Connect with us

Technology

SQM LITHIUM VENTURES COMPLETES ALTILIUM’S USD 12M SERIES A FUNDING THROUGH FOLLOW-ON INVESTMENT

Published

on

PLYMOUTH, England , Feb. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — SQM Lithium Ventures is proud to announce its follow-on investment of USD 9.43 million in Altilium, a UK-based clean technology group focused on supporting the energy transition to net zero, bringing its total investment to USD 12 million.

The investment completes Altilium’s Series A funding round and marks the largest investment to date for SQM Lithium Ventures, the corporate venture arm of the lithium business of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (SQM), one of the world’s leading producers of battery-grade lithium.

The additional funding follows a year of strong progress in the scaling up of Altilium’s proprietary battery recycling technology and underscores both companies’ commitment to developing a circular economy for sustainable and low carbon battery materials.

SQM Lithium Ventures made an initial investment of USD 2.57 million in Altilium last year. Since then the company has hit a number of key development milestones, including the expansion of its UK recycling facilities, enhancement of its proprietary EcoCathode™ hydrometallurgical process and strengthening of its senior management team.

Going forward, the additional funding will accelerate the scale-up of Altilium’s UK and European activities, paving the way for the roll-out of the company’s full battery circularity customer offering, encompassing zero-carbon EV battery collection, black mass recycling and chemical refining direct to cathode active material (CAM).

Key developments for 2024 will include:

Construction of Small-Commercial Plant: The 18,000-square-foot facility in Plymouth, Devon is scheduled to begin operations mid 2024, processing significant volumes of battery precursors and cathode active materials for qualification with automakers and cell manufacturers.

Battery Recycling Stations (BRS): The raised capital will be instrumental in building the first Battery Recycling Station to efficiently transform discarded EV batteries into high-quality black mass, a crucial feedstock for Altilium’s chemical refineries.

Commencement of European Hydrometallurgical Refining: Altilium are progressing with the retrofit of an existing plant in Eastern Europe, with plans to process 8,000 metric tons of black mass to EV battery intermediates later in 2024.

Finalisation of plans for the UK’s largest EV battery recycling facility: The planned Teesside plant will have capacity to process battery waste from 150,000 electric vehicles. This facility aims to meet 20% of the UK’s Cathode Active Materials (CAM) requirement by 2030.

Altilium President & COO, Dr Christian Marston, commented:

“We are delighted to continue our relationship with SQM and excited about the journey ahead as we build a UK and European leader in battery recycling. We are immensely grateful for their belief in our business and our shared vision for achieving the lowest carbon footprint in battery raw materials.”

Altilium CEO, Kamran Mahdavi, commented:

“This round of funding with SQM Lithium Venture has been a pivotal achievement for Altilium and reflects the significant strides the business has made over the past 12 months. We look forward to building on these achievements with the support of our partners and our dedicated team.”

Carlos Díaz, CEO of the Lithium-Potasium Division of SQM, commented:

“The investment in Altilium gives SQM the chance to participate in the creation of a new industry: the recovery of critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt from recycled batteries. This will allow us to add value to the new battery supply chain, while at the same time maintaining sustainable levels of resource consumption, water use and carbon footprint. SQM’s top priorities include attracting technical talent to the company and associating ourselves with the world’s most innovative startups, allowing us to maximize our impact in the industry.”

David Rousselle, Engineering Manager at SQM and member of Altilium’s board of directors, added:

“Lithium batteries have become an essential component of modern society, as they’re used in electric vehicles and electronic devices. Despite the importance of the circular economy, most lithium-ion batteries are still not recycled. In the US and EU, less than 1% of lithium-ion batteries are recycled, compared to 99% of lead-acid batteries. Given the growth in the electromobility market, lithium-ion battery recycling will be essential in the coming years. The investment in Altilium allows SQM to get ahead of the global recycling curve, doubling down on the company’s commitment to developing solutions for human progress and working toward economic, social, and environmental sustainability.”

In addition to providing capital investment, SQM Lithium Ventures also brings considerable experience in large-scale project delivery and a commitment to innovation and sustainability.

With substantial backing from UK Government Innovation grants, Altilium is leading the charge in the UK’s journey towards establishing a national champion for EV battery recycling. Altilium’s proprietary EcoCathode™ process converts old EV batteries and manufacturing scrap into domestic, sustainable, battery precursors, cathode active materials (CAM) and cathode precursor (p-CAM) for direct reuse in new batteries.

