By Allison Proffitt
September 4, 2025 | Funding rounds this month in the battery space include big money for silicon battery materials, a push into battery-operated kitchen appliances, zinc gel lithium replacement, and more.
$463M: Series D for Silicon Battery Materials
Group14 Technologies has closed a US$463M round led by SK, Inc., with strong participation of other existing investors, including Porsche Investments, ATL, OMERS, Decarbonization Partners, Lightrock Climate Impact Fund, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, and others. The funds will be used to continue scaling the manufacture of Group14’s silicon battery material, SCC55, in the U.S. and South Korea, and help meet overwhelming demand amid surging requirements for energy storage worldwide. In addition, Group14 obtained full ownership of its joint venture with SK Inc., located in Sangju, South Korea. Formed in 2021, the joint venture’s battery active materials (BAM) factory produces Group14’s flagship technology, SCC55, at EV scale to support the global battery manufacturing industry. Press release.
$28M: Series A for Induction Ranges and Other Battery-Operated Kitchen Appliances
Copper is closing a $28 million Series A financing to expand its operations beyond its induction ranges and launch a new category of battery-equipped home appliances. The internal battery gives a performance boost and supports the grid and avoids expensive electrical upgrades to buildings. The financing, a combination of equity and debt, was led by Prelude Ventures, which invests in startups with the greatest potential to mitigate climate change. The round also includes Building Ventures, as well as existing investors Voyager, Collaborative Fund, Climactic, Designer Fund, Necessary Ventures, Leap Forward Ventures, and Climate Capital. Press release.
$15M: Series A for Zinc Gel Lithium Replacement
Offgrid Energy Labs has raised $15 million in a funding round led by Archean Chemical Industries Limited, with participation from existing investor Ankur Capital. The Noida-based startup plans to use the fresh funding to establish a pilot manufacturing facility in the United Kingdom within the next 12 months, expand its research and development (R&D) capabilities, and commercialize its zincgel batteries, according to Economic Times. Read story.
$14M: Series B for Chinese
Ronghe Yuanchu completed a Series B financing round exceeding 100 million yuan, with joint investment from CIMC Capital, Yongkang Industrial Investment, and Yuanxin Capital. Leveraging this opportunity, Ronghe Yuanchu will promote innovation in energy storage products and technologies, deepen its full-lifecycle operational capabilities for energy storage assets, and accelerate its overseas energy storage market expansion, further consolidating its leading position in the global energy storage sector. Read story.
$11M: Series A for Cleantech Cooling in Africa
Koolboks, a cleantech venture operating in Nigeria and France, has secured $ 11 million in Series A financing to expand its cooling-as-a-service model across Africa and establish its inaugural assembly facility in Nigeria. The round was spearheaded by KawiSafi Ventures, with co-lead investment from Aruwa Capital and All On—both of which supported Koolboks during its 2022 seed round. In regions such as Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, access to dependable cooling can determine whether a vendor preserves produce or watches it spoil—or whether a clinic maintains vaccines or loses them to power interruptions. Koolboks is positioning its solar‑powered freezers, coupled with innovative financing and IoT oversight, as essential infrastructure that makes cooling both fair and accessible. Read story.
$7M: Series A and Acquisition for BESS
Palmer Energy Technology Limited (PETL), a UK maker of Battery Energy Storage Systems founded by former Aston Martin CEO and Nissan COO has acquired Brill Power. The acquision is backed by a €5.7 million Series A funding round. FirstGroup Energy Limited, Barclays Climate Ventures, and the University of Oxford co-led the investment. Brill Power is an Oxford University spin‑out known for cell‑level control and active balancing technology in battery management systems. PETL will embed Brill Power electronics across its systems with immediate effect. The deal brings together PETL’s automotive‑grade battery storage systems and Brill Power’s sophisticated control platform that improves battery safety and extends service life by drawing the optimum current from each cell based on its state of health. Read story.
