Ionobell develops a porous-silicon-based anode material that is coated to prevent the swelling that normally plagues silicon anodes. The company starts with a porous silicon structure and surrounds it with a protective shell, a process the CEO says allows the material to absorb lithium without the outer shell changing. Ionobell sources its silicon from a waste material, which the company says drives down costs and makes its material cheaper than graphite. The team adapted the material to work on widely used manufacturing equipment to improve adoptability by automotive suppliers. Ionobell is a seed-stage firm that has faced investor and validation hurdles common to deep‑tech battery materials companies. The startup competes with firms like Sila, Group14, Enovix and Amprius, some of which are nearing commercialization.

Total raised

$4M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Mar 2024