Recovering over 95% of crucial metals from old EV batteries will contribute to a UK domestic and sustainable supply of battery raw materials, reducing carbon emissions by over 50% and reducing the cost of cathode active material by more than 20% compared to conventional virgin mining practices.

About Altilium

Altilium is a UK-based clean tech group that will reshape the UK and European automotive supply chain by offering high volume, low carbon domestic sources of cathode and anode materials from recycling waste streams already in circulation, such as lithium scrap.

The company’s proprietary EcoCathode™ process converts end-of-life EV batteries and manufacturing scrap into domestic, sustainable, battery precursors, cathode active materials (CAM) and cathode precursor (pCAM) for direct reuse in new batteries.

Altilium’s first mini-commercial plant is currently under construction in Plymouth while its planned Teesside plant will be one of the largest EV battery recycling facilities in Europe. The plant will have the capacity to process scrap from over 150,000 EVs per year, producing 30,000 MT of CAM, enough to meet around 20% of the UK’s expected needs by 2030.

More information is available at www.altilium.tech

About SQM Lithium Ventures

SQM Lithium Ventures, launched in December 2022, seeks to invest in growing companies solving challenges related to lithium, water, and electromobility. The up-to USD 40 million fund invests tickets averaging USD 3 million, plus follow-on investments, in companies across the globe, and also operates an acceleration program based in Antofagasta, Chile, for earlier-stage startups within the same three verticals. Parent company SQM is one of the world’s largest producers of lithium for use in electric vehicle batteries.

The fund has a global presence, with team members in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. After evaluating more than 500 companies and completing four investment committees to date, the fund is advancing rapidly in conversations with several of the most innovative companies in its verticals.

The selection process consisted of several months of diligence and meetings with the Altilium team, culminating with an investment committee with participation of SQM’s CEO, largest shareholders, and key company leaders. SQM plans to add value with its global presence and vast expertise in lithium value chains, as well as a role in the company’s board of directors.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2343299/Altilium_logo.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sqm-lithium-ventures-completes-altiliums-usd-12m-series-a-funding-through-follow-on-investment-302066248.html

Continue Reading

Technology

Votebeat Launches Expert Desk with Support from More Perfect

Published

on

By

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, More Perfect partners with Votebeat—the nation’s only nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated exclusively to covering how elections are run—to announce the launch of the Expert Desk.

As we head into the midterms, this free platform connects journalists nationwide with bipartisan  election experts, including former election officials, election attorneys, and technologists, who provide real-time, on-the-record guidance. Journalists will use the Desk to check claims, understand lawsuits, find credible sources, pressure-test tips, and get on-the-record quotes without waiting on callbacks or relying on loud voices with thin expertise.

With support from More Perfect and its partners, the Desk multiplies Votebeat’s impact far beyond its own coverage, equipping local and national outlets with resources to cover elections accurately. The Desk is expected to serve 600 journalists across 150 newsrooms nationwide. More than 100 experts will be available to answer questions and offer proactive tips. 

“Journalists across the U.S. will be equipped to cover elections and provide communities with credible, trusted information to make informed decisions about key issues, thanks to More Perfect’s generous support of our national coverage and the Expert Desk,” said  Elizabeth Green, Founder and CEO of Civic News Company. Journalists across the country can now turn to Votebeat for a free resource to help them through this demanding election cycle.

“A functioning democracy depends on voters having accurate information about how their elections are run,” said John Bridgeland, Founder and CEO of More Perfect. “More Perfect is proud to support Votebeat and the Expert Desk, which puts trusted, on-the-record expertise directly in the hands of journalists in communities. This is the kind of work our alliance came together to advance.”

“The Expert Desk is the backbone for better election coverage,” said Jessica Huseman, editorial director for Votebeat. “It gives journalists immediate access to trusted experts who can help them make sense of complicated election laws, procedures, and technology — whether they need a source, a gut check, or an answer to a technical question on deadline.”

Votebeat’s National bureau ensures that trustworthy information is available to communities through its coverage of federal voting policy, legal battles, and cross-state trends that connect local reporting to broader national developments. Votebeat’s work has prompted policy changes, influenced public debate, and shaped how elections are understood and administered. That same expertise also informs Votebeat’s Expert Desk, which extends beyond its own newsroom.

