About:Energy is a pioneering battery data and software company dedicated to driving the transition to electrification. Specializing in battery virtual prototyping, it provides digital tools for the battery industry to develop superior batteries, cells, and systems efficiently. With its cutting-edge software solutions, About:Energy accelerates battery research and development processes. This helps in reducing time-to-market and enhancing battery system performance for organizations across various sectors, including automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing.
Company History and Mission
Founded as a spinout from Imperial College London and the University of Birmingham, About:Energy originated from the vision of researchers Gavin White and Kieran O’Regan. Their goal was to revolutionize battery development by offering advanced simulation tools. These tools minimize the time and costs required to introduce new battery technologies to the market.
The mission at About:Energy is to expedite the transition to electrification by providing comprehensive tools and data to optimize battery design. The company aims to become the central repository for battery data, empowering companies to access the information necessary to develop the ideal battery for their specific applications. By equipping organizations with superior data, About:Energy enables them to make informed decisions that reduce development costs and accelerate the adoption of electric mobility solutions.
Solutions and Specialization
About:Energy offers digital tools and high-quality data through its software platform to assist companies in streamlining battery research and development. The software predicts battery performance, enabling optimal design and usage for various applications. The company conducts rigorous testing of commercial and proprietary battery cells in its labs to generate advanced data required for simulations. This empowers customers to enhance performance, reduce costs, and accelerate the development of battery-powered products.
The technology serves a diverse range of sectors, including automotive, aerospace, battery manufacturing, and more. Additionally, any industry involved in the development of battery-powered products, even in smaller niches such as off-road vehicles, maritime, and e-scooters, can benefit from About:Energy’s tools and data.
Addressing Challenges and Partnership Success
The transition to electrification has presented significant challenges, particularly in battery development. Traditional methods involving physical prototyping are time-consuming and expensive, hindering innovation and widespread adoption of electric mobility. A real-world example of this challenge is the Nissan Leaf, which experienced faster-than-expected battery degradation in hot climates. More extensive virtual prototyping using About:Energy’s tools could have flagged this issue earlier, potentially saving Nissan significant warranty costs through better thermal management and pack optimisation.
About:Energy’s digital tools address these challenges by providing unparalleled insights into battery performance through advanced modeling and data analytics. Their technology offers several benefits, including:
- Access to hundreds of precisely-measured datasets for accurate simulations.
- Advanced modeling that predicts battery behavior for optimized design and use.
- Intuitive software that integrates seamlessly with existing workflows.
- Accelerated development timelines through virtual prototyping.
- Informed decision-making based on key metrics like lifetime and cost.
- Reduced development costs and faster time-to-market.
About:Energy has partnered with leading automotive OEMs like Porsche to optimize battery design, identifying opportunities to enhance range, lower costs, and extend service life. By leveraging its software platform, partners can make informed decisions that drive innovation and competitiveness in the market.
The Voltt: Advanced Software Platform
The Voltt is About:Energy’s flagship software platform featuring advanced battery data and models to streamline development processes. It integrates seamlessly with existing workflows, providing unmatched visibility into cell performance to drive better design decisions. Users can leverage The Voltt to optimize cell selection, pack design, lifetime prediction, and performance optimization.
Financial Overview and Future Outlook
To date, About:Energy has raised £1.7M (approximately $2.2M) in funding from investors such as HighSage Ventures and Vireo Ventures. Additionally, it has secured £1M (approximately $1.3M) in government grants to accelerate product development. This capital has enabled About:Energy to scale its operations rapidly and serve a diverse portfolio of clients.
Looking ahead, About:Energy is committed to expanding its data and modeling capabilities to meet growing demand. The company is exploring a Series A investment round to further accelerate its growth and continue enabling organizations to build better batteries faster. By providing unparalleled battery insights through its accessible platform, About:Energy aims to reduce risks, costs, and time-to-market. This will ultimately drive the advancement of battery technology and the widespread adoption of electrification solutions.
