Calicat develops non-Iridium electrocatalysts and advanced stack components for electrolyzers, utilizing a proprietary AI-driven catalyst discovery process to enhance material performance. This technology addresses the high levelized cost of hydrogen by improving electrolyzer efficiency and reducing reliance on scarce precious metals.
Funding
$14M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
The high cost of hydrogen production via electrolysis is a significant barrier to its widespread adoption as a clean energy carrier. This high cost is driven by the reliance on expensive and scarce precious metals, such as iridium, in electrolyzer catalysts, as well as inefficiencies in existing electrolyzer stack components.
Solution
California Catalysts (Calicat) develops advanced materials and stack components for electrolyzers, focusing on reducing the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). The company utilizes a proprietary AI-driven catalyst discovery engine to identify and develop non-iridium catalysts for PEM and AEM water electrolyzers, reducing reliance on costly precious metals. Calicat's technology extends to advanced components like the Defender porous transport layer (PTL) and the Amplifier catalyst coated membrane (CCM), which address key issues such as catalyst layer resistance and gas recombination. By improving electrolyzer efficiency and utilizing more sustainable materials, Calicat aims to make green hydrogen production more economically viable.
Target Audience
Calicat's primary customers are electrolyzer manufacturers, energy suppliers, and renewable hydrogen project developers seeking to reduce the cost of green hydrogen production.
Features
- AI-driven catalyst discovery engine for rapid screening of novel catalyst materials
- Development of non-iridium OER catalysts for PEM and AEM water electrolyzers
- Defender porous transport layer (PTL) to improve gas transport and reduce catalyst layer resistance
- Amplifier catalyst coated membrane (CCM) to enhance catalyst utilization and performance
- High-throughput catalyst discovery engine capable of characterizing thousands of material compositions per week
- Electrocatalysts designed to address key material science constraints holding back green hydrogen production
- Products designed to holistically address LCOH, considering efficiency and capital costs