Sofab Inks has raised $6 million in seed funding to scale production of specialty materials designed to improve the reliability of perovskite solar cells. Cloudberry Ventures led the round as a strategic investor.
The company plans to use the capital to expand high-velocity manufacturing and triple the size of its engineering team. Sofab will focus on scaling its technology from current production levels to specifications suitable for 1-by-2-meter commercial solar modules.
Perovskite solar cells use a thin light-absorbing material that can be manufactured at lower temperatures than conventional silicon. The technology can also be layered with silicon in tandem cells to capture more of the solar spectrum and potentially improve overall power conversion efficiency.
Reliability has remained a major obstacle to commercial deployment. Sofab is targeting a fullerene-based layer known as C60, which the company describes as a source of voltage loss and a mechanically weak point that can contribute to cracking and delamination.
Sofab’s metal-oxide nanoparticles are designed to replace the C60 layer. The company said its materials bond six to 10 times more strongly and can improve the mechanical durability of perovskite devices at larger module sizes.
Sofab reported efficiency of 22.3% on 30-centimeter single-junction modules using its technology. The company is now working to maintain performance and durability as manufacturing scales up toward full commercial production.
Its Tinfab material is designed as a high-performance electron transport layer. This layer helps move electrical charges through a solar cell while contributing to the stability and efficiency of the overall device.
The company was spun out of the University of Louisville’s Conn Center for Renewable Energy with support from the U.S. Department of Energy. Its strategy is to provide specialized inks and nanostructured materials to solar manufacturers rather than produce complete panels itself.
Sofab said it is commercially engaged or in late-stage discussions with approximately 90% of the perovskite industry. Its collaborators include Alpha Precision Systems, Arizona State University, Energy Materials Corporation, Halocell and SunXT.
The company initially sees an opportunity in utility-scale tandem solar, where perovskite layers can be added to silicon-based systems. Sofab also plans to address applications where conventional silicon may be less practical due to weight, shape, or manufacturing temperature limitations.
Perovskite films can be significantly thinner than silicon and applied to flexible or heat-sensitive materials. Potential markets include vehicle surfaces, lightweight satellite arrays, space systems and small-format power sources for connected devices.
Cloudberry Ventures believes demand for higher-performance solar technology will grow as electrification and artificial intelligence infrastructure increase electricity consumption. The investor said Sofab’s material could help address a technical bottleneck preventing broader perovskite adoption.
The funding will support further validation of long-term stability, production scale-up and customer adoption. Sofab’s commercial prospects remain dependent on its ability to reproduce laboratory and pilot-line performance consistently within high-volume manufacturing environments.
KEY QUOTES:
“Perovskites are the first materials class that brings tandem solar into range for utility-scale deployment, the segment behind almost all of the roughly 2,800 gigawatts installed worldwide. A perovskite cell is only as good as its weakest layer, and the industry has been stuck with C60, a fullerene. It’s the largest source of voltage loss in the device and the point where fielded modules crack first.”
“That’s the layer we replace. Our metal-oxide nanoparticles bond six to ten times more strongly than C60 and hold up at real sizes, running at 22.3% on 30-centimeter single junction modules. This funding moves us into high-velocity production as we triple our engineering team to manage the 1x to 100x scale-up for 1×2 meter commercial specs.”
Blake Martin, Co-Founder and CEO of Sofab Inks
“Sofab Inks is redefining the ROI of climate investment by making solar panels significantly more efficient than anything available today. The demand for high-performance renewables is skyrocketing in the U.S., fueled by the massive energy requirements of new data centers and the AI infrastructure build-out.”
“Our investment reflects our confidence in Sofab’s trajectory as they solve a critical technical bottleneck and scale production to meet the global demand for innovative materials for next-generation solar.”
Mahir Sahin, Founder and General Partner of Cloudberry Ventures
“APS has had the opportunity to work with Sofab for nearly two years. During this period, through use of our slot die coating technology and Perovskite PV development platform, we have witnessed Sofab make substantial progress in transforming its ink into a commercially viable material and achieving record efficiencies.”
“Sofab Tinfab material addresses a critical challenge in perovskite solar cell manufacturing, and we are excited about the potential impact it could have in reducing production costs. APS looks forward to continuing our collaboration with Sofab, with the objective of providing customers with a total solution that integrates Sofab Tinfab materials deposited with APS slot die coating and drying systems.”
Miguel Friedrich, CEO of Alpha Precision Systems
“Our research group has used Tinfab extensively as a fullerene replacement and a pathway to more mechanically and operationally stable perovskite photovoltaic devices. We have observed that fullerene-based materials are the mechanical weak link in terms of extremely low fracture energies that trigger delamination and restrict the commercial viability of perovskite-based technology.”
“The use of Tinfab has completely overcome these challenges by providing a more mechanically robust interface, increasing fracture energy by a factor of approximately five, and a corresponding increase in durability. I see Tinfab as a necessary component for the commercialization of perovskite photovoltaics and look forward to continuing to work with Sofab on important questions related to validating long-term stability.”
Dr. Nick Rolston, Leader of the Renewable Energy Materials and Devices Lab at Arizona State University
“Sofab has been an important nanoparticle ink partner during our development of high-performance perovskite solar cells using high-speed, roll-to-roll equipment. We look forward to working with Sofab as we move toward commercialization.”
Tom Tombs, CTO of Energy Materials Corporation
“Choosing the right materials partners is one of the most consequential decisions in next-generation solar development. Sofab Inks stood out for their deep expertise in nanoparticle inks and their commitment to enabling low-cost, scalable perovskite photovoltaics.”
“This funding milestone is well-earned, and we’re proud to be collaborating with them as both companies grow.”
Paul Moonie, CEO of Halocell Energy
“Working alongside Sofab Inks has been an outstanding and effective partnership for SunXT. Their advanced materials were instrumental in achieving remarkable stability in our fullerene-free perovskite modules for 4T tandem applications.”
“As we launch our new R&D pilot line in Rome in 2026, we are eager to scale the use of Sofab-based modules. We believe they will accelerate the timeline for manufacturing cost-effective perovskite modules.”
Francesco Di Giacomo, CTO and Co-Founder of SunXT