Interested reporters are invited to complete the application form. Journalists will be accepted if they are actively reporting on the 2026 elections, are not funded by or working for political candidates, campaigns or parties, and abide by the Expert Desk’s participation guidelines. Experts with relevant election experience can express interest in participating by completing this form. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Journalists will be able to participate until December 15, when the Desk closes.

About More Perfect
More Perfect is a bipartisan alliance of 44 Presidential Centers, National Archives Foundation, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia, and more than 100 organizations working together to advance five Democracy Goals: 1) Universal Civic Learning; 2) Expanding National Service and Volunteering; 3) Bridging Divides; 4) Trusted Elections and More Representative and Responsive Governance; and 5) Access to Trusted News and Information.

About Civic News Company and Votebeat
Civic News Company publishes Votebeat (Election Administration), Healthbeat (Public Health and Healthcare), and Chalkbeat (Education). Our publisher is one of the nation’s largest networks of nonprofit local newsrooms with 15 bureaus across 12 states. Votebeat is the only nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom in America focused exclusively on how elections are run. With embedded reporters in five states that will decide the balance of power in Washington (Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin), plus a National Desk and the Election Expert Desk, Votebeat watches the machinery of democracy year-round: voter rolls, mail ballots, county certification, election-office funding, and the laws that quietly determine who can vote and how easily.

For press inquiries, contact:
press@joinmoreperfect.us

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/votebeat-launches-expert-desk-with-support-from-more-perfect-302878059.html

SOURCE More Perfect

Continue Reading

Technology

Votebeat Launches Expert Desk with Support from More Perfect

Published

on

By

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, More Perfect partners with Votebeat—the nation’s only nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated exclusively to covering how elections are run—to announce the launch of the Expert Desk.

As we head into the midterms, this free platform connects journalists nationwide with bipartisan  election experts, including former election officials, election attorneys, and technologists, who provide real-time, on-the-record guidance. Journalists will use the Desk to check claims, understand lawsuits, find credible sources, pressure-test tips, and get on-the-record quotes without waiting on callbacks or relying on loud voices with thin expertise.

With support from More Perfect and its partners, the Desk multiplies Votebeat’s impact far beyond its own coverage, equipping local and national outlets with resources to cover elections accurately. The Desk is expected to serve 600 journalists across 150 newsrooms nationwide. More than 100 experts will be available to answer questions and offer proactive tips. 

“Journalists across the U.S. will be equipped to cover elections and provide communities with credible, trusted information to make informed decisions about key issues, thanks to More Perfect’s generous support of our national coverage and the Expert Desk,” said  Elizabeth Green, Founder and CEO of Civic News Company. Journalists across the country can now turn to Votebeat for a free resource to help them through this demanding election cycle.

“A functioning democracy depends on voters having accurate information about how their elections are run,” said John Bridgeland, Founder and CEO of More Perfect. “More Perfect is proud to support Votebeat and the Expert Desk, which puts trusted, on-the-record expertise directly in the hands of journalists in communities. This is the kind of work our alliance came together to advance.”

“The Expert Desk is the backbone for better election coverage,” said Jessica Huseman, editorial director for Votebeat. “It gives journalists immediate access to trusted experts who can help them make sense of complicated election laws, procedures, and technology — whether they need a source, a gut check, or an answer to a technical question on deadline.”

Votebeat’s National bureau ensures that trustworthy information is available to communities through its coverage of federal voting policy, legal battles, and cross-state trends that connect local reporting to broader national developments. Votebeat’s work has prompted policy changes, influenced public debate, and shaped how elections are understood and administered. That same expertise also informs Votebeat’s Expert Desk, which extends beyond its own newsroom.

Interested reporters are invited to complete the application form. Journalists will be accepted if they are actively reporting on the 2026 elections, are not funded by or working for political candidates, campaigns or parties, and abide by the Expert Desk’s participation guidelines. Experts with relevant election experience can express interest in participating by completing this form. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Journalists will be able to participate until December 15, when the Desk closes.

About More Perfect
More Perfect is a bipartisan alliance of 44 Presidential Centers, National Archives Foundation, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia, and more than 100 organizations working together to advance five Democracy Goals: 1) Universal Civic Learning; 2) Expanding National Service and Volunteering; 3) Bridging Divides; 4) Trusted Elections and More Representative and Responsive Governance; and 5) Access to Trusted News and Information.

