Lyten
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry |
|
| Founded | 2015 |
| Headquarters | , United States |
| Products | |
| Website | lyten |
Lyten, Inc. is an American advanced materials company headquartered in San Jose, California.[1] It develops composites, sensors, and lithium–sulfur batteries.
History
Lyten was founded in 2015 by Daniel Cook, Lars Herlitz, Scott Mobley and William Wraith III.[2][3] Lyten develops a proprietary three-dimensional carbon material known as "3D Graphene", which is produced by converting methane into solid carbon and hydrogen gas via a carbon capture process.[4][5] This material is described by independent sources as chemically and structurally different from traditional two-dimensional graphene.[6] Lyten's 3D Graphene forms the foundation for several of its product lines, including lithium-sulfur batteries, lightweight composites, and environmental sensors.[7]
Lyten initially operated in a stealth‑mode period during which it concentrated on research and pilot production of its proprietary "3D Graphene" platform for advanced materials.[8] In September 2021, the company announced its emergence from stealth and introduced its "LytCell EV" lithium–sulfur battery platform targeted at automotive applications and noted prior work with U.S. government defence programs and later indicated its intention to serve aerospace markets.[9][10]
In 2023, Lyten signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Luxembourg government to establish its European headquarters in Luxembourg.[11][12]
It has received over $600 million in funding from multiple investors, including Stellantis, FedEx and the United States government.[13]
In October 2024, Lyten announced plans to construct a lithium–sulfur battery gigafactory in Reno, Nevada, with a projected investment of over $1 billion and a planned capacity of 10 gigawatt-hours per year.[14][15]
In 2025, Lyten acquired European battery manufacturing facilities from the bankrupt company Northvolt, including gigfactories in Poland and Sweden. The acquisition also included intellectual property.[16]
Northvolt acquisition
In 2024, Lyten began acquiring assets from the Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt. The process began in November 2024 with the acquisition of the equipment and facility lease for Northvolt's Cuberg subsidiary in San Leandro, California. Following this, Lyten entered negotiations to acquire Northvolt's battery storage factory in Gdansk, Poland.[17]
During the negotiations, Northvolt declared bankruptcy on March 14, 2025. To secure the acquisition of the Gdansk facility, Lyten guaranteed the plant's liabilities, a sum reported to be under $50 million.[17] To manage cash flow, Lyten delayed some of its domestic capital projects and vendor payments, resulting in over $10 million in unpaid invoices.[17] This led to inquiries from staff, including then-chief battery technology officer Celina Mikolajczak.[17] In 2025, Lyten provided payments structured as a loan to the Gdansk plant to cover operational expenses.[17]
Lyten also acquired Northvolt’s electric vehicle battery gigafactory in Skellefteå, Sweden.[1][18] The factory closed in March 2025 due to the Northvolt bankruptcy, but as of November 2025 Lyten had rehired nearly all of its laid-off workers and was preparing to restart production.[18]
References
- ^ a b Milne, Richard (7 Aug 2025). "US battery start-up Lyten buys Northvolt out of bankruptcy". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 7 Aug 2025.
- ^ "The 22 Largest Global Startup Funding Rounds of Q3 2023 – AlleyWatch". Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ "About Us". Battery Lithium-Sulfur | Electric Vehicles | Lyten 3D Graphene™ Supermaterials. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ "Lyten: Pioneering Tunable 3D Graphene for Next-Generation Lithium-Sulfur Batteries". Power Electronics News. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
- ^ "Q&A: Lyten says 3D Graphene will disrupt racing, automotive, and space". SAE International. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
- ^ "Lyten's 3D Graphene Could Build a Low-Carbon Future". C3 News Magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
- ^ "Graphene Supermaterials Startup Lyten Raises $200 Million for Solutions to Decarbonize Hard-to-Abate Sectors". ESG Today. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
- ^ Brzeziński, Mateusz (2025-08-16). "Move Over Lithium: Aluminum and Sulfur Batteries Are Sparking an Energy Revolution". Bez Kabli. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
- ^ Markus, Frank (2021-10-21). "Lyten Promises Big Things for EVs From Its Lithium-Sulfur Battery". MotorTrend. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
- ^ Fisher, Ryan (2023-02-22). "Silicon Valley Startup Charts a Path to Cheaper EV Batteries". Retrieved 2025-11-19.
- ^ "US startup Lyten to establish European headquarters in Luxembourg - Trade & Invest". luxembourgtradeandinvest.com. 2025-11-14. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
- ^ "Silicon Valley graphene batteries pioneer Lyten to locate European HQ in Luxembourg". sanfrancisco.mae.lu. 2023-10-05. Retrieved 2025-11-19.
- ^ "Stellantis Invests in Lyten's Breakthrough Lithium-Sulfur EV Battery Technology". Stellantis.
- ^ "US startup Lyten to invest over $1 bln in Nevada lithium-sulfur battery factory". October 15, 2024.
- ^ Sheridan, Kevin; Doyle, Nick (2024-10-15). "World's first lithium sulfur battery gigafactory coming to Reno area". fox5vegas.com. Retrieved 2025-12-15.
- ^ "Battery startup Lyten yet to convince carmakers over Northvolt revival". August 25, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e LeVine, Steve (August 17, 2024). "The Inside Story of How a Tiny California Startup Grabbed Europe's Battery Giant". The Information.
- ^ a b Hivert, Anne-Françoise (22 Nov 2025). "The fall of Northvolt, Sweden's symbol of green reindustrialization". Le Monde. Archived from the original on 22 Nov 2025.