The tech giant’s climate innovation fund was part of a consortium that extended the Washington startup Group14’s Series C round to a total of US$614 million. Multinational battery firm Molicel, which has had a presence in Canada since the late ’70s, also participated. (The Logic)
Talking point: Even less obvious backers like Xbox-maker Microsoft are scrambling to get in on the global race to build batteries for EVs and other clean technologies. The round was originally announced at US$400 million in May, led by Porsche with participation from OMERS Capital Markets, and the U.S. Department of Energy added a US$100-million grant in October. Group14 focuses on silicone anode material, an emerging technology that promises to be more efficient than the readily available graphite on the market today.
