Turntide Technologies

Lore & Background

Turntide was founded in 2013 as Software Motor Corporation (SMC), changed its name to Software Motor Company in 2018, and rebranded to Turntide Technologies in July 2020. The company entered the agriculture space in 2018 by partnering with VES, a dairy technology supplier, to launch DairyBOS, the Dairy Barn Operating System. Turntide fully acquired VES in October 2020 and merged it with Canadian agricultural tech company Artex Barn Solutions to expand into intelligent barn systems.

In 2021, CEO Ryan Morris told CNN in April that the company would 'soon announce a push into electric vehicles (EVs).' In June 2021, Turntide announced it had entered the EV space by acquiring the Gateshead drivetrain division of BorgWarner, the battery company Hyperdrive, and the EV controls company AVID Technology. The company also acquired building automation company Riptide in March 2021.

Turntide's fundraising history includes seed investments from the National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research program in 2016 and 2017, and from Wells Fargo's Innovation Incubator in 2017. In September 2020, Amazon awarded Turntide an investment as part of its first round of five Climate Pledge Fund investments, alongside investment from Future Shape (led by Nest founder Tony Fadell). In March 2021, Turntide raised funds from Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Robert Downey Jr.'s climate fund FootPrint Coalition, Fifth Wall Capital, and Keyframe Capital. In June 2021, it raised another $225 million, including from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

Reader's Guide

Turntide Technologies is significant for its energy-efficient motor technology and its rapid expansion into multiple sectors. The V01 Smart Motor System's certification by Southern California Edison in 2018 demonstrated substantial energy savings over standard AC induction motors and those with variable frequency drives, and a 2019 National Renewable Energy Laboratory certification showed similar savings in refrigerator condenser fans. These certifications underscore the motor's potential for reducing energy consumption in industrial and commercial applications.

The company's entry into electric vehicles in June 2021, through acquisitions of BorgWarner's drivetrain division, Hyperdrive, and AVID Technology, marks a strategic pivot into transportation. Its earlier work in agriculture—partnering with VES in 2018 and later acquiring it—shows a pattern of vertical integration. The company's ability to attract investment from high-profile entities such as Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund, Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and Robert Downey Jr.'s FootPrint Coalition highlights investor confidence in its technology and market direction. The 2020 Gold Edison Award and Fast Company's 2021 recognition as a World's Most Innovative Company in Energy further cement its reputation in the cleantech space.

Did You Know?

• Southern California Edison certified in 2018 that the V01 Smart Motor System reduced energy consumption by 23%–57% compared with a standard AC induction motor.
• In June 2021, Turntide raised $225 million, including from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
• The company entered the electric vehicle space in June 2021 by acquiring BorgWarner's Gateshead drivetrain division, Hyperdrive, and AVID Technology.

From SMC to Turntide: A Name in Motion

Turntide Technologies traces its roots to 2013, when it was established in the United Kingdom under the name Software Motor Corporation, commonly abbreviated as SMC. The company's core mission from the outset was to design and manufacture electric motors, power electronics, battery systems, and thermal equipment—components that sit at the heart of modern electrification. For several years the firm operated under that original identity, refining its software-driven motor technology and building early partnerships in the agricultural sector. In 2018, the company dropped the "Corporation" suffix, becoming Software Motor Company, a small but meaningful shift that signaled a move toward a more approachable brand. The most dramatic rebranding came in July 2020, when SMC officially became Turntide Technologies. The new name, evoking the powerful tidal forces of the ocean, marked a fresh chapter as the company prepared to scale aggressively into new markets, including electric vehicles and intelligent building systems. By the time the rebrand landed, Turntide had already earned industry recognition and was on the cusp of a series of high-profile acquisitions that would reshape its portfolio.

Proven Efficiency: The Numbers Behind the Motor

Turntide's technology is not merely a marketing claim; it has been independently validated by major utility and research institutions. In 2018, Southern California Edison, one of the largest electric utilities in North America, certified that Turntide's V01 Smart Motor System cut energy consumption by between 23 and 57 percent compared with a conventional AC induction motor. Even when benchmarked against an induction motor already paired with a variable frequency drive, the V01 still delivered an 11 percent reduction. The following year, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory conducted its own certification, finding that Turntide's motor technology slashed energy use in refrigerator condenser fans by as much as 29 to 71 percent. These figures are significant because they demonstrate that software-driven motor control can outperform both legacy hardware and the standard industry workaround of adding a separate drive controller. For a UK-based start-up, earning such certifications from American institutions underscored the global relevance of its approach and gave enterprise customers a quantifiable basis for switching to Turntide's integrated motor, power electronics, and thermal solutions.

From Dairy Barns to Electric Drivetrains

Turntide's growth strategy has been defined as much by acquisition as by organic development. In 2018, the company entered the agriculture sector by teaming up with VES, a dairy technology supplier, to launch DairyBOS, a comprehensive Dairy Barn Operating System. That partnership deepened in October 2020, when Turntide bought VES outright and subsequently merged it with Artex Barn Solutions, a Canadian agricultural technology firm, broadening its intelligent barn systems offering. Just months later, the company made a bold pivot into transportation. In April 2021, CEO Ryan Morris told CNN that Turntide would "soon announce a push into electric vehicles." By June 2021, that promise had materialized: Turntide acquired the Gateshead drivetrain division of BorgWarner, the battery specialist Hyperdrive, and the EV controls firm AVID Technology. In March 2021, it also brought on board Riptide, a building automation company, further diversifying its portfolio. Within roughly a year, Turntide had expanded from a motor and power-electronics maker into a multi-sector player spanning agriculture, electric vehicles, and smart buildings.

Backers, Awards, and the Road to Scale

Turntide's funding trajectory reads like a who's-who of climate-conscious investors. The company's earliest capital came from the National Science Foundation's Small Business Innovation Research program, with a seed grant in 2016 and a follow-on in 2017, alongside support from Wells Fargo's Innovation Incubator. The profile escalated sharply in September 2020, when Amazon selected Turntide for one of the first five investments from its Climate Pledge Fund, and Future Shape, the venture fund helmed by Apple co-founder Tony Fadell, also came on board. By March 2021, the cap table included Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Robert Downey Jr.'s FootPrint Coalition, Fifth Wall Capital, and Keyframe Capital. In June 2021, Turntide announced another $225 million round, backed in part by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Alongside the capital, the company collected a 2020 Gold Edison Award, a 2020 Product of the Year title from Environmental and Energy Leader, and a 2021 Fast Company designation as one of the World's Most Innovative Companies in the Energy category.