Sila Nanotechnologies, a California-based startup, has developed materials for Lithium ion batteries that improve energy storage by simply being dropped into the existing battery manufacturing processes. This means battery manufacturers don’t need to re-tool their manufacturing lines to make their batteries more efficient – they just need to swap out graphite for Sila Nano’ black silicone powder.

When replaced with graphene on a battery’s anode, the powder stores more than 20 times the Lithium ions, translating to a 20% boost in efficiency without any cost to battery safety or stability.

Founded in 2011 by former Tesla engineer Gene Berdichevsky and Georgia Tech researcher Gleb Yushin, Sila Nano was created under the core premise that it would devise a technology that battery manufacturers could immediately integrate into their products.

Auto giant Daimler further validated the technology in April of 2019 when it led Sila Nano’s series E round, raising $170 million and valuing the startup at over $1 billion. According to the company’s CEO, the new capital will be focused on growing production volume to supply its first commercial customers in 2020.

Sila Nantechnologies’ innovation will allow for “lighter, safer, higher energy density batteries for mass adoption of electric vehicles, smarter, longer-lasting portable electronics, and broader use of renewable power sources.” – Diamler