6K, a Massachusetts-based company specializing in sustainable infrastructure, announced its first funding round for Youth Yes, it holds $82M dollars. The purpose of this investment is to strengthen the company’s production capacity, especially for battery cathode active materials (CAM) and additive manufacturing of metal powder. The company intends to close the second investment round by the end of this year. Founded in 2014, 6K focuses on advanced materials used in lithium-ion batteries and additive manufacturing. The company’s core technology, UniMelt, uses microwave plasma to create materials that are more efficient and sustainable than traditional methods. UniMelt uses a combination of high heat, highly reactive ions and the right chemicals, resulting in faster production, lower carbon emissions, lower energy consumption and the inclusion of recycled materials. The new revenue will allow 6K to increase operations at its PlusCAM battery warehouse in Jackson, Tennessee. The facility is supported by a state-of-the-art Polycarbonate capable of producing up to 1 ton of CAM per month, a key material for lithium-ion batteries. This expansion is important to meet the growing demand for battery materials that meet the IRA and support a variety of customer specifications.
The Series E investment round was led by a group of domestic investors including Anzu Partners, Energy Impact Partners, LaunchCapital, Material Impact and Volta Energy Technologies. As part of the funding announcement, Bill McCullen, LaunchCapital’s Chief Investment Officer, has been appointed as Chairman. In addition, Dr. Jeff Chamberlain, CEO of Volta Energy Technologies, and Beda Bolzenius, an automotive industry veteran, were appointed as new board members. “6K is strategically positioned as the leader in sustainable materials for lithium-ion batteries and additive manufacturing,” McCullen said. Saurabh Ullal’s expertise in technology and operations is critical to the company’s scaling strategy and ensures that resource requirements and reliability levels meet customer expectations. The $82 million raised shows investors’ confidence in 6K, UniMelt’s technology and management team.