Participated · Series B · Apr 2024

Magnus Metal has developed a "digital casting" process that slices designs into layers and creates ceramic forms 4–20 mm thick into which molten metal is dripped and built up layer by layer. Each new layer melts the previous one to bond material and allow impurities to float out, yielding parts the company says have fewer defects and are 10%–20% stronger than traditionally cast parts. The system is positioned as faster than 3D printing, able to use customer-specified materials, and its ceramic bases can be reused for a finite number of parts. Magnus says the approach removes the need for expensive tooling used in sand casting, making lower-volume, complex parts more cost-effective while acknowledging simple parts will still favor sand casting. The company plans to sell both machines and proprietary ceramic feedstock, targeting $500,000 to $1 million of recurring revenue per machine. Magnus Metal has raised a $74 million Series B to support industrialization this year and to begin beta testing at the start of next year.

Participated · Equity · Nov 2022

Infinitum designs patented air-core, axial-flux motors that are lighter, smaller, and more efficient than traditional motors, targeting applications including mission-critical data centers, commercial HVAC, pumps, and industrial equipment. The company’s motors rely on high-powered printed circuit board (HP-PCB) stators, which it says are central to its efficiency and light weight. Infinitum has more than 100 pending or issued patents and has developed a manufacturing approach that reduces copper usage and waste. The company was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains to negotiate funding to accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing. Infinitum plans to establish an HP-PCB stator manufacturing facility expected to be located in Rockdale, Texas, which the company says could create up to 170 operating jobs and 125 construction jobs. The project and facility aim to strengthen U.S. supply chains for critical components that are currently produced largely overseas. Infinitum develops patented air-core motor systems that aim to sustainably power energy-intensive applications in data centers, hospitals, buildings, logistics, manufacturing and industrial facilities. Its motors consume 10–65% less energy than traditional motors, are about 50% smaller and lighter, and use 66% less copper. Infinitum motor systems include an integrated variable frequency drive and can be customized for specific power and torque requirements; their modular design enables servicing, repair, remanufacturing and recycling. The company cites U.S. Department of Energy estimates that implementing advanced motor technology in U.S. industrial and commercial sectors could save 127 TWh/yr, $14.7 billion, and reduce 90.2 MMT of CO2. Infinitum is based in Austin, Texas and is led by founder and CEO Ben Schuler. The company said it will use new funding to scale production, meet customer demand and accelerate decarbonization. Infinitum develops patented air-core motors that replace iron-core, copper-wound stators with a lightweight printed circuit board stator and a built-in variable frequency drive. Its motors are roughly 50% smaller and lighter, use 66% less copper, have no iron in the stator, and consume about 10% less energy than traditional motors. The printed circuit board stator is described as 10x more reliable, and the motor’s modular design enables component reuse while manufacturing and servicing are less carbon intensive. Infinitum positions its product to enable variable-speed operation across industrial applications (compressors, pumps, fans, material handling) to cut energy use and emissions. The company is partnering with Rockwell Automation to develop a motor and low-voltage drive solution to be distributed through Rockwell’s channels. Infinitum is based in Austin, Texas and intends to scale production to meet customer demand and drive industrial decarbonization. Infinitum produces a patented air-core motor that is 50% smaller and lighter, uses 66% less copper, contains no iron, and consumes about 10% less energy than conventional motors. Its motors are modular by design, allowing housings, rotors, and stators to be reused multiple times and extending service life beyond typical 10–20 year motor lifetimes. The company recently rebranded as Infinitum and is renaming product lines (IEs to Aircore EC, IEm to Aircore Mobility, and IEalt to Aircore Power Gen) as it pushes commercialization. Infinitum is based in Austin, Texas and operates a 65,000 square foot production facility in Mexico. The company plans to expand and fully automate assembly at that Mexico facility to meet a significant increase in demand. Leadership says the goal is to scale production this year and next while advancing decarbonization and circularity in industrial, commercial, and mobility applications. Infinitum Electric designs and manufactures patented air-core motor systems that replace heavy iron with printed circuit boards to deliver comparable power at half the size and weight and lower noise and carbon footprint. Its integrated motor systems include motor, variable frequency drive (VFD) and embedded IoT in a single compact package, and the motors are reported to be about 10% more efficient than conventional motors. Since launching its IEs Series in 2020 the company has secured customer agreements representing more than $900 million in potential orders across heavy industry, manufacturing, HVAC and transportation. The company plans to vertically integrate and automate production, complete development and commercialization of a traction motor for the electric-vehicle market, and expand high-volume production out of its facility in Tijuana, Mexico. Infinitum moved its headquarters to a larger facility in Round Rock, Texas, and said it will double its U.S. workforce in 2022 with an additional 50 employees across Round Rock and Spokane, Washington. The company is based in Austin, Texas and has positioned its technology to address large-scale electrification and decarbonization opportunities.

