Ateios Systems Raises $7.25M Series A for PFAS-Free Electrode Curing
Ateios Systems, an Indiana-based developer of radiation curing technology for battery electrodes, has raised $7.25M in Series A funding led by TitletownTech. The RaiCure™ platform uses electron-beam curing to produce high-energy, recyclable, PFAS-free electrodes, replacing traditional thermal methods. The capital will fund commercial pilots and scale to gigawatt-hour production volumes.
DOE Push Accelerates Electrode Innovation
The raise follows the U.S. Department of Energy's $500M announcement for domestic battery materials processing on March 13, 2026. Addionics raised $66M for 3D electrodes, while Nanoramic Laboratories secured $54M for nanostructured tech. Ateios differentiates with a chemistry-agnostic, drop-in process that achieves 5x faster production without factory retooling.
Solvent Dependency Slows Battery Scale
Traditional electrode manufacturing relies on solvent-based coatings and thermal drying, leading to high emissions and PFAS contamination. These processes limit throughput to around 25 m/min and require massive gigafactory investments. Battery makers face tightening PFAS regulations and supply chain risks from China export controls.
RaiCure Enables 5x Faster Curing
RaiCure™ employs radiation curing for solvent-free, PFAS-free electrodes with 50% higher density and 20% lower costs. Developed with Oak Ridge National Lab, it supports LCO, LFP, and NMC chemistries at speeds up to 80 m/min. Partners like Eastman Kodak have demoed >98% active material loading, verified PFAS-free by Intertek.
As CEO Rajan Kumar noted:
"Manufacturing breakthroughs are what make transformative technologies ubiquitous."
Investors Back Supply Chain Resilience
TitletownTech, backed by the Green Bay Packers and focused on manufacturing and energy, led the round with participation from Elevate Ventures, Techstars, E8 Angels, and others. This Midwest-centric syndicate signals conviction in Ateios' fabless model for U.S. battery independence. Prior $1.25M seed and $2.4M DoD contract provide non-dilutive validation.
Craig Dickman of TitletownTech added:
"Ateios is addressing a real constraint in battery manufacturing."
Battery Materials Market Hits $250B
The battery materials market stands at $89.73B in 2025, projected to reach $250.56B by 2032 at 15.8% CAGR per Maximize Market Research. Battery manufacturing equipment TAM hits $12.7B by 2026 with 25% CAGR per Precedence Research. Blue Spark Technologies raised $81.5M for printed batteries, but Ateios targets broader high-performance applications.
PhD Inventors Drive ORNL Tech
CEO Rajan Kumar, PhD in nanoengineering from UC San Diego, invented printable battery composites featured on Interesting Engineering's top innovations list. A Forbes Next 1000 honoree and Innovation Crossroads Fellow at Oak Ridge, Kumar leads a team with PhD materials expertise from national labs. This domain depth underpins the licensed ORNL platform.
Pilots Scale to GWh Production
Funds enable expansion with Kodak for 80 m/min demos and Vianode LOI for sustainable graphite pairing. Recent Army selection for wearable battery safety and commercial LFP orders signal traction. Ateios aims for gigawatt-hour output via existing facilities, bypassing new CAPEX.