Latest news with #climateTech
Geek Wire
5 days ago
- Business
- Geek Wire
Tariffs slow Group14's battery production plans — but data center demand opens potential new growth
Sustainability: News about the rapidly growing climate tech sector and other areas of innovation to protect our planet. SEE MORE Group14 has delayed the start of production of its battery materials at its BAM2 facility in Moses Lake by more than a year. (Group14 Photo) Group14 Technologies is slowing the launch of its flagship battery materials plant in Eastern Washington, pushing the start of production to early 2026, as tariff tensions and uncertain U.S. policy cloud the outlook for clean energy manufacturing. Despite the delay, the company remains optimistic about long-term customer demand and a potentially huge new market for Group14's silicon anode product as data center operators are adding utility-scale batteries to their power supplies. 'We know that AI data centers are strategically critical to the United States' economy and this is just another technology that is enabling [AI expansion],' said Group14 CEO Rick Luebbe. The company is also waiting to see what happens with $100 million of U.S. Department of Energy funding that it was awarded in 2022 as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. The funding was meant to bolster America's battery manufacturing industry and challenge China's dominance in the field. Luebbe said he's 'confident' the money will be there given the jobs being created at the Moses Lake facility, which was expected to begin operations late last year. He did note that others have lost DOE funding as the Trump administration pulls resources from clean energy initiatives. Group14's technology is used in next-generation batteries that hold more power and require less time for recharging. The company has raised $649 million from investors and its headcount is 400 people. Luebbe cited multiple factors he believes are working in his 10-year-old company's favor: Data centers are adding batteries for rapidly available power when energy use spikes. In the U.S. alone, utility-scale battery storage capacity is anticipated to double this year. for rapidly available power when energy use spikes. In the U.S. alone, utility-scale battery storage capacity is anticipated to double this year. While EV adoption is projected to slow, it's still on the rise. (Bloomberg NEF predicts nearly 22 million passenger EVs will be sold this year — marking a 25% increase from last year — with China making two-thirds of the purchases.) Group14 customers also include consumer electronics. (Bloomberg NEF predicts nearly 22 million passenger EVs will be sold this year — marking a 25% increase from last year — with China making two-thirds of the purchases.) Group14 customers also include consumer electronics. Group14 has a manufacturing facility in South Korea that is a joint venture with electronics company SK materials. That plant will begin operating at full capacity next month and its output will be available to Chinese customers without U.S. tariffs. that is a joint venture with electronics company SK materials. That plant will begin operating at full capacity next month and its output will be available to Chinese customers without U.S. tariffs. Group14 increased its slate of customers from 110 in September to 150 today. While tariffs dampened interest from China, Luebbe said there is 'huge' demand from the U.S. and Europe. Other battery efforts in Washington are likewise trying to weather less predictable conditions. Last month, OneD Battery Sciences reportedly pulled the plug on its pilot plant in Moses Lake, while Sila is commissioning its battery materials facility in the same town and plans to start production this year. Group14 in September received a separate $200 million DOE grant to build a Moses Lake plant that will produce silane gas, an essential ingredient for manufacturing silicon battery materials. That support could be pulled, but Luebbe said the effort will proceed regardless. He hopes the company can navigate past the politicization of clean energy and appeal to more universal demands. 'This is job creation. This is factories, industrialization. This is creating a new industry. This is a chemical plant,' Luebbe said. 'We are behind a whole new opportunity in advanced materials production for all kinds of applications that are really critical.'
Geek Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Geek Wire
Swedish battery startup making waves in Washington nets $34M to electrify ships
Sustainability: News about the rapidly growing climate tech sector and other areas of innovation to protect our planet. SEE MORE An employee at an Echandia facility. (Echandia Photo) Echandia, a Swedish maker of battery systems for marine vessels, raised $34 million. Echandia leaders said the investment will be used to increase its production capacity, grow its U.S. market presence, and fund R&D efforts. Almost a year ago, the company celebrated the opening of its manufacturing and sales facility in Marysville, Wash., which is its first site in North America. The startup employs seven people at the Washington facility, and expects to hire this fall when its assembly line starts running. 'With North America serving as a critical growth region, we believe we're well-positioned to help operators cut emissions and hedge against fuel price volatility, while enhancing vessel performance,' Torbjörn Bäck, CEO of Echandia, said in a statement. Echandia partners with shipyards to build and retrofit vessels to make them all-electric or hybrid-electric powered. The startup has customers in Europe, India and New Zealand and is working on ferries, naval vessels, merchant ships and offshore vessels. Its batteries use a lithium-titanate-oxide chemistry, which the company says is safer and faster-charging than traditional lithium-ion designs. Investors in Echandia's round include U.S.-based S2G Investments; Klima, the energy transition fund for Spain's Alantra; Swedish investors Industrifonden and SEB Greentech VC; and the Japanese firm EEI. Echandia has raised a total of $54.6 million. Its revenue quadrupled last year, and is expected to triple again this year 'driven by strong market demand and an expanding order pipeline,' the company stated. San Francisco Bay Ferry's REEF (Rapid Electric Emission Free) Program last year selected the company to provide its battery systems, making it the first U.S. operation to offer zero-emission ferry service starting next year. Washington State Ferries has been pursuing a strategy to start moving its fleet to hybrid-electric vessels by 2040 by converting some existing ferries and buying new vessels. The ferry system burns roughly 19 million gallons of diesel each year and is the largest producer of greenhouse gases among state agencies. The effort to cut emissions, however, is being delayed as the cost of converting an initial vessel was significantly higher than expected, the Seattle Times reported. The state hired Vigor Shipyards, a long-time local company, for the job. The state has not said which shipbuilder will construct the new ferries, but a decision is anticipated by the end of the month.