Participated · Equity · Jun 2022

Connected Energy develops technology to use second‑life vehicle batteries in commercial battery storage systems and is led by CEO Matthew Lumsden. The company has sixteen operational systems across Europe, located in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, with its largest installation at Cranfield University in Bedfordshire, England. It raised £15m in funding to expand operations and to accelerate development toward utility‑scale project development. Backers on the round included Volvo Energy, Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., the Hinduja Group, Mercuria and OurCrowd alongside existing investors Engie New Ventures, Macquarie and the Low Carbon Innovation Fund. The company intends to deploy the new capital to grow its project pipeline and scale implementation of its second‑life storage solutions. No revenue or user metrics were disclosed in the article. Connected Energy specialises in reusing electric vehicle batteries to build grid‑scale energy storage systems. The company’s systems range from 300kW behind‑the‑meter units to a 12MW system currently in development, and it is partnering on projects such as a 300kW/360kWh system with Suffolk County Council using 24 second‑life Renault Kangoo batteries. Connected Energy is also leading the Smart Hubs project to integrate a 14.4MWh energy storage system with technologies for decarbonising heat, energy and transport. The business has secured a new £350,000 investment to ramp up its analytic capabilities. Management says the funding will be used to analyse performance data in more detail to improve system efficiency and increase battery life. The company reports its systems are growing in size, using a range of different batteries and providing more diverse services to customers.

Led · Series B · Oct 2021

BrightVolt develops solid-state Lithium‑Ion batteries built around its proprietary polymer matrix electrolyte (PME®) technology. The company reports having sold more than 15 million primary solid‑state batteries globally across medical, automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. BrightVolt says its PME® is compatible with existing roll‑to‑roll lithium‑ion manufacturing lines with only minor capital refinements, improving several performance metrics. The firm targets commercialization of rechargeable solid‑state batteries for applications including e‑mobility, hybrid and electric vehicles, consumer electronics, drones, medical and wearable devices, and other IoT products. Fresh funds from the announced financing will be used to develop larger form‑factor products aimed at industrial electrification and e‑mobility markets. BrightVolt is headquartered in Redmond, Washington, and operates a Research and Development center in Indiana. BrightVolt designs, develops and scales manufacturing of ultra-thin film, flexible batteries. Its products are based on a patented Lithium Polymer design and a Polymer Matrix Electrolyte (PME) core technology. The company has sold over 10 million batteries across the globe. BrightVolt plans to use new funding to prepare for substantial growth in 2017 and to scale its manufacturing. Led by CEO Todd Peters, the company intends to continue building on its patented core battery technology. BrightVolt is evaluating additional investment from other parties interested in this market space. Solicore develops a product portfolio of advanced ultra-thin, flexible lithium polymer batteries targeted at powered cards, RFID and micro medical devices. The company says its battery technology is ultra-thin, flexible, safe and environmentally friendly and enhances the capabilities of lithium-based batteries. Led by CEO Dave Corey, Solicore positions its products for small, thin-form-factor and implantable applications. The company intends to use new funding to expand its market reach. Solicore is headquartered in Lakeland, Florida. No operating metrics or revenue figures were disclosed in the article.

Participated · Series B · Jul 2021

SeekOps, based in Austin, Texas, supplies sensors and actionable analytics to support decarbonization across traditional and renewable energy sectors. Its core offering includes methane Leak Detection and Quantification (LDAQTM) capabilities. The company positions its products to increase ESG reporting transparency and to enable verification for Responsibly Sourced Gas certification standards. Led by CEO Iain Cooper, SeekOps serves customers that require precise methane monitoring and measurement. The company closed a $14M Series B to support its growth. It intends to use the proceeds to continue expanding operations and business reach. SeekOps develops and fields advanced sensor technology to detect, localize, and quantify natural gas emissions via integrated drone-based systems. The company was formed in 2017 as a technology spinoff from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is based in Austin, Texas. SeekOps manufactures miniature gas sensors called SeekIR and integrates them onto drones to enable comprehensive emissions inspection in a fraction of the time required by traditional ground surveys. Its capabilities were validated in the 2018 Mobile Monitoring Challenge, where SeekOps was the top-performing technology for emissions localization and quantification on unmanned aerial systems. SeekOps currently offers energy-sector drone services in upstream and downstream oil and gas markets and serves several supermajors and gas utility customers domestically and internationally. Growth plans for 2020 emphasize product sales, real-time data reporting, and expanding the SeekIR product line to include handheld and vehicle-mount sensors.