Virtual Peaker

Virtual Peaker is a Louisville, Kentucky software company that sells a cloud-based platform for utilities to manage distributed energy resources and run virtual power plants. Founded in 2015 by Dr. William Burke, its SaaS suites connect behind-the-meter devices such as smart thermostats, batteries and EV chargers so utilities can dispatch them in real time to reduce peak load. The platform combines grid-edge DERMS, customer program engagement, demand forecasting and AI-driven load-shape control in one system. Customers include investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities and electric cooperatives, and the company has raised roughly $32 million, including a 2025 round led by Veriten.

Rather than selling a single point tool, Virtual Peaker packages device control, customer enrollment and incentives, and load forecasting into one integrated utility platform, so a utility can run a demand-flexibility program end to end -- signing up customers, dispatching their devices, and paying them -- without stitching together separate vendors.