SUNYA Energy

Iontra Closes $45 Million Series C to Deliver Launch of the Industry's First Integrated RISC-V Charge Control and Fuel Gauge Microcontroller

November 21, 2024
SUNYA Summary
- Iontra Inc has completed a $45 million Series C funding round, bringing total funding to $120.3 million. - The funding positions Iontra as a leader in battery charging technology, supported by a recent $2.15 million DOE ARPA-E circular grant. - The Series C funding was led by Volta Energy Technologies, with contributions from various investors. - CEO Jeff Granato expressed gratitude for investor support and stated that the financing underlines the market potential of their technology. - Iontra is focused on the development of a charge control technology utilizing electrodynamic principles to enhance lithium battery performance and safety. - The funding will help advance Iontra's microcontroller products designed for efficient battery charging across consumer and industrial devices. - Iontra's microcontroller includes cybersecurity features and advanced peripherals to aid in system integration and cost reduction. - The company expects to deliver initial samples of its custom microcontroller by mid-2025 and enter production in 2026. - Volta Energy Technologies' CTO David Schroeder highlighted Iontra's innovative approach to charging as significant for improving battery performance and sustainability. - The funding will support notable customer product launches, including Salom Europe Ltd and Spectralink. - Iontra's battery charging technology minimizes failure modes, supports enhanced charge speed, and is effective in extreme temperatures. - Their technology has demonstrated reliability through extensive in-house testing and validation by multiple independent labs.
PRESS RELEASE

Iontra Closes $45 Million Series C to Deliver Launch of the Industry's First Integrated RISC-V Charge Control and Fuel Gauge Microcontroller:

News provided by Iontra Inc

Nov 20, 2024, 20:03 ET

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Iontra Inc, a Colorado-based leader in next-generation battery charging technology, announced today that it has successfully completed its $45M Series C funding round with support from both current and new investors. The company has raised $120.3 Million to date.  Combined with the recent DOE award of the $2.15 million ARPA-E circular grant, this solidifies Iontra's leadership position in battery charging technology.

Iontra's funding round was led by repeat prominent energy sector investor Volta Energy Technologies, with additional support from others.

"The team and I are grateful for the continued strong support from our investors," said Jeff Granato, CEO of Iontra. "This Series C financing supports the significant market potential of our technology and positions us for aggressive growth, starting with customers launching Iontra-enabled products in a matter of months and samples of our purpose-built MCU becoming available for customers in 2025."

"Iontra is in a unique position as the only charge control technology based on electrodynamic principles, which enables us to deliver maximum performance from Lithium batteries while enhancing safety," said Daniel Konopka, CSO of Iontra. "Thanks to our passionate and highly innovative team, we have a compelling roadmap of breakthroughs to further shape battery performance for product OEMs."

This funding will advance Iontra's leadership position as a fabless supplier of low-cost, small-footprint battery charger microcontrollers (MCUs). With embedded Iontra charge technology, Iontra's MCU will maximize battery performance and efficiency across a wide range of consumer and industrial products, including power tools, smartphones, and wearables.

Iontra's MCU also includes industry standard cyber security capabilities, and advanced high-speed peripherals, allowing OEMs to unlock options for further system integration, reducing electronic Bill-of-Material (e-BOM) costs and carbon footprint.

Through Iontra's state-of-the-art design centers and semiconductor supply chain partners, Iontra is committed to delivering a robust and reliable solution for its customers with initial samples of its custom MCU expected by mid-2025 and release to production in 2026.

"Iontra's technology is a game-changer for the battery industry," said David Schroeder, CTO at Volta Energy Technologies. " While significant advancements have been made in battery technology, the charging process itself has often been neglected, especially for current battery products. Iontra's innovative approach offers a groundbreaking solution that policymakers and manufacturers should consider to further optimize their existing battery performance. We are excited to continue supporting their mission to dramatically improve battery performance and sustainability for a wide range of markets."

This funding will also enable Iontra to support its customers' upcoming product releases. Notable customers include Salom Europe Ltd, a global leader in power supply solutions and battery chargers, and Spectralink, a pioneer in enterprise communication solutions.

About Iontra:
Iontra's unique advanced battery sensing and charging method is predictive and responsive, proactively protecting the battery while charging. Iontra minimizes the most concerning failure modes of batteries - plating and dendrite formation - which cause safety issues and limit battery performance.

Iontra charge technology is chemistry agnostic and proven to concurrently increase battery cycle life and charge speed up to and greater than 200 percent, support cold weather charging to -20°C, and create a safer charge overall, without changing the design and chemistry of existing battery cells.

Iontra's breakthrough charge control technology is validated by approximately eight million cycling hours performed in-house, testing dozens of battery types and the stability of the system under various charge conditions for quality, reliability, and durability. Iontra's technology has also been tested by four independent research labs, including National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Novonix, and University of Michigan.

Information on the ARPA-E Circular grant to Iontra can be found at https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iontra-selected-for-arpa-e-circular-grant-to-revolutionize-ev-battery-life-302295719.html

About Volta Energy Technologies:
Volta Energy Technologies is a leading cleantech investment firm focused on accelerating the adoption of sustainable energy solutions. The firm invests in companies across the clean energy spectrum, with a focus on battery technologies, renewable energy generation, and energy efficiency solutions. For more information, visit.

Media Contact
Madeleine Stump
[email protected]

Iontra Website: https://iontra.com/

SOURCE Iontra Inc