Maritime fuel technology startup Blaze Energy announced that it has raised $6.5 million in a seed funding round, with proceeds aimed at accelerating the commercial deployment of its technology enabling existing shipping engines to operate on multiple alternative fuels.
According to Blaze, the financing comes as the maritime shipping industry faces growing pressure to reduce emissions, with ship owners lacking viable options for vessels in services, and facing uncertainty over which alternative fuels will become dominant. With vessels typically remaining in service for decades, operators face challenges in transitioning to lower-emission fuels without replacing existing engines or committing to a single fuel.
Founded in 2023, Colorado-based Blaze Energy develops fuel-flexible engine technology aimed at enabling maritime vessels to operate on multiple alternative fuels, including ammonia, methanol and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Blaze’s “Flex-Fuel Reformer System” uses compact, engine-integrated fuel reforming technology to convert alternative fuels into a hydrogen-rich mixture onboard vessels, enabling hydrogen-assisted combustion using existing engine platforms. According to Blaze, the technology provides ship owners with a pathway to adopt alternative fuels, improve vessel efficiency and reduce emissions without replacing existing engines or committing to a single fuel.
Rok Sitar, CEO and Co-Founder at Blaze Energy, said:
“Maritime shipping used to be about moving cargo safely, on-time, and economically. Now operators need to be experts in fuel markets, energy shifts, and geopolitics just to keep vessels running. Blaze exists to cut through that uncertainty, giving ship owners fuel flexibility through their existing assets, so they can stay resilient no matter what is thrown at them.”
Blaze said that the new funding will support marine engine testing, expansion of its operations in the U.S. and Norway, and the commercial deployment of its technology. The company plans to pilot its Reformer System aboard a Lomar Shipping vessel in 2027, following land-based testing, aimed at validating the technology under real maritime operating conditions to establish a pathway for retrofitting existing vessels and support a newbuild product launch in 2028.
The new financing round was led by Propeller Ventures and Catalyzer Ventures, and included participation from Safar Partners, SOSV, Desai Ventures, and Cartography Capital.
Kristina Johnson, Partner at Catalyzer Ventures, said:
“Blaze Energy’s Reformer System offers ship owners a practical, cost-effective pathway to meet increasingly stringent emissions requirements while preserving the value of their existing vessels and infrastructure.”