About Civic News Company and Votebeat
Civic News Company publishes Votebeat (Election Administration), Healthbeat (Public Health and Healthcare), and Chalkbeat (Education). Our publisher is one of the nation’s largest networks of nonprofit local newsrooms with 15 bureaus across 12 states. Votebeat is the only nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom in America focused exclusively on how elections are run. With embedded reporters in five states that will decide the balance of power in Washington (Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin), plus a National Desk and the Election Expert Desk, Votebeat watches the machinery of democracy year-round: voter rolls, mail ballots, county certification, election-office funding, and the laws that quietly determine who can vote and how easily.

For press inquiries, contact:
press@joinmoreperfect.us

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/votebeat-launches-expert-desk-with-support-from-more-perfect-302878059.html

SOURCE More Perfect

Continue Reading

Technology

Votebeat Launches Expert Desk with Support from More Perfect

Published

on

By

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, More Perfect partners with Votebeat—the nation’s only nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated exclusively to covering how elections are run—to announce the launch of the Expert Desk.

As we head into the midterms, this free platform connects journalists nationwide with bipartisan  election experts, including former election officials, election attorneys, and technologists, who provide real-time, on-the-record guidance. Journalists will use the Desk to check claims, understand lawsuits, find credible sources, pressure-test tips, and get on-the-record quotes without waiting on callbacks or relying on loud voices with thin expertise.

With support from More Perfect and its partners, the Desk multiplies Votebeat’s impact far beyond its own coverage, equipping local and national outlets with resources to cover elections accurately. The Desk is expected to serve 600 journalists across 150 newsrooms nationwide. More than 100 experts will be available to answer questions and offer proactive tips. 

“Journalists across the U.S. will be equipped to cover elections and provide communities with credible, trusted information to make informed decisions about key issues, thanks to More Perfect’s generous support of our national coverage and the Expert Desk,” said  Elizabeth Green, Founder and CEO of Civic News Company. Journalists across the country can now turn to Votebeat for a free resource to help them through this demanding election cycle.

“A functioning democracy depends on voters having accurate information about how their elections are run,” said John Bridgeland, Founder and CEO of More Perfect. “More Perfect is proud to support Votebeat and the Expert Desk, which puts trusted, on-the-record expertise directly in the hands of journalists in communities. This is the kind of work our alliance came together to advance.”

“The Expert Desk is the backbone for better election coverage,” said Jessica Huseman, editorial director for Votebeat. “It gives journalists immediate access to trusted experts who can help them make sense of complicated election laws, procedures, and technology — whether they need a source, a gut check, or an answer to a technical question on deadline.”

Votebeat’s National bureau ensures that trustworthy information is available to communities through its coverage of federal voting policy, legal battles, and cross-state trends that connect local reporting to broader national developments. Votebeat’s work has prompted policy changes, influenced public debate, and shaped how elections are understood and administered. That same expertise also informs Votebeat’s Expert Desk, which extends beyond its own newsroom.

Interested reporters are invited to complete the application form. Journalists will be accepted if they are actively reporting on the 2026 elections, are not funded by or working for political candidates, campaigns or parties, and abide by the Expert Desk’s participation guidelines. Experts with relevant election experience can express interest in participating by completing this form. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Journalists will be able to participate until December 15, when the Desk closes.

About More Perfect
More Perfect is a bipartisan alliance of 44 Presidential Centers, National Archives Foundation, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia, and more than 100 organizations working together to advance five Democracy Goals: 1) Universal Civic Learning; 2) Expanding National Service and Volunteering; 3) Bridging Divides; 4) Trusted Elections and More Representative and Responsive Governance; and 5) Access to Trusted News and Information.

About Civic News Company and Votebeat
Civic News Company publishes Votebeat (Election Administration), Healthbeat (Public Health and Healthcare), and Chalkbeat (Education). Our publisher is one of the nation’s largest networks of nonprofit local newsrooms with 15 bureaus across 12 states. Votebeat is the only nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom in America focused exclusively on how elections are run. With embedded reporters in five states that will decide the balance of power in Washington (Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin), plus a National Desk and the Election Expert Desk, Votebeat watches the machinery of democracy year-round: voter rolls, mail ballots, county certification, election-office funding, and the laws that quietly determine who can vote and how easily.

For press inquiries, contact:
press@joinmoreperfect.us

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/votebeat-launches-expert-desk-with-support-from-more-perfect-302878059.html

SOURCE More Perfect

Continue Reading

Trending