Blue Current, a Hayward, California-based developer of silicon solid-state batteries, has closed a Series D extension funding round of more than $80 million, anchored by Amazon, with participation from Koch Disruptive Technologies, Piedmont Capital, Rusheen Capital Partners, and Allen & Company. The company said the financing is intended to accelerate the commercialization of its silicon composite solid-state battery platform for mobility and stationary energy storage applications, positioning the technology as a safer, higher-performing alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries.
As part of the investment, Blue Current said James Hamilton, Amazon Senior Vice President and Distinguished Engineer, will join the company’s Board of Directors. Blue Current framed the board appointment as aligned with its push into commercialization and scale, particularly as demand grows for domestic manufacturing capacity and battery solutions that can meet performance requirements while improving safety profiles.
Blue Current said its platform was designed to address key challenges that have slowed broader adoption of next-generation solid-state batteries, including safety, thermal stability, energy density, charge rates, and the ability to operate at low pressures. The company said its architecture uses earth-abundant silicon and elastic polymer anodes paired with fully dry electrolytes and can be configured in multiple formulations optimized for either mobility use cases or stationary storage systems.
A core element of Blue Current’s commercialization strategy is manufacturability. The company said its batteries are intended to be produced at scale using established lithium-ion battery equipment, an approach it argues can reduce cost and execution risk compared with manufacturing processes that require entirely new tooling. Blue Current also emphasized that removing flammable liquid electrolytes is central to its safety claims and is meant to materially reduce fire risk while improving performance attributes such as cycle life and charging speed.
Blue Current said the new capital will fund the next stage of commercialization, enabling the company to pursue multiple high-value applications and move toward a commercially available next-generation battery for sectors that increasingly depend on reliable energy storage. The company positioned the round as supportive of both longer-range electric vehicle needs and expanding demand for stationary storage driven by electrification and technology infrastructure growth.
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“To meet the urgent energy demands of today’s technology-driven world we need a de-risked approach to solid-state battery commercialization that unlocks domestic manufacturing capacity,” said Susan Stone, CEO of Blue Current. “Our technology platform fundamentally addresses the mobility and stationary storage sectors’ unique needs on an accelerated timeline to safely and reliably power the world. This commercialization phase will enable multiple high-value use cases that will allow us to quickly move to a safe and effective commercially available next-generation battery.”
Susan Stone, Chief Executive Officer, Blue Current
“Our team has dedicated more than a decade of research and development into creating an industry-leading battery that sets our technology apart from other approaches. By prioritizing battery safety as our north star from day one, we came to our silicon-based design, not only drastically reducing fire risk but greatly improving energy density, cycle life, and charging speed,” said Kevin Wujcik, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Blue Current. “With KDT’s continued investment and Amazon’s investment, we look forward to entering the next stage of commercialization and overcoming current market limitations to energy storage.”
Kevin Wujcik, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Blue Current
“Blue Current has a missionary approach to transforming battery technology and their talented team is pioneering solid-state batteries that address the need for safe, high-performance, U.S.-based solutions,” said James Hamilton, Amazon Senior Vice President and Distinguished Engineer. “Scaling new battery solutions requires more than lab breakthroughs – and Blue Current’s approach could make solid-state batteries more affordable and accelerate their adoption to meet the growing demand for stationary storage and longer-range electric vehicles with faster charging times. We’re excited to see what they do next.”
James Hamilton, Senior Vice President and Distinguished Engineer, Amazon
