Participated · Debt Financing · Feb 2026

Founded in 2017, CesiumAstro designs and manufactures full-stack, software-defined communications payloads, processors, and complete small satellites. Its core Element platform combines modular, in-house-built hardware with AI that optimizes signals in real time, allowing operators to reconfigure missions after launch. The technology has been flight-proven on eight SpaceX launches and targets dense low-Earth-orbit constellations as well as defense applications. By integrating payloads, satellites, and processors under one roof, the company aims to shorten upgrade cycles and reduce costs compared with legacy providers. With fresh capital, CesiumAstro will scale U.S. manufacturing, open a 270,000-square-foot headquarters near Austin, and increase hiring in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan. The firm also plans to accelerate launches of its Element satellites, advance its AI capabilities, and pursue additional defense contracts through at least 2027.

Led · Debt Financing · Apr 2025

Pure Lithium is a Boston-based, vertically integrated lithium metal battery technology company that uses its Brine to Battery™ process to combine metal extraction and anode production. The company produces a pure lithium metal anode used in its lithium metal vanadium oxide battery, which it says offers step-change improvements in cell performance, cost, and safety versus today's lithium-ion technology. Its batteries are free of graphite, cobalt, nickel, and manganese. Pure Lithium is led by CEO Emilie Bodoin and CSO Donald R. Sadoway. The company plans to advance development of its first industrial-scale lithium metal vanadium battery manufacturing facility, and is pursuing project financing to support that build-out. Financially, the company has received a Letter of Interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States for potential debt financing related to the project. Pure Lithium develops lithium metal batteries using its Brine to Battery™ process and manufactures pure lithium metal anodes for lithium metal vanadium oxide cells. The company combines metal extraction from lithium-bearing brines with anode production and says its cells avoid graphite, cobalt, nickel and manganese. Pure Lithium announced acceptance of a funding award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technology Office to scale production of lithium metal anodes made from recycled lithium metal. It will partner with Argonne National Laboratory to recover lithium metal from an industrial waste stream and to demonstrate and scale its patent-pending anode production technology. Leadership includes founder and CEO Emilie Bodoin and MIT Emeritus Professor Donald R. Sadoway as full-time CSO. The company says the work aims to create a closed-loop, fully domestic supply source, secure commercially viable IP, and accelerate time to market. Pure Lithium develops lithium metal batteries and a Brine to Battery™ extraction technology that produces a battery-ready electrode in one day free of excess lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, and graphite. The company says its approach combines lithium extraction with novel battery technology to deliver high-performing lithium metal batteries at lower cost. Pure Lithium is led by CEO Emilie Bodoin and Donald R. Sadoway. The company extended its Series A in April 2024 with backers that included Ivanhoe Capital and WS Investment Company; the amount of the extension was not disclosed. Pure Lithium had announced a $15m Series A in March 2024 and intends to use the funds to expand operations and development efforts. Ivanhoe Capital chairman Robert Friedland commented that the combined extraction and battery technology could revolutionize the energy sector and improve sustainability and efficiency. Pure Lithium is a Charlestown, MA-based lithium metal battery technology company that develops a Brine to Battery™ extraction process to produce battery-ready lithium metal anodes in one day. The process sources lithium from aqueous brines and yields electrodes free of excess lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese and graphite. Pure Lithium reports its lithium metal batteries have achieved over 800 charge and discharge cycles while retaining 97% capacity. The company is led by CSO Donald R. Sadoway and CEO Emilie Bodoin. Pure Lithium aims to commercialize lithium metal batteries via vertical integration across the entire value chain, from resource to battery. It has raised external capital to accelerate development and commercialization efforts.

Led · Debt Financing · Nov 2023

BETA Technologies designs and manufactures electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and electric propulsion systems and components. The company supplies propulsion systems to customers in the U.S. and international markets and has expanded into flight controls and classified defense contracts. BETA says its commercial aircraft backlog has grown from roughly $1 billion to $3.9 billion since its initial EXIM financing. Recent milestones include unveiling the hybrid-electric MV250 for defense logistics, partnerships with GE Aerospace, NASA and Boeing, operational flights under the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, and a commercial order from Loganair. The company plans to expand domestic manufacturing and vertical integration, aiming to roughly double throughput across its facilities and create additional advanced manufacturing and engineering jobs. To support those plans, BETA is pursuing a proposed EXIM financing package of up to $1 billion to scale production of aircraft and electric propulsion systems.

Participated · Debt Financing · Apr 2012

NanoH2O, based in El Segundo, Calif., designs, develops and manufactures thin-film nanocomposite reverse osmosis (RO) membranes for seawater desalination and other water-treatment applications. Its QuantumFlux membranes deliver higher flux and salt rejection, improved energy efficiency and are NSF Standard 61 certified for drinking water. QuantumFlux products are available in standard 8-inch elements that fit new and existing desalination plants and purify water from a broad range of sources. The company says its membranes lower the energy, operating and capital costs of desalination. Proceeds from the recent financing will be used to accelerate growth, expand manufacturing capabilities and broaden product offerings. Financially, the company has raised $75 million in total equity and, with the recent debt facilities, has secured over $100 million of total debt and equity financing. NanoH2O is an El Segundo, CA-based global provider of membranes for desalination and water reuse. The company develops high-flux reverse osmosis membranes intended to increase productivity and address fouling issues in commercial desalination. It received a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Office of Naval Research to evaluate its membranes for shipboard desalination systems. Tests at the U.S. Navy Seawater Desalination Test Facility in Port Hueneme will assess fouling resistance and optimize desalination systems for high-flux operations. The research will provide a benchmark comparing NanoH2O’s technology to existing RO membranes and help validate its novel approach. The company is backed by Khosla Ventures and Oak Investment Partners.