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Sapphire Energy

Sapphire Energy was a biofuel startup that aimed to produce 'green crude' oil from algae as a fossil fuel alternative.

Secondary Market Price

Updated: 
Feb 2026
Current Preferred Price
Date:
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Prospect Projected Preferred
Current FMV
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Prospect Projected FMV
$576M
Company Valuation
Updated: 
Feb 2026
Energy
Industry
San Diego, CA
Headquarters
2007
Year Founded
60+
Employee Count

How Sapphire Energy Measures Up

To help you manage your Sapphire Energy equity, Prospect has run the company through our machine learning model.

Prospect Rating

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This rating reflects our belief in this company's potential to grow to that many times its current value in 4 years. For an employee with stock, this rating suggests a potential return on equity, but it also comes with some risk.

Exit Risk

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Our rating is a reflection of the likelihood of this company achieving a liquidity event for its employees based on the quality of investors, funding stage, founders, and more.

Funding Stage

Series C

A company’s funding stage reflects how established it is, how quickly it is scaling, and the average impact an employee may have when joining.

Est val $576M
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Feb 6, 2026

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Prospect Projected Future Sapphire Energy Prices

Prospect’s machine learning model has been trained on the same data top-tier investors use to project the likely range of outcomes for Sapphire Energy's equity. Create a free account to view 10th-90th percentile projections over 2, 4, and 6 years.

Powerful tools to earn more from your equity

Company Description

Sapphire Energy is a defunct American biotechnology company that ceased operations in the late 2010s. Founded in 2007 in San Diego, California, the venture aimed to produce 'green crude' oil from algae as a direct substitute for petroleum. The company attracted over $300 million in funding from notable investors, including Bill Gates’s Cascade Investment, Venrock, and the US Department of Energy. A key milestone was the 2012 opening of its Green Crude Farm, a demonstration facility in New Mexico. Despite its significant financial backing and initial promise, Sapphire Energy was unable to scale its technology to be commercially competitive with conventional crude oil, leading to the company winding down operations by 2017. Its UK subsidiary, registered in 2013, is currently dormant.

As a defunct entity, Sapphire Energy has no future plans or ongoing operations. The company has not made any recent announcements, and market directories list it as out of business. Any intellectual property, contracts, or collaborations associated with Sapphire Energy should be considered void, as there is no continuing trading entity.

Sapphire Energy Notable Investors

  • Cascade Investment, LLC
  • Arrowpoint Partners
  • Monsanto
  • ARCH Venture Partners
  • Wellcome Trust
  • Venrock

Sapphire Energy Founders

  • Co-Founder, Steve Briggs
  • Co-Founder, Kristina Burow
  • Co-Founder, Nathaniel David
  • Co-Founder, Stephen Mayfield
  • Co-Founder, Mike Mendez
  • Co-Founder, Bryan O'Neill
  • Co-Founder, Yan Poon
  • Co-Founder, Jason Pyle

Peer Group Comparison

Vs Peer Group of >$4B Startups

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Anduril worth joining?

Joining Anduril as an employee is another way to acquire equity, typically through stock options included in compensation packages.

Is Sapphire Energy worth joining?

Deciding to join a startup like Sapphire Energy involves evaluating its potential growth and the value of its equity compensation. Tools like Prospect can help you analyze the potential future value of your equity package to make a more informed career decision.

What should I do with my Sapphire Energy stock?

Managing your Sapphire Energy stock involves creating a strategy for exercising options, planning for taxes, and deciding when to sell. Platforms like Prospect offer personalized strategies and tools to help you optimize the value of your private company shares.

Can you sell Sapphire Energy stock?

Selling stock in a private company like Sapphire Energy is typically possible during specific events like tender offers or on secondary markets. Prospect provides tools to help you decide how much to sell and which shares are the most tax-optimal to part with during these opportunities.

How can I find the value of my Sapphire Energy stock?

The value of private stock like Sapphire Energy's is determined by its 409A valuation, recent funding rounds, and secondary market transactions. You can use a platform like Prospect, which uses proprietary data and predictive models to help you forecast the future value of your shares.

What is Sapphire Energy's equity worth?

The total worth of your Sapphire Energy equity depends on the company's valuation and your specific grant details, but its true value is what you keep after taxes. Services like Prospect help calculate your potential net equity value by creating optimized tax and exercise strategies.

What is Sapphire Energy's stock ticker symbol?

As a private company, Sapphire Energy is not traded on a public stock exchange and therefore does not have a stock ticker symbol. Ticker symbols are only assigned to companies once they become publicly listed through an IPO.

Can I buy or sell Sapphire Energy stock?

You can "buy" shares by exercising your stock options, and you can sell them during company-approved liquidity events like tender offers or on secondary markets. Tools from Prospect can guide you on the optimal timing for both exercising and selling to maximize your financial outcome.

What is the criteria to buy or invest in Sapphire Energy stock?

Investing in a private company like Sapphire Energy is typically limited to employees receiving equity compensation or accredited investors participating in specific funding rounds. For employees, platforms like Prospect are designed to help manage the equity you've been granted rather than facilitate new investments.

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