FundraiseSep 21, 2026, 11:32 UTC

Rainmaker raises $100M Series B to scale cloud-seeding water production

What's the deal? Rainmaker, an El Segundo, California cloud-seeding startup, has raised US$64.7M Series B. NOA VC, Upfront Ventures, DCVC, Lowercarbon Capital, and Dream Ventures backed the round, which the company will use to expand atmospheric research and cut the cost of producing fresh water.

What's the endgame? Rainmaker flies weather-resistant drones into winter storm clouds and releases silver iodide particles that seed ice crystals. As the crystals grow heavy enough, they fall as rain or snow, generating fresh water in dry regions.

Why now? Severe drought grips the American West. The snowpack for winter 2025-2026 ran alarmingly low, pushing Colorado River reservoirs to critical levels.

The company says it is the first private operator to accurately measure cloud seeding's impact, recording 82 clear instances of enhanced precipitation over four months. That produced more than 145 million verified gallons of fresh water — enough to supply roughly 1,800 US households for a year.

The funding will grow a research team of atmospheric scientists, radar specialists, and material scientists working to identify the best clouds to seed and the optimal amount of material to release. Rainmaker also plans to partner with national laboratories and universities on weather modification research.

Rainmaker currently operates in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, California, and Colorado, and is weighing international markets. Its next operational season runs November 2026 to April 2027. As it scales, the company expects the cost of new water supplies to fall below desalination.

The signal: At $100 million, the round sits in the 94th percentile of all-time US Series B rounds in energy, based on a sample of 791 deals. The size signals investor appetite for water-scarcity solutions as climate pressures mount across the West.