About Wildcat Discovery Technologies
Wildcat Discovery Technologies, a global leader in lithium-ion battery R&D based in San Diego, California, is developing a technology that combines the power of parallel high throughput experimentation (“HTP”) and artificial intelligence. Wildcat works with companies throughout the battery industry supply chain to accelerate battery performance improvements, reduce R&D costs, speed up the introduction of the resulting products to market, as well as increase overall safety by helping to optimise a multi-variable system. Wildcat has invested over US$70m to develop, build, and augment its HTP, conducting over 225,000 physical experiments, filing over 170 patents, and completing more than 80 customer collaborations. Their customers include battery industry leaders at every step of the battery supply chain: automakers in all regions, global consumer electronics companies, large cell makers, and major chemical companies are among Wildcat’s current customers. Furthermore, Wildcat has been backed by several venture capital funds, including 5AM Ventures, Presidio Partners, Richard Branson’s Virgin Green Fund, Infield Capital, and Vision Ridge Partners.
Wildcat Discovery Technologies has entered into a strategic alliance with IPM Group portfolio company InoBat, aiming to build a 100 million euro (US$111 million) automotive battery production line in Slovakia, to meet the future demand from Central Europe’s carmakers. Starting in 2020, it has a with a view to upscale to a 10 GWh mass manufacturing facility in the future. The EU is predicted to be the second largest single market for electric vehicle batteries; albeit currently lagging 5 years behind in its battery technology development. InoBat Auto, a joint venture between InoBat and Wildcat Discovery Technologies, plans to provide proprietary batteries to European automakers, using Wildcat’s renowned AI-enhanced R&D platform. Since the Central and Eastern European region is home to some of the largest car producers per capita, it offers InoBat Auto significant offtake opportunities, putting the joint venture on the path to becoming a global leader in electric vehicle batteries.
IPM Group, in consortium with its portfolio company InoBat and Flint Hills Resources, subsidiary of Koch Industries invested US$20m Series C financing into Wildcat Discovery Technologies. This investment marks a significant milestone for the InoBat Auto project, coming one step closer towards EU technological independence from foreign battery producers, as well as to its goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.
