Former Tesla exec and Heron Power CEO Drew Baglino has founded a heat pump startup

Drew Baglino, a former executive at Tesla, has embarked on a new entrepreneurial journey by establishing a startup focused on heat pump technology. This marks Baglino's second venture since departing from Tesla, where he served for nearly two decades. The startup, named Sadi Thermal Machines, was officially formed in June 2025 and operates out of Scotts Valley, California, sharing its space with another of Baglino's creations, Heron Power, which specializes in solid-state transformers. The company's name pays homage to the renowned physicist Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot, whose groundbreaking work laid the foundations of thermodynamics, vital to advancements in heat pump technology. While details about Sadi Thermal Machines remain limited, indications suggest that the company employs several former Tesla staff members, as gleaned from LinkedIn profiles and insider information. Efforts to reach Baglino and the public relations team of Heron Power for comments have been unsuccessful, but updates will follow if a response is received. Before launching his two startups, Baglino was a key figure at Tesla, contributing to significant projects including the original Roadster and the innovative Powerwall and Powerpack energy storage systems. By the time he left Tesla in April 2024, he had ascended to the role of senior vice president, overseeing the development of essential energy technologies, including electric motors and batteries. Baglino's expertise extends to heat pump systems, where he was a noted inventor on a patent for a thermal management system that utilizes dual coolant loops for efficient temperature control in electric vehicles. This technology allows for enhanced performance, especially in challenging conditions, by optimizing battery pre-heating during fast charging. Tesla's octovalve system, a significant advancement introduced in the Model Y, exemplifies the principles established in Baglino's patent. It adeptly manages the thermal needs of the cabin, batteries, and motors within a compact design. In previous discussions, Tesla executives, including Baglino and CEO Elon Musk, expressed interest in developing heat pump systems for residential and commercial use, emphasizing their commitment to sustainable energy solutions. Baglino noted that while creating a heat pump for home use would be less complex than for vehicles, the potential for innovation remains strong. Musk acknowledged the possibility of such developments but refrained from committing to a specific timeline. With the inception of Sadi Thermal Machines, Baglino seems ready to fulfill his vision of advancing heat pump technology in the residential sector, as he had previously encouraged others to pursue similar innovations.