Gaussion raises £21M for faster battery charging
Gaussion is applying magnetic fields and control software to improve existing lithium-ion batteries without requiring a new cell chemistry.
Most battery startups try to improve performance by changing the materials inside a cell. Gaussion is taking a different approach: alter how an existing battery behaves from outside it.
What happened
The UCL spinout raised £21 million from investors including AlbionVC, BGF, Future Ventures, Autotech Ventures and the UCL Technology Fund.
Sources have used different stage labels for the financing, so the article should treat it simply as a £21 million round rather than state a disputed Series A designation.
Gaussion develops systems that apply controlled magnetic fields during charging and battery operation. The company combines hardware with control software and says the method can improve charging speed and performance without replacing the underlying lithium-ion chemistry.
The funding will support engineering, customer validation and the move from laboratory systems toward commercial applications.
Why it matters
New battery chemistries can take many years to qualify because manufacturers and customers must validate safety, lifetime and production at scale. A technology compatible with existing cells could reach the market faster if it delivers meaningful benefits.
The potential applications extend beyond electric vehicles to drones, industrial equipment and data-centre backup systems, where charging time and battery utilisation affect asset economics.
The bigger picture
Battery innovation increasingly includes software, thermal management and power electronics—not only new materials. Technologies that improve installed cells can benefit from the enormous manufacturing base already built around lithium-ion.
Gaussion still has to prove that gains observed in controlled tests remain consistent across cell formats, temperatures and long operating lives. Commercial adoption will depend on whether the extra hardware cost and energy use are outweighed by faster charging, longer life or better performance.