Geek Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Geek Wire
UW's CoMotion Labs names six startups for inaugural climate and green tech incubator
Sustainability: News about the rapidly growing climate tech sector and other areas of innovation to protect our planet. SEE MORE The reception desk at the Seattle Climate Innovation Hub. (SCIH Photo) The University of Washington's CoMotion Labs has named the six startups participating in its inaugural Climate Tech Incubator. More than 30 companies applied to the eight-month program, which is part of the recently launched Seattle Climate Innovation Hub. The broader effort is a collaboration between CoMotion, the Seattle Office of Economic Development, the climate co-working group 9Zero, and the funding nonprofit VertueLab. The downtown-based incubator begins in July and includes access to UW facilities; mentoring, networking and entrepreneurial training; and preparation for raising capital from investors. 'These innovators are not only tackling the climate crisis head-on, they're laying the foundation for a resilient green economy. By supporting these startups, we're building a future where Washington leads in climate innovation, creates high-quality green jobs, and drives inclusive economic development across the region,' said Ashlee Esteban, director of CoMotion Labs, in a statement. The incubator companies are:
Geek Wire
10-06-2025
- Business
- Geek Wire
Coffee, cloud and clean energy: LevelTen unites Starbucks and Workday for Texas solar deal
Sustainability: News about the rapidly growing climate tech sector and other areas of innovation to protect our planet. SEE MORE Starbucks and software company Workday are joining up to support the construction of a 350 megawatt solar power installation in Central Texas. The clean energy agreement was facilitated by Seattle startup LevelTen Energy and will count towards the two companies' climate efforts. The deal also includes financing for a program called Renewable Agriculture Inclusion for Underrepresented People (RAIN-UP), which benefits socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers and landowners and works to connect them with potentially lucrative renewable energy projects. The announcement comes at a time when the Trump administration is scrapping funding for solar and wind energy and discouraging programs addressing inclusion. Erik Hansen, chief sustainability officer at Workday, said a project like this aligns with the company's values and its customers' expectations. 'We have over 11,000 customers globally, and they are organizations that themselves have climate goals, sustainability goals,' Hansen told GeekWire. 'They're expecting us, as a large part of their value chain, to really be taking action around climate.' Workday, a finance and HR platform for businesses, has been paying for clean energy since 2008. 'We're not backing down,' Hansen said. 'We've had these commitments for a number of years.' The solar project in Concho County, Texas, is being developed by High Road Clean Energy and the project owner is Energy Innovation Partners. LevelTen orchestrated a power purchase agreement or PPA that will last 15 years, and includes Starbucks, Workday and other participants who have vowed to buy energy from the solar installation. PPAs are seen as an effective tool for financing new clean energy deployments by getting guaranteed customers of the electricity. 'Working with the LevelTen team allowed us to identify and vet projects more effectively than we could do alone. Without LevelTen, we wouldn't have found this project,' said John Stewart, Starbucks' program manager for Clean Energy and Clean Technologies, in a statement. Starbucks also has a 'Greener Stores' program that has certified 9,000 locations as meeting sustainability benchmarks, with plans to add 1,000 more to the effort by the end of the year. While some federal leaders are cooling on clean energy, Rob Collier, LevelTen's senior vice president of marketplaces, said demand for the projects remains high. 'Demand is booming right now for energy, for electricity, for power, particularly clean electrons,' Collier told GeekWire. 'And that's driven by a number of pretty strong macroeconomic forcing functions: the need for data centers, and the increased demand due to AI.' But that's not the entire story for the renewable energy marketplace. The demand is coming from 'experienced buyers,' Collier said, such as Starbucks and Workday, as opposed to attracting new PPA customers. And the supply side is getting more difficult, with ongoing challenges with permitting and electrical grid connections, as well as persistent uncertainty around policy and tariffs making it hard to plan and deploy the infrastructure. Regardless, this and other deals are in the works. And Hansen and Collier said they hoped agreements like this one that support renewable energy, as well as local community and economic interests, can become more widely adopted. 'This is a model of what a clean energy deal could look like, that thinks beyond volume,' Hansen said. 'So not just environmental impact, [but] economic impact, workforce development, educational impact. All of that's wrapped up in what you think of as sustainability.'
