6K Energy
Division of 6K Inc. producing domestic, sustainable lithium-ion battery cathode active materials (CAM) using proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma technology
- CEO / Founder
- Saurabh Ullal, Ph.D.
- Team Size
- 51-200
- Stage
- Growth Stage
- Total Funding
- $300M
- Latest Round
- Series E
- Key Investors
- Anzu Partners; Energy Impact Partners; LaunchCapital; Material Impact; Volta Energy Technologies; Koch Strategic Platforms; Albemarle; HG Ventures; Catalus Capital; S Cap/Prithvi Ventures; RKS Ventures
Technology & Products
Key Products
NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) cathode active material; LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) cathode active material; Silicon-dominant anode materials; Solid-state electrolyte materials; PlusCAM production facility (13 kt/yr capacity, Jackson, TN); Battery Center of Excellence (North Andover, MA)
Technological Advantage
Proprietary UniMelt microwave plasma technology — the world's only production-scale microwave plasma system operating at 6,000°K. Enables single-step CAM production vs legacy multi-step co-precipitation (hydro-met) process. 50-60% lower conversion costs, 50% smaller factory footprint, 20-30% CapEx reduction, multi-chemistry capability (NMC, LFP, silicon anode, solid-state electrolyte), domestic feedstock and circular economy model
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Domestic production of low-cost, sustainable lithium-ion battery cathode active materials (NMC and LFP) using UniMelt microwave plasma technology that reduces production time from days to seconds, cuts conversion costs by 50-60%, eliminates hazardous waste, and reduces GHG emissions by up to 70%
How They Differentiate
Unlike competitors using conventional co-precipitation or solid-state methods, 6K Energy's UniMelt microwave plasma is a single-step, 2-second process that eliminates all liquid/solid waste, uses 90% less water, reduces energy by 70%, and achieves lower costs than Asian producers — all while enabling domestic, IRA-compliant production with multi-chemistry flexibility
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Global battery cell manufacturers, automotive OEMs, energy storage system providers, defense contractors, and lithium-ion battery material suppliers seeking IRA-compliant domestic CAM supply
Industry Verticals
Electric Vehicles (EV); Energy Storage Systems (ESS); Grid Storage; Defense/Mission-Critical Systems; Consumer Electronics; AI Infrastructure Backup Power
Competitors
Redwood Materials; Nano One Materials; BASF Battery Materials
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
PlusCAM plant in Jackson, TN: 160,000 sq ft, 13 kt/yr CAM capacity, $200M construction cost; Battery Center of Excellence: 33,000 sq ft, 400 MWh pilot production capacity, 1 ton/month CAM qualification capacity; $50M DOE grant awarded Dec 2023
Major Milestones
2021: $51M Series C led by Volta Energy Technologies; Sam Trinch named President of 6K Energy; 2022: $102M Series D led by Koch Strategic Platforms; Battery Center of Excellence opened ($30M investment); 2023: $50M DOE grant awarded for PlusCAM plant; Groundbreaking on Jackson, TN facility; 2024: $82M Series E close; Saurabh Ullal appointed CEO; PlusCAM plant under construction; 7-year offtake agreement with Gotion Inc.
Notable Customers
Gotion Inc. (7-year LFP offtake); CRG Defense; Stellantis (investor/offtake); multiple global battery cell manufacturers and automotive OEMs (under NDA)