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Sakuu

HardwareSan Jose, USAFounded 2016· One of 1733 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse

Sakuu (formerly KeraCel) is developing the Kavian™ platform, a multi-material, multi-process additive manufacturing system for at-scale production of next-generation solid-state and lithium-metal batteries.

CEO / Founder
Robert Bagheri
Team Size
51-200
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$84.3M
Latest Round
Series C
Key Investors
Musashi Seimitsu; NGK; Scrum Ventures

Technology & Products

Key Products

Sakuu Kavian Platform, the world's first manufacturing solution to print battery electrodes using dry process.

Technological Advantage

Kavian™ platform allows rapid and scalable production of batteries with custom form factors and higher energy densities. Proprietary 3D printing for solid-state batteries with UN38.3 certified chemistry. Significant advantage in speed-to-market, manufacturing flexibility, and sustainability.

Patent position

Sakuu shifted toward binder or fusing-agent jetting, which rose from 50% to 65% of its patent families. AMPulse analysis

Filing momentum
22 families filed 2022–2024, 14 in 2019–2021
Process mix, 2019–2021 → 2022–2024
Binder or fusing-agent jetting 50% → 65%
Focus, 2019–2021 → 2022–2024
Equipment 79% → 91%Materials 71% → 73%
Filed in
US 55%WO 35%EP 10%

40 AM patent families in total. Recent years are still being published, so read a filing change against the same-office figure.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Enables cost-effective, sustainable, and high-volume manufacturing of high-performance, customizable solid-state batteries using a proprietary dry-process additive manufacturing method, overcoming limitations of traditional battery production.

How They Differentiate

Sakuu differentiates by focusing on the manufacturing process itself, not just the battery chemistry. While competitors like QuantumScape and Solid Power focus on developing solid-state materials, Sakuu provides the hardware platform (Kavian™) to produce them at scale using a sustainable dry-process method. Unlike other AM companies, Sakuu's platform is purpose-built for mass production of active devices like batteries.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Battery manufacturers and OEMs in the automotive, aerospace, energy storage, and industrial sectors.

Industry Verticals

Automotive (EV), Energy Storage, Aerospace/Defense, Industrial

Competitors

QuantumScape

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Moved from R&D to pilot production; opened 79,000-sq-ft engineering facility; secured key development partnerships for Kavian™ platform; UN38.3 certification achieved 2024.

Major Milestones

2016: Founded as KeraCel in San Jose, CA, 2016: First 3D printed ceramic battery, 2019: Strategic investment from Musashi Seimitsu, 2021: Rebranded to Sakuu, 2022: Opened 79,000-square-foot battery printing and engineering facility in Silicon Valley, 2023: Successfully 3D printed fully functional patterned batteries with custom shapes and sizes, 2023: Established key partnerships with SK On, NGK, and Livent, 2023 Jul: Mutually terminated planned business combination with Plum Acquisition Corp. I, 2024: Achieved UN38.3 certification for battery chemistry, 2024: FII Innovator Award, 2024: Joint Development Agreements with SK On and ELEQTRION

Notable Customers

SK On; EV and energy storage OEMs

https://www.sakuu.com

AM patents

AM-relevant patents linked to this company.

Patents
44
Granted
22
Families
40

Leading domains: process (44), equipment (35), material (30)

Filings by year: 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 5

  1. APPARATUS AND METHOD TO REMOVE POWDER WITH FLEXIBLE SCRAPER BLADE AND ADJUSTABLE SIDE NOZZLES2023137490 · WO
  2. Hybrid solid-state cell with a 3D porous cathode structure11728517 · US
  3. Carrier plate and method of use thereof12246487 · US
  4. Three-dimensional, additive manufacturing system, and a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object11167480 · US
  5. THREE-DIMENSIONAL ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM03919260 · EP

Funding rounds

  • Strategic InvestmentUndisclosed2023-09Lead: Musashi Seimitsu Industry · Source: Musashi Official PR
  • Series BUndisclosed2022-11Lead: Musashi Seimitsu Industry · Source: Crunchbase
  • Series C$62.0M2021-10Lead: Musashi Seimitsu Industry · Source: Sakuu Official PR/Tracxn
  • Strategic InvestmentUndisclosed2021-04Lead: Musashi Seimitsu Industry · Source: Musashi Official PR
  • Series A$14.0M2021-01Lead: Musashi Seimitsu Industry · Source: Crunchbase

Why this company matters

AMPulse analysis, not a company disclosure

Sakuu (formerly KeraCel) is developing the Kavian platform, a multi-material, multi-process additive manufacturing system designed for high-volume production of solid-state and lithium-metal batteries. Unlike conventional battery manufacturing, which relies on wet-slurry electrode coating, Sakuu's proprietary dry-process method reduces energy consumption, factory footprint, and material waste. The Kavian platform uniquely combines powder bed and material jetting of dissimilar materials—ceramic, metal, and polymer—in a single machine, enabling rapid production of batteries with custom form factors and higher energy densities.

The company targets battery manufacturers and OEMs in automotive, aerospace, energy storage, and industrial sectors. Sakuu has secured development partnerships with SK On, NGK, Livent, Musashi Seimitsu, and ELEQTRION. In 2024, its battery chemistry achieved UN38.3 certification, a key regulatory milestone for lithium battery transport. The company has moved from R&D to pilot production, operating a 79,000-square-foot engineering facility in Silicon Valley.

Sakuu differentiates from competitors like QuantumScape by focusing on the manufacturing process rather than battery chemistry alone. While QuantumScape develops solid-state materials, Sakuu provides the hardware platform to produce those batteries at scale. The company positions itself as a technology provider for the battery industry, not a cell producer. Sakuu has raised $84.3 million from investors including Musashi Seimitsu, NGK, and Scrum Ventures. A planned business combination with Plum Acquisition Corp. I was mutually terminated in July 2023.