Qkera has closed a seven-figure pre-seed funding round. The round is led by cleantech investor InnoEnergy, supported by UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators and several angel investors. The capital will be used for industrial validation and the development of large-scale prototypes.
Qkera was founded in 2024 as a spin-off from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The founding team, led by CEO Andreas Weis and Chief Strategy Officer Jennifer Rupp, is developing ceramic solid electrolytes for next-generation batteries. These materials make batteries safer, more efficient, and more powerful. With its technology, the startup already won the Energy Startup Bavaria competition last year.
Qkera’s goal: scaling and industrialization
With the funding, Qkera aims to advance industrial validation, large-scale prototypes, and the setup of a pilot line by 2026. Weis explains:
“Within our first fiscal year, we have found a solution to what is arguably the most critical bottleneck in the production of ceramic electrolytes for the battery industry: scalability and cost. With this funding, we plan to scale our process to larger formats and finalize our first development agreements to advance next-generation battery technology.”
Rupp emphasizes the importance of the partnership:
“We are particularly delighted to have InnoEnergy on board. With its extensive portfolio of energy startups, a strong network, and its leadership role in the European Battery Alliance, we couldn’t have wished for a better partner to scale our technology.”
Christian Bauer, CEO DACH at InnoEnergy, adds:
“The electrolyte component developed by Qkera has the potential to achieve a breakthrough for this key technology in a rapidly growing market. With higher energy density, shorter charging times, and a flexible form factor, it offers decisive advantages for applications ranging from electric vehicles to smartphones. What convinced us was not only the technology but also Qkera’s excellent team. As a new investor, we will leverage our entire ecosystem of industrial partners and more than 30 energy storage startups to actively support Qkera’s path to the mass market.”
Qkera is already collaborating with OEMs and battery manufacturers in Europe. With a registered patent family and additional patents in preparation, the startup is laying the foundation for a resilient, independent energy ecosystem in Europe.
