SDC Materials

About SDC Materials

SDC Materials, established in 2004, was a materials science company that focused on developing and manufacturing nano-enhanced catalysts for the automotive industry. The firm's core business centered on creating novel catalyst ingredients designed to improve the efficiency and performance of emission control systems in vehicles. SDC Materials developed proprietary fabrication and integration processes for catalytic materials that enabled significant improvements in the performance efficiencies of the precious metals used in emissions control.

The company's technology aimed to increase the surface area of contact within catalysts and reduce the agglomeration of impurities over time. This process was claimed to decrease impurities by 40-60% compared to traditional catalysts while maintaining performance. SDC Materials served the automotive sector by providing products that could be directly integrated into existing manufacturing processes. The business model revolved around selling these advanced nano-enhanced materials to manufacturers within the automotive supply chain.

Throughout its history, SDC Materials attracted notable investment, raising a total of $20.3 million over four funding rounds. Its investor base included venture capital firms and corporate venture arms such as Invus, BASF, Volvo Group, and GM Ventures, with the last known funding round being a Series B in July 2015. In recognition of its work, the company was named in the 2013 Global Cleantech 100. The company is now considered deadpooled.