Dutch battery materials startup LeydenJar has secured €13 million ($15.2 million) to accelerate production of its silicon anode technology for a “leading U.S.-based consumer electronics company.” The round, led by Extantia and Invest-NL, comes with an additional €10 million commitment from the customer itself.
The funding will be used to launch PlantOne, LeydenJar’s first manufacturing facility in Eindhoven, which is scheduled to open in 2027.
Currently, most of the world’s lithium-ion batteries,and the graphite anodes inside them, are produced in China. LeydenJar aims to shift that balance with pure silicon anodes, which it says can deliver 50% higher energy density than traditional graphite versions.
Silicon’s tendency to swell and crumble during charge cycles has historically held back its adoption. To address this, LeydenJar uses plasma vapor deposition to grow spongy silicon columns on copper sheets. This design absorbs expansion and contraction while preserving structural integrity.
The company claims its anodes enable faster charging, a lower carbon footprint, and durability across 450+ cycles before dropping below 80% capacity. While that still trails the 1,000 cycles automakers demand, it marks significant progress for consumer devices.
For now, LeydenJar is targeting electronics, following the same path competitor Sila took before moving into EVs. Breaking into automotive will take time, given strict validation requirements and the cost of scaling up large factories.
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Still, with demand for better batteries surging, LeydenJar believes its silicon anodes could be the breakthrough needed to power everything from smartphones to cars in the years ahead.
