CarbonX, a Dutch deep-tech startup revolutionizing battery anode materials, has announced the extension of among €4 million on its €10 million growth funding round, by existing shareholders Innovation Industries, Borski Fund, and new investor Energy Transition Fund Rotterdam managed by InnovationQuarter. Due to enormous pull in the market, the extended round is to increase testing capacity, secure contracting and to prepare a feedstock mixing facility in the Port of Rotterdam for the first offtake agreements. Founded in 2014 as a spin-off from Delft University of Technology, CarbonX is on a mission to establish sustainable, cost-efficient, and geopolitically independent battery supply chains in Europe and the United States.
Addressing Critical Supply Chain Challenges
With 95% of graphite —an essential battery component— sourced from China, global battery manufacturers face significant geopolitical and supply chain risks. While policy initiatives like the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) aim to address these challenges, solutions that combine, scalability, cost-efficiency, and performance are scarce to non-existent.
Founded by Rutger Van Raalten and Daniela Sordi, CarbonX offers a breakthrough alternative: a locally produced carbon anode material that matches the cost of Chinese graphite, delivering fast-charge and enhanced battery lifetime at the face value of reduced carbon footprint. The company’s carbon anode material is currently undergoing late-stage qualifications with several top 10 global battery cell manufacturers, paving the way for initial offtake agreements expected mid 2025.
Game Changing Technology
CarbonX utilizes a unique emulsion feedstock technology to produce a new carbon anode material equivalent to graphite. One of the key benefits of using this feedstock technology is that the entire production process consumes much lower energy compared to synthetic or natural graphite production, resulting in lower cost and a reduced carbon footprint. Daniela Sordi, CTO of CarbonX explains “Our feedstock technology seamlessly integrates into existing carbon black manufacturing plants resulting in the production of a novel structured carbon material that functions as an active anode material, like graphite. CarbonX’s unique 3D porous network structure improves electron- and lithium-ion transfer, while it is still highly compressible to achieve high energy densities.”
Building the Foundation for Local Supply
The new funding will be used for the execution of first offtake agreements and further locking in local production capacity via contract manufacturing. In addition, the 200 m2 newly commissioned single-layer pouch lab will be fully staffed to support client qualifications and develop CarbonX’s next generation anode materials including high-energy density and 100% circular grades. Furthermore, the company is starting the preparations for a high-capacity feedstock mixing facility in the Port of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Location- and feasibility studies for a future 20,000 ton per annum production line in both Europe and US will be running in parallel.
“CarbonX is setting the stage for a resilient, independent battery anode material supply chain that aligns with global sustainability goals,” said co-founder Rutger van Raalten. “By being price competitive while outperforming graphite on performance, we’re empowering the battery industry to meet the demands of a rapidly growing electric future.”
