Lithios

Lithios Inc. is a technology company focused on addressing the anticipated global lithium shortage by commercializing a new electrochemical platform for sustainable and low-cost lithium extraction. Founded in 2022 by CEO Dr. Mo Alkhadra and Chief Scientist Professor Martin Bazant, the company emerged from their work at MIT. Dr. Alkhadra holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from MIT, while Professor Bazant is an established professor of Chemical Engineering and Mathematics at the same institution. Their combined expertise in chemical engineering, mathematics, and physics forms the scientific foundation of the company.

The company is developing what it calls Advanced Lithium Extraction (ALE), a proprietary electrochemical process designed to selectively capture lithium from previously untapped and uneconomical brine resources. This technology targets brines with challenging contaminant profiles, such as those found in geothermal and oilfield operations. The core of the ALE platform is its use of highly selective lithium capture electrodes that separate lithium from impurities like sodium, magnesium, and calcium, driven entirely by electricity without the need for chemical reagents or solvents. This method is engineered to significantly reduce energy and freshwater consumption compared to conventional extraction methods and other Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technologies. By making the recovery process for low-grade brines more cost-effective, Lithios aims to unlock over 85% of known but currently inaccessible lithium sources.

Lithios operates in the CleanTech and mining technology sectors, serving lithium miners, resource operators, and the broader battery supply chain. The business model centers on deploying its scalable and modular ALE systems to enable partners to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate. The company's goal is to facilitate a secure domestic supply chain for lithium, a critical material for the electric vehicle and energy storage markets. To fund its growth, Lithios has secured significant financing, including a $12 million seed round in late 2024, co-led by Clean Energy Ventures with participation from Lowercarbon Capital, TechEnergy Ventures, and GS Futures. This capital is being used to scale up research and development and to construct a pilot facility in Medford, Massachusetts, with the long-term objective of developing commercial projects capable of producing thousands of tons of lithium annually.

Keywords: lithium extraction, electrochemical technology, Advanced Lithium Extraction (ALE), brine mining, cleantech, battery materials, sustainable mining, direct lithium extraction (DLE), energy transition, resource recovery, EV supply chain, geothermal brine, oilfield brine, Mo Alkhadra, Martin Bazant, Clean Energy Ventures, low-cost lithium, selective extraction, battery supply chain, US domestic lithium