Money for Berlin startup "Our crystal sulfur battery is a game changer"

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The startup Theion has received a cash injection of 15 million euros (approx. 16 million USD). CEO Ulrich Ehmes wants to advance the development of the next generation of crystal sulfur batteries with it.

Mr. Ehmes, congratulations on the successful financing round! What does this mean for Theion?

Ulrich Ehmes: Thank you very much! The completion of this financing round is a major milestone for us—for two central reasons: Firstly, the investment significantly accelerates the development of our innovative crystal sulfur battery. After we have already conducted successful tests with button cells, we will now tackle the next stage: integrating our technology into a high-performance pouch cell. Secondly, we are very pleased to have attracted renowned investors such as Team Global, Enpal, and Geschwister Oetker Beteiligungen. The commitment shows us that not only are we on the right technological path with our battery, but we have also been able to convince investors of its relevance for the energy transition.

What distinguishes your crystal sulfur battery from conventional lithium-ion batteries?

The key lies in the materials used. Our goal is to develop a battery that has only one-third of the weight, cost, and CO₂ footprint of conventional lithium-ion batteries. To achieve this, we replace critical and expensive raw materials such as nickel, manganese, cobalt, or iron phosphate with sulfur—a byproduct of industrial processes that is available in large quantities, inexpensive, and extremely lightweight. With the crystalline structure we have optimized for our battery, we enable particularly efficient and long-lasting energy absorption and release. Our technology also requires novel production methods that we have patented. These fundamentally differ from the manufacturing of conventional batteries and enable the widespread use of sulfur as a cathode material. We want to make batteries significantly more sustainable and affordable for everyone, thereby making an important contribution to the energy transition.

Which industries will use your technology first and when do you expect it?

The global demand for battery cells will multiply from around one terawatt-hour in 2024 to about eight TWh in 2030—a market expected to grow to approximately 500 billion euros (approx. 539 billion USD) by then. E-mobility on land will be the largest consumer, with an estimated volume of 340 billion euros (approx. 366 billion USD), followed by stationary energy storage with around 175 billion euros (approx. 189 billion USD). Future markets such as electric flight will also see strong growth—and this is where our lightweight advantage plays a crucial role. That's why we are initially focusing on applications in air and land mobility. The path to deployment in end products will take some time, but with the right partners, we can accelerate this process.

You promise a third of the cost and weight—how do you plan to achieve that?

The largest cost factors in batteries are the materials—they account for about 70 percent of production costs. The cathode material alone contributes about 50 percent to this. Our approach: The lightweight sulfur costs only about 20 cents per kilogram, while nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide (NMC) costs around 20 euros (approx. 22 USD) and iron phosphate (LFP) about eight euros (8,64 USD) per kilogram. The use of sulfur as a cathode material thus leads to a significant cost reduction.

Added to this is the high energy density: sulfur stores around five times more energy per unit weight than NMC and about seven times more than LFP. By combining it with our lightweight, patented lithium-metal host anode instead of heavy graphite, we enable batteries that have only one-third of the previous weight—with the same storage capacity. Ultimately, only a complete material change leads to a sustainable improvement in cost, weight, and environmental balance. Our specially developed production processes are precisely designed for this purpose.

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With what arguments would you like to compete with battery manufacturers, especially from Asia?

We focus on three decisive advantages: lower costs, reduced weight, and more sustainable production. A central point is our regional and geopolitically independent supply chain. While many manufacturers rely on raw materials such as nickel or cobalt, we use sulfur, which is available worldwide in large quantities. This allows us to avoid supply bottlenecks and geopolitical risks. In the long term, we believe that exactly these factors – cost savings, weight advantage, and sustainability—will be the key to successfully positioning ourselves in the competition.

How can your technology help improve the CO₂ footprint of electric vehicles?

Since sulfur is an industrial byproduct, energy-intensive raw material extraction through mining, long transport routes, and elaborate preprocessing are eliminated. This alone saves us over two-thirds of the usual energy consumption. Additionally, our technology enables more sustainable battery production with significantly reduced resource use. This significantly reduces the CO₂ footprint. Another advantage: the reduced battery weight significantly lowers the overall weight of electric vehicles—and thus also their energy consumption and emissions during operation.

Germany and Europe are relying on technological sovereignty in the battery sector. What role can your battery play in this regard?

The lithium-ion batteries used today were developed over 30 years ago for portable devices such as camcorders, which are completely different applications. Now it's time for a real disruptive technological leap in mobility. By using sulfur as a cathode material, we can achieve batteries with one-third of the previous weight, cost, and CO₂ footprint. Our goal is to make Germany and Europe more independent of non-European raw materials and to build a sustainable value chain on the continent. According to the Volta Foundation's "Battery Report 2024," we are currently the only European start-up developing crystal sulfur batteries. This shows: We are on the right track—and ready to make a decisive contribution to the next generation of battery technology.

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