said Curtis Cook, CEO of Rodatherm. “Their investment will accelerate the deployment of our geothermal technology, enabling us to bring reliable and cost-effective clean energy to market faster. We believe geothermal energy is poised to be a major contributor to the global energy transition. And with TDK Ventures’ assistance both financially, and in providing access to TDK Goodness, as well as the many synergy opportunities within TDK Corporation, our road to success is now shorter and smoother.”
Key Advantages of Rodatherm’s AGS
Rodatherm’s closed-loop AGS technology is designed with several differentiating features:
- Heat Pump Analogy: The process is similar to a “heat pump at depth,” using thermodynamic principles to efficiently extract subsurface heat.
- Closed-Loop Design: By fully isolating the working fluid from the rock reservoir, the system eliminates the fluid loss, contamination risks, and higher maintenance costs typical of open-loop geothermal approaches.
- Novel Working Fluid: Rodatherm’s proprietary fluid requires five times less volume compared to traditional water-based systems, allowing for greater efficiency with smaller resource inputs.
- Longevity and Sustainability: The system avoids fresh water use, operates with a compact surface footprint, and is engineered to function reliably for multiple decades.
- Mature Components in a Novel Integration: While all individual technologies are commercially mature, the innovation lies in their patented modular integration, which optimizes performance and economics.
These attributes position Rodatherm as a leading candidate to make geothermal a scalable, globally deployable energy source—beyond regions with naturally favorable geology.
Next Steps: Pilot and Commercial Deployment
With the new funding, Rodatherm plans to construct its first pilot system in Utah. The pilot will be critical in validating the company’s claims around capital expenditure (CapEx), operational expenditure (OpEx), and overall conversion efficiency. Success at the pilot level would pave the way for a full-scale commercial project in Utah, with financing to be pursued through non-dilutive project funding mechanisms.
The Utah pilot also carries broader implications for the geothermal industry, as it could provide a proof-of-concept model for deploying Rodatherm’s systems across sedimentary basins worldwide—opening up vast new regions to geothermal power.
