Nascent Materials, a U.S.-based materials science startup, has emerged from stealth mode after securing a $2.3 million seed round led by SOSV, with participation from UM6P Ventures (Morocco) and the New Jersey Innovation Evergreen Fund.
Founded in 2024 by Chaitanya Sharma, Nascent Materials is developing new methods for processing lithium-ion cathode materials that promise to reduce production costs by 30% while boosting energy density by up to 12%. Sharma, who previously worked at Tesla’s Gigafactory and later led lithium-ion manufacturer iM3NY, says his focus is not on inventing new chemistries but on improving manufacturing techniques.
“I want to develop new ways of making material,” Sharma told TechCrunch.
Nascent’s technology is centered on LFP (lithium iron phosphate) and LMFP (lithium manganese iron phosphate) — two cathode chemistries favored for their affordability and increasing energy efficiency. The startup’s novel process produces cathode particles with greater uniformity and tighter packing, which leads to better performance while consuming less energy.
Additionally, the process can work with lower-purity raw materials, opening opportunities to source from domestic suppliers and reduce reliance on imports, particularly from China, which dominates the global cathode materials supply chain.
The company intends to expand into other battery chemistries such as NMC and LMR (lithium manganese-rich), which GM plans to introduce by 2028.
Sharma says the goal is clear: “We’re simplifying the supply chain and lowering costs by enabling local production of high-quality materials.”
