Advanced Ionics

About Advanced Ionics

Advanced Ionics is a Milwaukee-based company developing water-vapor electrolyzer technology to reduce the cost of producing green hydrogen. Founded in 2017 by Chad Mason, who now serves as the Chief Technology Officer, the company aims to accelerate the decarbonization of heavy industries. The team also includes CEO Ignacio Bincaz, who brings commercial experience from his time at H2Pro and Worley, Inc. The founder's background is rooted in electrochemistry, including work with batteries, fuel cells, and electrolyzers.

The company is addressing the high cost and significant electricity consumption associated with traditional green hydrogen production. Its business model centers on manufacturing and deploying its proprietary Symbion™ electrolyzer technology to industrial clients. This technology is designed for symbiotic integration with existing industrial facilities, targeting sectors such as petrochemicals, ammonia and fertilizer production, steel manufacturing, and chemicals. By leveraging waste heat commonly found in these industrial settings, the company's electrolyzers can significantly reduce the electricity required for hydrogen production.

Advanced Ionics' core product, the Symbion™ water-vapor electrolyzer, operates at an intermediate temperature range (100-650°C), which distinguishes it from conventional 'hot' (solid oxide) and 'cold' (alkaline and PEM) electrolyzers. This approach allows it to utilize available process or waste heat from industrial sites, lowering the required electrical input to below 35 kWh per kilogram of hydrogen, a substantial improvement over the 50+ kWh/kg often needed by typical electrolyzers. A key feature of the technology is its construction from common, widely available materials like steel, avoiding the need for expensive and rare platinum-group metals or specialized polymer membranes. This material choice helps to lower the capital cost of the electrolyzers. The system's patented electrode architecture is central to its ability to operate efficiently across a wide temperature range using steam.

Since its founding, Advanced Ionics has secured significant funding to advance its technology toward commercialization. The company has raised a total of $31.3 million over several rounds, including a $12.5 million Series A in 2023 led by bp ventures and a subsequent $6.7 million round in early 2025 with investors like JERA and Lummus Technology. These funds are being used to expand its team, scale up manufacturing, and deploy pilot programs with key industry partners. The company has established partnerships and pilot projects with major players like Shell, Repsol, and Lummus Technology to test and validate its systems for applications in renewable hydrogen and ammonia production.