SANTA MONICA, Calif., Dec. 12, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inspire, one of the fastest-growing clean technology companies in the U.S., today announced the appointment of clean energy leaders David Crane and Andrew Beebe to its Board. The industry pioneers join at a time when Inspire is experiencing record growth of its clean energy and connected home subscription service: In the last two years alone, the company has seen more than 130 percent revenue growth and over 120 percent membership growth.

Crane, a lifelong clean energy advocate, former CEO of NRG Energy, and B Team Leader, will support Inspire's continued growth with his extensive industry expertise and passion for the fight against climate change. Beebe, Managing Director of Obvious Ventures – a venture capital firm that supports businesses to make a sustainable positive impact – is a proven leader, bringing years of deep industry expertise in successfully scaling and leading clean energy and technology solutions.

"I couldn't be more excited to welcome David and Andrew to our Board," said Patrick Maloney, Inspire CEO and founder. "Their collective expertise towards advancing global clean energy, driving strategic vision, and executing with operational rigor will be invaluable to Inspire as we continue to grow. I'm thrilled to work together as we scale our ability to empower Americans with more freedom to choose clean energy, while using less of it."

Inspire has a goal of removing 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 through its mission-driven products and services. Since 2014, the company has eliminated the equivalent of over 1.35 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere, equal to burning 1.5 billion pounds of coal. In addition, the company's global impact initiatives have supported communities across the world in regions that are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change. Through a partnership with GivePower, Inspire has built renewable microgrids to provide access to clean water, healthcare and education to 63,000 people in Nepal and Columbia.

"After a lifetime in the energy industry, I am more convinced than ever that we can only effectively address climate change, the moral imperative of our time, if we fundamentally alter how the individual consumer personally relates to their energy usage," said Crane. "Patrick's vision for Inspire, which is rapidly becoming a reality under his compelling operational leadership, is to use consumer-driven technology to empower Inspire's customers while making it easier for them to do their part to save the earth. Five years ago I noted that next Google, Apple, or Amazon would come from the clean energy sector. Given its current trajectory and rapid growth, I believe that Inspire is poised to be that company."

Background on David Crane
As a global thought leader and advocate for the sustainable transformation of the energy sector with more than 25 years of experience, David Crane was moved by Inspire's mission and its position to make a significant impact. David served as President and CEO of NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG), a Fortune 250 company and a member of the S&P 500, from 2003 until 2015. He has won numerous industry, community, and environmental awards. Since NRG, David has selectively focused on projects, innovative business models and emerging technologies  that have the potential to make a difference, including serving as a leader for the "The B Team," an executive council dedicated to changing business practices to improve the environment and society formed by Sir Richard Branson, Paul Polman and other global corporate executives and civic leaders.

Background on Andrew Beebe
Andrew Beebe began his career in cleantech by growing Energy Innovations from a business plan in 2003 to acquisition by Suntech in 2008. While at Suntech, he served as Chief Commercial Officer as well as Vice President of Global Product Strategy; the company became the largest solar company in the world. He also served as Vice President of Distributed Generation for Nextera Energy, the largest clean energy developer in the United States. Beebe joined Obvious Ventures in 2015, where he channels his lifelong passion for sustainable systems and people power into building purposeful companies.

About Obvious Ventures
Obvious Ventures is a venture capital firm investing in entrepreneurs reimagining every sector of the global economy. Since launching in 2014, Obvious has backed over 50 companies using technology to create a smarter, healthier, more sustainable world. Obvious was co-founded by Ev Williams, James Joaquin, and Vishal Vasishth, with Andrew Beebe and Nan Li now also serving as Managing Directors. More information is available at www.obvious.com.

About Inspire
Launched in 2014, Inspire's mission is to create a brighter energy future by delivering the world's first consumer-focused clean energy platform for the energy-efficient connected home. Inspire identified the opportunity to make a significant impact to combat the effects of climate change at the consumer level – replacing dirty energy with clean energy in the home. Inspire combines software, hardware, and connected services to deliver scalable impact and improve efficiency in the fight against climate change. A Certified B-Corp, Inspire products are available in select areas across the U.S. via helloinspire.com. The company is privately held, with offices in Santa Monica, CA and Philadelphia, PA.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c9c39f21-c738-4e10-91c8-cefad77b0b00.