Runwise’s Innovative Approach to Building Efficiency

In the sweltering summer of 2025, as record-breaking heat waves grip cities across the U.S., commercial real estate owners are scrambling for solutions to manage soaring cooling costs and maintain tenant comfort. Enter Runwise, a New York-based startup that’s revolutionizing heating and cooling systems in multifamily and commercial buildings. By integrating advanced algorithms with sensor networks, Runwise is helping property managers cut energy use dramatically, a timely innovation amid escalating climate challenges.

Founded in 2015, Runwise has grown from a niche player in boiler management to a comprehensive smart building platform. The company’s technology deploys wireless sensors throughout buildings to monitor temperatures in real-time, feeding data into a central system that predicts and adjusts heating or cooling needs based on weather forecasts. This isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about preempting discomfort and waste, as highlighted in a recent CNBC article that details how Runwise combines future weather algorithms with a wireless temperature sensor network communicating to a central control system.

Funding Boost and Expansion Plans

The startup’s momentum is underscored by its latest funding round. In June 2025, Runwise secured $55 million in Series B financing, led by Menlo Ventures, with participation from investors like MassMutual Ventures and Nuveen Real Estate. This capital injection, reported by Morningstar, aims to scale its smart operating system nationwide, targeting more than the 7,500 buildings it already serves, primarily in New York City.

Runwise’s clients include major players such as The Related Companies and Lefrak Organization, who have seen average fuel savings of 20-25%, according to the company’s LinkedIn profile. This efficiency stems from machine learning that optimizes boiler operations, reducing emissions and operational costs—a critical edge in an era of tightening environmental regulations.

Recognition and Industry Impact

Industry accolades further validate Runwise’s approach. In December 2024, Con Edison named it the Top Multifamily Contractor of the Year, as noted in a BusinessWire release, recognizing its role in efficient energy management across thousands of properties. On social platforms like X, discussions around innovative heating tech echo this sentiment, with posts highlighting sustainable solutions like heat recycling from data centers, underscoring a broader shift toward intelligent building systems.

Munich Re Ventures, an investor in Runwise, praised the startup in a Medium article for bridging outdated infrastructure with modern AI, addressing the inefficiencies of aging buildings that average 55 years old. This integration is particularly vital as urban heat islands intensify, pushing demand for adaptive cooling technologies.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite its successes, Runwise faces hurdles in a competitive field where retrofitting old buildings can be logistically complex and costly. Competitors like those profiled in CB Insights reports offer similar energy management tools, but Runwise differentiates through its end-to-end platform, combining hardware, software, and expert oversight.

Looking ahead, with projections from sources like PitchBook indicating continued investor interest, Runwise is poised for growth. As climate change accelerates, innovations like theirs could redefine building management, making sustainability not just a goal but a standard. Industry insiders watch closely, anticipating how this startup will navigate the evolving demands of commercial real estate in a warming world.