Entrepreneur
05-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Stride Green, Khari Foods, and The Tarzan Way Raise Early-Stage Funding
The Indian brands have announced their latest investment rounds. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Stride Green Raises USD 3.5 Mn Funding Led by Micelio Stride Green has raised USD 3.5 million in a seed round led by Micelio Technology Fund and Incubate Fund Asia, along with other strategic investors. The funding will be deployed to scale its tech-enabled asset financing and lifecycle management solutions for India's clean energy sectors, including electric mobility, battery storage, and renewable energy. It will also be used to expand the team and deepen technological capabilities. Founded by Ishpreet Gandhi and Vivek Jain, Stride Green is a climate-tech platform offering end-to-end leasing, financing, and lifecycle management services for sustainable businesses. Its proprietary technology stack provides real-time analytics, operational alerts, and insights that enhance asset performance and longevity. Currently, the Gurugram-based platform manages over 3,000 cleantech assets and partners with OEMs and logistics companies. "At Stride Green, we're driven by deep domain expertise and a clear purpose to develop innovative and scalable solutions for the climate-tech ecosystem," said Vivek Jain, Co-Founder and CEO. "With mission-aligned partners like Micelio and Incubate, we are empowered to deliver high-impact solutions for a more sustainable future." Stride Green now aims for vertical and geographic expansion, positioning itself as a critical enabler in India's green economy transition. Khari Foods Secures INR 3 Cr from Meri Punji IMF Grahill Wellness, the parent company of Delhi-based clean-label brand Khari Foods has raised INR 3 crore in a seed round led by Meri Punji IMF Private Limited to scale its healthy snacking footprint nationwide. The funds will be deployed toward product innovation, team expansion, R&D, and strengthening marketing and distribution across tier I and tier II cities. Founded in 2022 by Yash (Co-Founder and CEO) and Sunil Bansal (Co-Founder and COO), Khari Foods offers palm oil-free, maida-free snacks enriched with fibre and micronutrients. Its diverse product line includes Ragi Crispies, Beetroot Crispies, Jowar Puffs, Snack Mixes, and Dates-based sweets—designed for health-conscious consumers aged 20–40 in urban and semi-urban markets. "From day one, our focus has been on building a brand that delivers nutritious, flavourful snacks made for Indian tastes, without cutting corners," said Yash. "This INR 3 crore fundraise marks a pivotal moment for us, enabling faster growth and exciting new launches." Backed by a state-of-the-art facility in Haryana, Khari Foods stands out with proprietary formulations and end-to-end supply chain control. The brand is projecting a 208% jump in annual revenue run rate this year, underlining its momentum in India's evolving healthy snacking segment. The Tarzan Way Bags INR 2 Cr from Inflection Point Ventures and more Noida-based AI-powered travel tech startup The Tarzan Way has secured INR 2 crore in seed funding, led by Inflection Point Ventures, with additional backing from Your Trips Limited (UK), Prateek Maheshwari (Founder, PhysicsWallah), and other angel investors. The funds will be allocated towards product development (35%), operations (25%), marketing (20%), HR (15%), and miscellaneous needs (5%), including the launch of the startup's upcoming "Exploration App." Founded in 2020 by Shikhar Chadha and Shivank Tripathi, The Tarzan Way empowers users to design hyper-personalised, authentic holidays in seconds using AI. The platform combines deep tech with a storytelling approach to deliver immersive itineraries, a smart booking engine, 24/7 live concierge, and one-click travel planning. "Our passion lies in creating memories that last. We don't just plan trips; we help people craft stories that stay with them forever," said Shikhar Chadha, Co-founder. Ankur Mittal, Co-founder of Inflection Point Ventures, added, "Tarzan Way bridges the gap between rigid travel plans and chaotic self-planning, offering travellers smart, tailored experiences." With 300% YoY revenue growth, 70% MoM user growth, and INR 13.5 Cr in gross bookings, The Tarzan Way is quickly establishing itself as a global leader in experiential, tech-driven travel.
