UNIGRID Battery raises $12 million for battery production

San Diego-based startup UNIGRID Battery announces a $12 million Series A financing round to step up production of sodium-ion batteries.

Share:

Production batteries sodium-ion

Comprehensive energy news coverage, updated nonstop

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access • Archives included • Professional invoice

OTHER ACCESS OPTIONS

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

FREE ACCOUNT

3 articles offered per month

FREE

*Prices are excluding VAT, which may vary depending on your location or professional status

Since 2021: 35,000 articles • 150+ analyses per week

UNIGRID Battery, an innovative company based in San Diego, recently announced the closing of a $12 million Series A financing round. This financing, co-led by Transition VC and Ritz Venture Capital, also saw the participation of new investors such as Union Square Ventures and existing investor Foothill Ventures. This capital injection is aimed at accelerating production of the sodium-ion batteries developed by UNIGRID to meet growing demand in the electric mobility and stationary storage markets.

Advanced technology and target market

UNIGRID sodium-ion batteries are distinguished by their high energy density, a feature made possible by exclusive alloy anode technology. This innovation enables sodium-ion batteries to rival LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) batteries in terms of performance. Darren H. S. Tan, CEO of UNIGRID Battery, says this technology will be crucial in meeting the demand for energy storage in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

Strategic investors and market outlook

Mona Alsubaei, Partner at Transition VC, underlines the importance of this technology for the growing need for energy storage. Sangbin Ong, Managing Director at Ritz Venture Capital, notes that the outstanding performance of UNIGRID’s sodium-ion batteries presents significant opportunities not only in stationary storage but also in the fast-growing electric mobility sector.

Industrial compatibility and expansion

One of the main advantages of UNIGRID’s technology is its compatibility with existing Li-ion battery manufacturing infrastructures. This enables UNIGRID to work directly with manufacturing partners to rapidly scale up production without the need for specialized equipment. This approach has been well received by customers and system integrators looking for immediate alternatives to Li-ion batteries.

Academic origins and future development

Founded in 2021, UNIGRID Battery is a spin-off from the University of California, San Diego. The company was founded by Dr. Darren H. S. Tan and Dr. Erik A. Wu, based on their doctoral research under the supervision of Professors Zheng Chen and Shirley Meng. UNIGRID focuses on the development of advanced sodium-ion batteries to meet the emerging needs of energy storage and electric mobility.
With this $12 million round of financing, UNIGRID Battery is well positioned to strengthen its production capacity and meet growing market demand. Backed by innovative technology and a solid investor base, the company is poised to play a leading role in the battery industry.

The Australian government awarded contracts to 20 renewable and storage projects, surpassing the initial 6GW goal under the fourth round of the Capacity Investment Scheme.
The Padua Complex will deliver 400 MW/1.8 GWh capacity with Tesla's support, at a strategic node of the Texas grid, following legislative action to strengthen energy reliability.
GoldenPeaks Capital and Envision have signed a memorandum of understanding to deploy up to 1 GWh of next-generation battery energy storage systems across several European markets.
Singapore’s Durapower and Turkish industrial firm Kıvanç have signed an agreement to form a joint battery production venture targeting growing North American demand.
Norwegian-based Kyoto has launched a 56 MWh thermal storage system at KALL Ingredients in Hungary, designed to replace natural gas with renewable-based industrial heat.
US-based startup Base Power secures $1bn in Series C funding to boost domestic energy equipment production and expand its distributed storage platform nationwide.
Clean Energy Technologies has signed a letter of intent to lead multiple battery energy storage system projects across New York State, with each site planned for 5 MW of capacity.
The Hagersville Energy Storage Park, led by Boralex and SNGRDC, was awarded for its planned 300 MW capacity, making it Canada’s largest battery storage site.
Nala Renewables strengthens its position in Finland with the acquisition of a battery energy storage portfolio exceeding 250 MW from Swiss developer Fu-Gen AG.
The Japanese group has started construction of a 20MW battery energy storage system in Hokkaido, aiming for commissioning in 2027 with support from PowerX and Kyocera Communication Systems.
Nightpeak Energy has launched commercial operations of Bocanova Power, a 150 MW battery storage facility near Houston, to meet rapidly growing energy demand in Texas.
Neoen has launched construction of its first long-duration battery in Muchea and commissioned the second stage of Collie Battery, bringing its storage capacity in Western Australia to 3,145 MWh.
Ottawa invests CAD22mn ($16.1mn) to support eight technology initiatives aimed at strengthening innovation, local production, and competitiveness in the country's battery supply chain.
Clean Energy Technologies and RPG Energy Group completed the installation of an Organic Rankine Cycle heat recovery system at a major industrial site in Tennessee.
Neoen begins construction of its first six-hour discharge battery in Western Australia and commissions the second phase of Collie, surpassing 3 GWh of storage capacity in the State.
Transgrid plans to contract up to 5 GW of grid-forming batteries to strengthen the stability of New South Wales’ electricity network during the energy transition.
The US energy storage market set a quarterly record with 5.6 GW installed, driven by utility-scale projects despite ongoing regulatory uncertainty.
Storage provider HiTHIUM will supply 2GWh of batteries to Solarpro for multiple large-scale projects across the Balkans and Central Europe.
The three Japanese groups announced two new high-voltage battery projects in Shizuoka and Ibaraki prefectures, bringing their joint portfolio to four facilities with a combined capacity of 180MW.
EVE Energy seals a 500MWh strategic agreement with CommVOLT in Europe for commercial and industrial storage at Solar & Storage Live UK 2025, as its five MWh direct current system enters deployment.

All the latest energy news, all the time

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access - Archives included - Pro invoice

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

*Prices shown are exclusive of VAT, which may vary according to your location or professional status.

Since 2021: 30,000 articles - +150 analyses/week.