Houston-based climatetech startup NOC Energy began pivoting its focus early in 2025 on scaling beyond U.S. borders. To accelerate this growth, the company leveraged Greentown’s community, resources, and network, ultimately enabling the launch of a European subsidiary.
NOC Energy is decarbonizing heavy industry with its NOC Cell, which converts renewable electricity into a high-temperature gas suitable for heat-intensive industrial applications. By reducing fossil fuel dependence and industrial emissions, a single NOC Cell cuts approximately 4,900 tons of CO₂ per year, the equivalent of removing 2,500 cars from the road.
Amid the shifting U.S. regulatory and funding landscape, co-founder and CEO Carlos Ceballos focused on evaluating new markets—taking inspiration from a number of fellow Greentown members who’ve recently expanded their businesses abroad.
To chart a path forward, the team evaluated what successful international expansion would require, assessing the company’s operational structure, installation processes, and customers, and ultimately concluding that it was essential to have “boots on the ground” in their target markets. Establishing a subsidiary emerged as the most effective way to meet customer needs, advance the company’s mission, and navigate varying international regulations.
After evaluating potential geographies, the co-founders landed upon France due to its favorable legislation and Greentown’s connections within the French climatetech ecosystem—including a number of French corporate partners and member companies. The founders turned to Greentown’s partnerships team for connections to the region, where Greentown’s Director of Partnerships and French native Manon Chappat-Alarcon connected the startup to Business France, a French organization specializing in supporting foreign subsidiaries. Through this network, NOC Energy gained access to lawyers, landlords, market contacts, and other critical infrastructure, enabling the swift establishment of its French subsidiary.
Ceballos reflected on the company’s pace of progress, noting that since joining Greentown in 2024, “NOC has accomplished what takes approximately eight years for a startup to achieve” by taking advantage of the incubator’s corporate partner network and “Silicon Valley-level resources and facilities in Texas.” Ceballos highlighted that Greentown’s comprehensive support “significantly flattens the learning curve at a faster rate, with less capital, using complete and integrated services,” with special recognition to its expert industry mentorship program.
Although only a year and a half old, NOC Energy has ambitious goals ahead. Now with an active facility in France, the company is already accelerating its technology development, taking advantage of the market, and building never-before-possible relationships with a new customer base.